Teaching preschool kids is a lot different from teaching children of other age groups. To be a good preschool teacher is to be both a parent and an educator.
Patience and humor
Working with people with a differing worldview than yours, ones that throw tantrums or cannot understand simple commands–it all takes a ton of patience to deal with preschool children.
A competent preschool teacher must learn to work under pressure and keep cool, as well as persevere in teaching certain skills despite seemingly gaining no progress in doing so.
Humor blends well with patience–it allows you to see the world differently. Frustrations, upsetting events and issues can be less stressing when taken in a humorous context.
Open-mindedness
Kids can have different backgrounds, personalities and preferences, some of which may seem alien to you. It is important to keep an open mind in these types of things.
Each child is also different in the way he learns things. A good teacher innovates and tries different paths in order to cater to each child’s learning style.
Adaptability
Children can get into a lot of unexpected situations. Having the capability to work within a large scope of scenarios makes it easier to provide a better learning experience.
A great preschool teacher knows how to handle cancellations due to a hurricane, a child suddenly getting allergies, a reduced budget–he or she is ever-ready and adaptable.
He or she focuses on the end-goal–if a play is cancelled, they may just reenact that play themselves. What is important is that the goal has been met that day.
Observance (having a keen eye)
Developmental issues can manifest themselves in obscure ways such as weird verbal tics and behavior. Good preschool teachers can pick up on this and provide help right away.
Monitoring both a child’s interactions with himself and with others are part of a preschool teacher’s duties. This can prove difficult as you would likely handle several children at once.
An observant one is able to distinguish minute distinctions in their behavior, see if anything’s wrong and determine what to do.
Dedication and caring
You are the second parent for these kids, as well as their role model. An outstanding preschool teacher loves them unconditionally and does the best for them.
That meant treating them like family, nurturing them and keeping them safe. By becoming a preschool teacher, they become your secondary children to rear.
Passion
In order to continuously embody all of these, you must have a passion for teaching children. Passion can be considered the most essential trait in being an outstanding preschool teacher.
This means placing the children’s development as a priority. When the going gets rough, passion will sustain your enthusiasm since you know what you’re fighting for.
Anyone with the right qualifications can become a preschool teacher, but it takes much more to become a great one. It is yours to decide who you want to be.