Have you ever heard the song "It's all about the money"? For me, the song should be "It's all about the staff"! Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I played school, planned lessons and taught my imaginary class. Of course, it never occurred to me as a young child that it's not just what you are teaching, it's who you are teaching with. I've been in the education field for quite awhile now and I can honestly say I have taught and worked with all types. Thus, I can say with utmost certainty that I am working with the most dedicated, caring and fun group of teachers I have ever had the privilege of working with.
It takes a special kind of person to work in a preschool. Their needs are very different than those of any other age group. Many are venturing into the educational system for the first time and often are without the benefit of a full vocabulary. As a teacher, you have to be able to pick up on the subtle (or sometimes not so subtle) nuances of what they want. You have to know what methods work (and toss the ones that don't!), be willing to accommodate many different learning styles, be creative, be flexible, be patient, be kind and be loving. You have to have a sense of humor and be able to talk to parents, caregivers or anyone that has a question or concern. In addition to those many qualities that I am certain my staff does possess, they also bring another huge component to the table. They are parents themselves (we have 16 kids total between the 5 of us, ranging in age from 2-22....all having attended BFP!), each bringing a unique experience to the table from what they have learned during the parenting journey.
My staff comes in every day, ready to tackle any challenge, offer a hug when one is needed or a high five and verbal praise for each accomplishment, no matter how small. We come to work each day excited to see what they day will bring and happy to share our space with each other and our fabulous students. It's not about the money, it's about loving what you do and who you do it with! And for this, I am thankful, this day and every day :)
It takes a special kind of person to work in a preschool. Their needs are very different than those of any other age group. Many are venturing into the educational system for the first time and often are without the benefit of a full vocabulary. As a teacher, you have to be able to pick up on the subtle (or sometimes not so subtle) nuances of what they want. You have to know what methods work (and toss the ones that don't!), be willing to accommodate many different learning styles, be creative, be flexible, be patient, be kind and be loving. You have to have a sense of humor and be able to talk to parents, caregivers or anyone that has a question or concern. In addition to those many qualities that I am certain my staff does possess, they also bring another huge component to the table. They are parents themselves (we have 16 kids total between the 5 of us, ranging in age from 2-22....all having attended BFP!), each bringing a unique experience to the table from what they have learned during the parenting journey.
My staff comes in every day, ready to tackle any challenge, offer a hug when one is needed or a high five and verbal praise for each accomplishment, no matter how small. We come to work each day excited to see what they day will bring and happy to share our space with each other and our fabulous students. It's not about the money, it's about loving what you do and who you do it with! And for this, I am thankful, this day and every day :)