We started a preschool in February and through a series of unfortunate events, I had the privilege of stepping in as a preschool teacher for a couple months while we hired someone else (Someone who could do a much better job). In that time I learned a lot of valuable lessons about working in/running a preschool as a church ministry.
- Being a preschool teacher is a tough job
Like pastoring, being a preschool teacher is not one of those jobs that you are able to just clock in and clock out. You are constantly thinking about the children and how you can do a better job of making them feel loved and to teach them in a way that they will soak it up. It can be as mentally exhausting as it is fulfilling. When you see a three year old hold a pencil properly for the first time, or not skipping the number 14 when they are counting to 20 is extremely satisfying. - Everything that happens in a preschool classroom should be purposeful
Before I took all the early education courses this last year, I assumed being a preschool teacher is just glorified babysitting. And in some schools that may be true, but it shouldn’t be. There are so many different areas that these little ones are able to learn and grow, from fine motor skills, to learning to read and write. Everything we do, should be moving them in a positive direction. - Leading other peoples children is not the same as raising your own.
I had to constantly think about what I was saying and how I was saying it in the classroom. The way I communicate with my children at home is not universal. My children know they are loved and accepted by me, so asking them to quickly clean the living room or yelling upstairs to come down for dinner comes with a certain amount of grace, that other peoples children don’t necessarily have. So, word choice and tone are very important. - Partnering with parents is a must
This is a big one. Working together with parents is so important to the health and well-being of the children. When we had not great behaviors with students, It was such a nice tough point to talk with the parents and ask what they recommend we do and work together to come to a solution that was best for the child we were discussing. But, bad behavior aside, I loved being able to send pictures and updates through out the day and seeing the responses and thank yous from the parents, that in some cases are stressed about leaving their little ones and having a picture of their smiling child makes all the difference.
There is so much more I learned, and maybe I can share more in the future, but these are some of the big ones that come to mind right away.
Feel free to check out littlelambsschool.com to learn more about our preschool
Posted in Pastor's Posts, Staff Blog