As children behave quite differently from adults, preschool teachers must be well-versed with the basic theories of early childhood development. Knowledge on the principles of Kohlberg, Piaget, Dewey, Froebel and Montessori will serve as your strong foundation as an educator and as your guide in classroom management.
However, these are definitely not enough for you to enjoy your profession. You must have the following qualities as well.
Creativity
Arts and crafts offer not only entertainment but also lots of opportunities for learning.
As you demonstrate how to glue, cut the paper, paint the board and brighten the pictures, you are helping the kids enhance their fine motor skills, listen to instructions carefully, develop their innate artistic talents and cultivate their imagination.
You can always come up with an art activity for most, if not all, preschool themes; hence, it’s certainly a strategy that keeps boredom away.
Music-Orientation|
Music plays a vital role in language and emotional development, two areas where you can be of great help. The melody encourages them to sing, learn new vocabulary and enhance their memorization skills.
For instance, the English alphabet seems too complex to remember since the letters have no direct relationship with each other. However, if you teach them the song, even a three-year old child can easily enumerate them.
Further, music contributes to the emotional aspect of a child since every song has a mood. You should play different songs for circle time, for napping period and for cleaning up.
Stamina
Bandura has emphasized that children often follow what adults do. After a year of dealing with kids, you will affirm that demonstrating is far better than explaining for preschoolers.
If kids have to learn how to dribble a ball, play hide-and-seek on the field or practice for the relay on sports day, you need to show the entire process for quick comprehension.
However, your work doesn’t end after the demonstration. You have to guide everyone until they have perfected the required motor skills. Hence, you should have the stamina to keep up with a highly energetic class.
Patience
It’s a fact that most preschoolers aren’t fully capable of empathizing. They act based on their whims and impulses.
Some can get very stubborn at times, some would bawl out in the middle of your class and some would rather run around than pay attention to your instructions. Dealing with these childish tendencies every day can be nerve-wracking, if you’re incapable of stretching your patience.
So as you go to school, never forget to bring your big box of patience that will keep your composure and grace through the day.
The job of a preschool teacher may be physically and emotionally challenging. You have to equip yourself with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to be effective. You have to deal with tantrums, out-of-nowhere ideas and huge amount of mess.
But the mystery is, once you see the smiles on the kids’ faces, everything’s being paid off. You only feel that every wrinkle on your forehead is equivalent to an indescribable kind of fulfillment.
I enrolled my child to a preschool before that is really the worst. The teacher is not sufficiently qualified, and not professionally inclined.
Hi Anne,
Are there any other preschools in your area? I’d strongly recommend switching.
Do your research and apply now – make sure you get approved before discussing with the old preschool though or with your child. Don’t worry about any upheaval for your child, kids are very resilient!