From Clown Doctor to Classroom: Colin’s Journey to Shaping Young Lives
Before stepping into a classroom, Colin was navigating vastly different worlds.
worlds—wielding tools on construction sites and bringing joy as a clown doctor. Though the environments couldn’t be more contrasting, each experience deepened his understanding of people, communication, and the power of making others smile.
What ultimately pulled him toward early childhood education wasn’t just a career change—it was a calling. A chance to be more than a teacher: a visible, positive male role model in a child’s formative years, helping shape their sense of confidence, creativity, and emotional wellbeing from the ground up.
“I’ve always loved connecting with kids,” Colin says, reflecting on his journey from circus performer and clown doctor to reliever in early childhood education. “What really drew me in was the chance to make a long-term difference in children’s lives from the very beginning.”
Colin’s childhood in Malawi and South Africa was filled with Boy Scout adventures, karate competitions, and creative dreams. Later, he donned a red nose as a clown doctor, bringing laughter to children in hospitals—a role that opened his eyes to the power of play in healing.
“It’s something I’ve carried with me into early childhood education,” he shares. “Play isn’t just fun; it’s how children process the world and find their voice.”
As a father working as a reliever at BestStart while teaching dance in the evenings, Colin needed a study option that fit around his life. That’s why New Zealand Tertiary College was the right fit.
“One of the main reasons I chose NZTC was the flexibility—I loved that I could start at any time,” Colin explains. “It made it easier to take that first step without waiting.”
No two days look the same for Colin, and that’s exactly how he likes it. As a reliever, he supports tamariki with play-based learning, storytelling, and building trust, while also lending a hand with meals, cleaning, and setting up activities.
“I spend a lot of time on the floor—literally and figuratively—connecting with kids through play,” he says. “It’s about being someone they feel safe with.”
He hopes to take this even further by one day becoming a play specialist, using the power of play to help children process emotions and build resilience, particularly in hospital environments where he saw firsthand the difference connection and laughter can make.
With a big year ahead, Colin will finish his studies while choreographing for the Jolt Dance Biennale and possibly working with the Special Olympics. Next year, he plans to enter the early childhood education workforce, bringing his diverse skills, creativity, and dedication to a new generation of learners.
“I’m doing this to build a future for my son and to be part of something meaningful in the lives of other children,” Colin says. “That’s what keeps me going, even when it feels overwhelming.”
For Colin, early childhood education isn’t just a career shift; it’s the continuation of a lifelong mission to bring creativity, care, and confidence to others.
“Play, connection, creativity—these are the tools I’ve carried with me from the circus ring to the classroom floor,” Colin says. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”