Someone said something very insightful a little while ago.
Speaking from experience, she commented teaching preschool is like throwing a birthday party every day. Since I teach preschool six times a week, it’s like throwing six birthday parties back to back. But even though it’s exhausting, it is probably the greatest job I’ve ever had.
The best part about it is the kids. We’ve got about 60 little people enrolled and believe it or not, it wasn’t that hard to remember all their names. That’s because they each have such a distinct and big personality.
Being three and four years old, these people are discovering new things every day. One little guy was amazed to find out if you press your mouth to your sleeve and blow, it makes your arm really hot. And when I showed them what happens when you put blue ice cubes into yellow water, well, you’d have thought I was David Copperfield.
Another little one does Tai Chi moves on demand. She is slow and deliberate in her actions, with a look of utter concentration and seriousness on her face. She’s also the one who let the class know if they didn’t like their Christmas presents they could just give them all to her. Classic.
It’s awesome to watch the kids develop. Part of what my job is, is to get them into routines setting them up for success throughout their education career. This involves things like sitting quietly and listening to stories, learning to use scissors, lining up and washing hands.
Just a few short weeks ago when I asked the kids to tidy up the toys and line up for gym, they did exactly that. I was floored. We’d been working on that routine since September and all of a sudden they got it.
It’s fascinating to see the range of developmental stages the kids are in too. Our little three-year olds are so different from the four-year olds. The little ones mostly play alongside their peers, while the older ones are learning to play with other kids. We’ve seen a few of the little ones make the jump to “playing with” and it’s a pretty cool thing to witness.
Of course, there are a few downsides; the number one being boogers. Man, I see a lot of those. We go through litres and litres of soap and hand sanitizer and all I can do is thank heaven we’ve got a decent budget for that.
Glitter is another downside, especially for the custodian, who tirelessly and faithfully cleans that room every day. We go home with glitter in our hair, under our nails and probably in our lungs. But the kids love that stuff and it provides a pretty decent sensory experience for them, so it’s staying.
I will admit that I’m enjoying this job more than I thought I would. When I finished teaching eight years ago to raise my family, I didn’t think I’d go back to the classroom. But having the opportunity to teach preschool has truly been a gift. So yes, it’s a birthday party six times a week, but really, who can complain about that?
