What is it like to be a preschool teacher?

Question

I think i want to become a preschool teacher..im fairly good with kids and it seems like an easy job =P, the pay isnt bad either .. so if you're a preschool teacher, i'd like to know what the good and bad parts about your job (=

Answer 1

There are heaps of good parts dancing,  singing , reading stories, shaping young people and unconditional love from all the preschoolers.  Not many bad parts, tired parents who can be intollerant with other peoples children. If you love children then surround yourself with them.  Volunteering at a preschool sounds like the way to start.  A ECE diploma takes 2 years of full time study.

Answer 2

Well, I don't agree with it "seeming to be an easy job" part.  It is anything but easy.  I would recommend you take a position in an Early Childhood Classroom at one of your local preschools.  This will be the best indicator of whether or not you should spend 4 years in college to get a degree in teaching.  You will learn that you have to have amazing classroom managment skills, creative lesson plans, follow a school curriculum and often write many reports and do evaluations to make sure the children are at age level.  There is much more involved that you would see by observing...get in and do!  Then you will see just how rewarding and difficult this job can really be!  You will also find that you spend many unpaid hours of  your own free time to do things for you class and probably much of that hard earned money buying supplies with no reimbursement!  It is ALL worth it though!

Answer 3

This is a career that leaves you with the feeling that you are contributing to another human's life in a positive way. You are helping to shape each child that you come in contact with to be not only a good person to others and self but a constructive person. A child who can grow into the best adult he/she can be. You create an atmosphere where each child can find his way in the world of social and creative learning. My main purpose at any preschool age is to give each child the joy of learning, helping each one to be comfortable in the classroom, communicating with both adults and children, to know he is safe in the classroom and that there is consistency. They know what to expect each day. I feel one of my goals is that each child wants to be at school, they want to learn and try knew things.

It is also a time for teachers to use their education and experience to help parents learn about early childhood development in a very considerate manner. We aren't there necessarily to be friends with everyone but we are there to support the child first and that leads to the family.

We also need our own support from our director, administrators and co-teachers. To be able to listen to suggestions and let our own feelings be known. We have to keep each child's problems and history confidential. To me this is all good, but without the education from classes, workshops and observation (also experience) I would not be as good at it as I feel I am. I would not get the satisfaction from this career as I do.

No it is not always an easy job. It is fun when working with the children and planning with the staff. Fun to hear how the parents think their child has grown from what they learn in our class. It is important to have a good way with kids and it is important to know that you will learn along the way how to deal with things you never would have guessed that you would have to.

Bad parts of the job is like any other job. The communication among staff can be broken, a parent can be upset about something that is very small but you need to fix it, it can take half a year to understand or to work with a child who needs special attention, in order to see the progress. Like almost anything in life you have to negotiate and compromise. Also some age groups fit my teaching style better than other age groups. You don't always have a choice of an age group when you first start out. All of this can be turned into good when you resolve the problems in a positive way.

Pay is not great at all. I would not have wanted to raise my children on my pay alone. Benefits are very few and I have never had health benefits in my years of teaching preschool.

I like the suggestion that you might want to volunteer in a day care or preschool to get a better idea of what happens and what it takes to make the activities happen daily.

Good luck and we need dedicated people in our profession.

Answer 4

Greetings!  Teaching preschool has been a delightful experience for me.  It was the BEST career changes I have ever made.

Children greet you with warm hugs.  They are very excited to tell you about their day and their world.  It is incredible to monitor their progress that they make in the course of a year. Parents, for the most part, are very grateful for the work you have done.

It's not an easy job by any means.  There is a lot of physical movement, lots of thinking about curriculum changes, making sure the children play safely and care for them when there is conflict (and there WILL be conflicts).  It is a challenging job, but the mental rewards you get at the end of the day and at the end of the year when you see them leave for Kindergarten is incredibly powerful.

As far as pay, unless you are very good at teaching and work in a college lab or in a federal or state funded preschool program, the pay is sadly very low. There is not a teacher that I have come across that has EVER said they are doing this for a paycheck.  We primarily do this job because we want to help children grow and want to make a strong positive impact in the world we live in.  That goal is what drives us to continue.

My suggestion to you is to go to your local community college and look into entering the ECE program.  It is a two year commitment, but once you get your AS degree, you can teach preschool just about anywhere.

Hope this helps.  Take care.

Answer 5

Being a preschool teacher is the best thing in the world. And the worst thing in the world.

Every year with the new class I get I can't help feel frightened about how I will shape these young humans. They're not fragile, but they are very mold-able. And I want to be a great role model for them.

I think my job is very important. If you go in thinking its easy, then everyone will be burnt out too quickly. Even the children. Its tough to discipline other peoples children and not force your ideas or beliefs on them while having a passion to help better our future.

I've worked at a "day care" that went under the alias of a Pre-school. I was supposed to "teach" two year olds. I would have loved that. But  what I didn't know is I got myself into a classroom no one could handle, and hated. Where most of the two year olds came from falling apart families and had been stuck at the school from 7:30 in the morning, until 6:30 that evening.

I have never seen such problems in little children. It broke my heart. I really did cry often about it. And my 30 minute lunch break was painful. I never felt the strength to go back.

But it only proved to me that being a preschool teacher is so much more rewarding when you know that you go to work not for yourself, but for our future. You may make a drastic difference in a child life. Its not easy, there's so much to learn, and you're only good when its more a passion than a job.

Good luck with your choices. I hope this helped.

Answer 6

The good bits are:

-when you're having a rubbish day, one of the children are sure to do something fantastic to make you smile!

-brilliant knowing that you are having a positive influence on the futures of these little people!

-You can play with messy stuff like paint/glitter etc and get away with doing so cos its for the children!!!

Bad bits:

-pay depends where you work.

-if you're having a rubbish day you have to put on your 'showtime' face as soon as the children arrive!

-Some children (yes even little 3 yr olds!) are horrible, but you still have to be nice to them!!

-people dont realise just how much paperwork there is!!!

Answer 7

The great thing is that the children will adore you no matter what.  Keep this in mind when you need to discipline.  You don't need to be mean but you do have to address conflict consistently and appropriately.  The children need an adult's guidance not another best friend (although you will find that they will act as if you are even if you are strict).

The pay is not great when it comes to money, but the emotional pay is Amazing!  You will have unconditional love on a daily basis.  

It can be tiring so stay in shape.  It is not an easy job.  You may want to go to a center and volunteer to see how you like it.

The worse parts of the job are when over tired, stressed parents decide to take their bad day out on you.  Some of them complain about silly things.  You just have to remember not to take it personally.

Answer 8

I adore my job. I teach four year olds. I will say that it is not an easy job. You are working with very small, challenging and quick to learn human beings who need good teachers to guide them through the most important period of their lives. They are learning how to be good people and how to live with others, share, and live under the rules of our society.

It is so much fun but the job of the Preschool teacher carries great responsibility. I am honored to work with my students everyday.

Answer 9

Incredibly fun yet tiring