Top 20 Things I Learned: Day in the Life of a Preschool Teacher
From discussions on the same at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com, a preschool teacher cares for and teaches basic social, problem-solving, and language skills to children under the age of 5. They are responsible for teaching the youngest students of the next generation the basic skills that will begin the foundation of their academic life. Here are 20 things you can expect when it comes to a day in the life of a preschool teacher in case you are considering a career as one.
Preparation is key
As per RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com, preschool teachers typically arrive about half an hour before class to set up and prepare activities. This gives the teachers time to hang up projects from the previous day, sort and distribute papers into cubbies for children to take home, and prep for upcoming activities.
Importance of the morning drop-off
Shortly after the teacher arrives, parents begin dropping their students off at school. Once parents leave, everyone’s safety becomes the responsibility of the preschool teacher. Depending on the weather, the drop-off process can take some time as students need to hang up their coats, take off boots, and put away backpacks.
Dealing with anxious kids during drop off
In addition to safety considerations during the drop-off period, for some students, the drop-off process can be difficult, as some children deal with separation anxiety so they may need a little extra attention or reassurance according to RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com.
Circle time
The first lesson of the day often includes circle time. during circle time, there is usually singing, stretching, or other movement-related activities. Circle time is important as it helps to wake up sleepy children and gets them motivated to learn.
Importance of circle time
While circle time may not sound important given that it only involves movement-related activities like singing, it is one of the most important times of the day as singing and dancing help develop coordination and social skills which help aid brain development.
Snack time
Snack time begins with getting the kids to wash their hands and sit down at the table quietly as articulated at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. Snack time is usually an enjoyable time for the kids as they get to sit together and it is a great opportunity for them to exchange silly stories with each other.
Playtime
Playtime is the core of many preschool curriculums, making it one of the main activities when it comes to a day in the life of a preschool teacher. While curriculum varies between schools, this could include outside play, gardening, dress-up, playing games, as well as arts and crafts.
Lunch
Next up is lunch, which is often another fun and exciting part of the day for kids as captured at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. This is the time when the kids tuck into their lunch and is a period of the day many look forward to.
Lunchtime can be tiring for teachers
While lunch is usually fun and exciting for the kids, it can be tiring for a preschool teacher because you have several children that need to complete a hectic routine in a short amount of time. Many children become tired and cranky at this point in the day as well.
Rounding up children for lunch
When it comes to lunchtime, the first part of this period usually entails rounding up all of the children and getting them to put their stuff away. This sounds easy enough, but it is not as simple as you might think and is often challenging for the teachers.
Getting kids to sit for lunch
In addition to rounding up the children for lunch, preschool teachers must also get the kids to wash their hands and sit down as covered at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. This also sounds simple enough, but not so easy when you have an entire room full of preschoolers to manage. You will likely repeat yourself several times and probably sing a song or two while going through the process with the kids.
Naptime
After lunchtime, next on the agenda is nap time. Just like lunchtime, nap time can also be challenging as getting several kids to all sleep at once is not an easy task. Additionally, waking up isn’t always an easy process either since some kids wake up easier than others.
Outside play
Once you are done getting the kids to wake up after nap time, it is time to play as described at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. If the weather is nice enough, play often means time outside, which can also be challenging for the teacher.
Instructions for parents
Going back to the morning drop-off, preschool teachers are also entrusted with a myriad of instructions from parents as they drop their children off. Examples of such instructions include medication to give the child at a particular time such as cough syrup, ensuring that the kid gets some sleep, among others. It is important to remember these instructions and adhere to them, especially when it comes to medication.
Toilet-related incidents
One of the things that preschool teachers experience daily is toilet-related incidents. This includes incidents such as kids soiling themselves among others. This is why preschool teachers say they you won’t get far in this profession with a weak stomach given such incidents.
The influence of certain kids during naptime
Every preschool teacher has a student they refer to as their “priority number one napper”. As discussed at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com, this is the kid in class who the teacher has to prioritize putting to sleep before any of the others, since the teacher knows if they don’t sleep, no one else will. Getting this kid to sleep is a big part of naptime.
Dealing with different types of nappers
There are also lots of different types of nappers that preschool teachers have to deal with. There are those kids who will fight sleep tooth and nail and will require a lot of convincing to get them to sleep. Knowing what it takes to get all the kids to sleep is a science refined over time by teachers.
Kids who stay until late
Some kids arrive early and are among the last to leave school because of their parents’ work schedules as revealed at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. Teachers bond with these kids even more and get to know them best as they spend more hours with them during the week that their parents.
Accidents
When dealing with children, accidents are always around the corner, with some leading to injuries. Schools and teachers work hard to make sure the school environment is as safe as possible, but accidents do happen, and teachers must always be prepared.
Wrapping up the day
Finally, unlike the tearful morning drop-offs, kids are usually excited to see their parents or caregiver at the end of the day. Sometimes the joy is short-lived, as a lot of kids break down fairly quickly after seeing their parents. They may simply be exhausted, all at once realize how much they have missed them, or finally feel secure enough to let out any leftover feelings they have accumulated throughout the day.
These are some of the things that define a day in the life of a preschool teacher, with more on this topic, and then some, to be found over at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com.