There are people whose words make you notice the small moments that in everyday life are often not noticed. Such is Jelena Sepp – mother of four children, Head of Studies at Kolga Kindergarten and CEO of Huvi OÜ. From the very first minutes it was clear that in her words intertwine sincerity, experience and unwavering belief that learning must bring joy to both children and adults.
You are today both a trainer, Head of Studies at Kolga Kindergarten and a mother of four children. But if you had to introduce yourself first, where would you start?
First of all, I am a mother to my four children, who are my greatest teachers and daily sources of inspiration. It is precisely home experiences that have given me the confidence that a child’s development and learning begin with small moments and heartfelt relationships.
I am Head of Studies at Kolga Kindergarten, where my work is to support teachers and create an environment where children can grow into curious, creative and joyful learners.
As a trainer, I share my experiences with parents and teachers, so that learning would be meaningful, close to life and bring joy to both children and adults. I believe that every child deserves learning that is full of discovery, movement and creativity.
My journey is indeed a search for how to combine humanity, professionalism and creativity. I wish to inspire parents, teachers and communities, so that together we can shape an environment where children have a safe place to grow and learn, and adults have the strength and inspiration to support them.
What were those moments experienced as a mother and as a teacher that made you feel you wanted to create something more – an environment and a company that would support both children and teachers?
It all started with a simple but profound question: how to help my child learn to read?
In the role of a mother, I felt that I lacked knowledge – especially when my child was not interested in books. He was instead fascinated by movement and play. How to find that inner x-factor of the child that would help me as an adult to find the right approach and create interest in letters and words?
When I saw that my child discovered letters instead through art, movement or play, I realized: this is the key. Reading does not have to begin with a book, but can be born from movement, art, activities chosen by the child, or through a board game.
These experiences showed that this is not only my family’s story, but a common need of many families and teachers. From this was born the wish to create an environment and a company that helps children learn through joy and naturalness, and supports parents and teachers on a journey that keeps creativity, passion and curiosity alive.
👉 Jelena’s tip for parents: If reading does not interest the child, do not force him to sit at the table. Hide the letters in the sand, make them out of Legos, or find them on car license plates during a walk. A child’s interest is the best guide.
Huvi OÜ was born from your personal experience, but do you also remember the moment when you felt for the first time the courage to say: “I will really start doing trainings”?
I remember that moment very clearly. It was not even a big public decision, but rather a quiet realization within myself. One evening after a long day at kindergarten and at home I thought: “How many teachers and parents are actually searching for the same answers that I have been searching for.”
It was then that I felt that my experience and passion could not remain only within my own circle. This knowledge, that my created ideas and playful approaches could also help other children and adults, was like spreading my wings.
The first steps were hesitant steps, wondering if anyone would even come to my training? But every time someone said after the training: “I got a new thought, I now dare to try differently,” my confidence grew that I was on the right path.
You started your journey as a kindergarten assistant teacher. What experiences and lessons did you take along from there?
When I think back to the time when I worked as an assistant teacher, I remember first how I learned to listen and notice small details. As an assistant, I often had the chance to notice from the children’s side their tiny signals – tiredness, joy or worry – which the teacher in their “big picture” did not always notice right away.
This work also taught me humility. I was a supporter, not a leader, and I had to fulfill even the smallest tasks. It was from there that I understood that every job is important, and in fact success is born when someone is willing to do even the simpler but necessary things.
I also learned how important team spirit and flexibility are. With children, nothing ever goes completely according to plan; sometimes it was necessary to think up a new game in a moment or take a completely new direction. This gave me the courage to be creative and to adapt, and today, as a trainer, this skill is of invaluable worth.
Most deeply within me remained humanity and caring. I realized that the most important thing is not how exactly we follow the activity plan, but whether the child feels safe and valued. The same applies also to adults; true learning can only take place in a safe and caring atmosphere.
You have often said that every child reaches learning to read in their own way. Do you recall a specific story with a child or a parent that confirmed to you that exactly playfulness and respecting the child’s pace are the most important?
One story that has remained especially dear to me actually overlaps with my personal experience. A child I worked with loved cars and Legos very much. We did not start practicing letters from a workbook, but I created games that captivated exactly him. We made homemade board games – once the task was to collect letters onto the car and drive them along a track, another time to build letters out of Legos, or to search for wooden letters hidden in sand using a brush like a little archaeologist. It was exactly this last activity that he especially liked.
I remember well how the child’s eyes sparkled when he could “drive through” his first word with the help of the car. That joy and moving at his own pace were exactly what helped him move forward with reading. To support the child’s interest and to find solutions.
“I saw that the child did not need pressure, but play.”
From that moment on I have been even more certain that every child reaches reading best through playful activity that grows exactly from their interests.
The role of Head of Studies at Kolga Kindergarten is very diverse. What is for you the most important and inspiring in this work?
For me, the most important thing is that the work of Head of Studies is not limited only to papers and plans, but touches the everyday life of every child and teacher. Inspiring is to see how teachers find new ways to support children’s creativity and interest in learning, and to feel that I can be next to them as an encourager and guide. I am only taking small steps in the role of Head of Studies at Kolga Kindergarten.
The greatest value for me is however the team – the feeling that we are not making this journey alone. Just as when I was an assistant teacher I learned to see how important it is to support and listen to each other, so today my wish is to be a team member who creates trust and shared spirit.
My heartfelt dream is that in the future I could offer even more support to parents and teachers who wish to awaken and keep alive children’s interest in reading. Be it counseling, inspiring activities or shared experiences, I wish to be a bridge that connects the child, parent and teacher into a shared path of learning.
ELIIS has become part of the everyday work of many kindergartens. How do you experience it in your work?
ELIIS really makes everyday work easier. Announcements, messages, calendar and gallery are in one place, and information moves quickly between teachers and parents. This gives confidence that nothing gets lost and the cooperation between home and kindergarten remains alive.
For me, ELIIS is above all a tool that keeps things in order and communication smooth. In addition, the idea bank offers teachers and parents much inspiration on how to support children’s development. Sometimes it helps to find just that small tip that makes the day smoother or the activity more exciting.
When you have given trainings, do you recall a teacher, educational leader or parent whose feedback touched you deeply?
One teacher said to me after a training: “This training made me look at the children in my group with completely new eyes. I realized that I do not have to say everything in advance or prepare everything, but I can trust the child and follow his interest. Children are so creative and curious, they want to do a lot themselves, our task is to trust them and create an environment where they can act, communicate and discover. The next day I tried a new approach and the children felt joy in doing – they managed much more than I thought.”
I also recall a parent who thanked me, saying that “the training gave me the courage to trust my child and to notice his small progress in learning to read.”
These moments confirm to me that this work is truly necessary and impactful – not only for teachers, but also for families.
Every journey is not only joy, certainly there have also been difficult times. Was there a situation where you doubted or felt that you could not cope?
When I think whether I have had difficult moments, then actually I cannot say that I have. What I do has grown out of a hobby and an inner wish to create – I simply enjoy doing it. The fact that teachers and parents come to the trainings gives me enormously positive energy and confirms that this is not work at all, but pure joy. The same is with creating learning materials, when I prepare cards or worksheets and test them in my hobby group or at meetings, it is always exciting, because every child is unique with his interests and skills.
Great joy for me is the work with children – I like it when they are eagerly engaged in activities, when their eyes shine and they want to come back. That feeling, when a child asks with excitement: “What are we doing today?” or when our meetings last longer than originally planned, gives enormous inspiration and confirms that I am on the right path.
This is how letter suitcases, letter and reading games, and letter cards have been born. I have also created cooperation with an Estonian manufacturer who produces wooden toys, letters and learning tools.
Of course, I try to keep balance between family, work and the company. When sometimes I feel that I cannot manage everything at once, then some idea simply remains on the shelf waiting for its time. I have many thoughts that still need realization – everything comes in its own time. At present, letter cards have been completed, two new exciting trainings are in progress, and the planning of a new hobby group. It is precisely this diversity and creativity that keep me constantly moving – more joyful than struggling.
Meeting Jelena was a reminder that education does not grow only from big plans, but above all from the small moments that are born between a child and an adult. Her journey from assistant teacher to leader and trainer is clear proof of how dedication, joy and humanity create something much greater than a job title.
In September Huvi OÜ will be 10 years old – congratulations, strength and perseverance for the future! 🎉
To keep in step with Jelena and discover new ideas, it is worth taking a look at her training calendar or subscribing to the Huvi OÜ newsletter.
