Pre-K school is where students are taught the basic skills they need to learn to start their journey as students. They teach students how to behave around their peers and in a classroom setting. They teach students how to receive instruction and help develop their vocabulary, speaking skills, counting skills, etc.
According to the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children), the age range for students included in pre-K education is from birth to age eight. Pre-K teachers directly influence the development of children. Students’ pre-K experience has the potential to influence the rest of their educational journey and determine their progress rate.
The main focus at the pre-K level is to get students ready for kindergarten. Some typical activities handled by pre-K teachers are:
· Planning the curriculum: This involves preparing daily lessons and exercises and following age-appropriate curriculum principles for preschoolers, like identifying colors, counting single-digit numbers, memorizing the alphabet, etc.
· Teaching personal hygiene: This includes helping students understand the advantages of personal health habits, such as washing hands, eating nutritional snacks, dressing, and grooming.
· Serving meals: The teachers serve snacks and/or lunches to students in line with district and school nutritional policies and help students clean up after mealtime.
· Organizing fun activities: This refers to hosting arts and crafts activities, games, etc., designed to help students learn, expend their energy, and work in groups.
· Handling lead procedures: This involves deciding the students’ seating plans, keeping attendance records, and executing school procedures.
· Handling supplies: Pre-K teachers choose supplies, such as storybooks, arts and crafts, and other learning tools, keep them organized in the store, and help students take and return these supplies before and after activities.
· Storytelling: This involves reading stories from age-appropriate books and pushing students to interact through innovative group discussions.
· Social development: Whether students are completing tasks, working on a specific part of the curriculum, or engaged in play activities, their teachers help them integrate with one another and network in groups.
· Dealing with behavior issues: Pre-K teachers spot emotional problems and handle them together with the student’s parents or guardians during parent-teacher meetings.
· Staff meetings: This includes attending staff meetings and working with colleagues to design the curriculum and talk about student progress.
· Offer professional support: Pre-K teachers also work with school staff, such as nurses, counselors, and psychologists, specializing in early childhood behavior management and development issues.
