What inspired you to become a preschool teacher?
Even at a young age I knew I had a particular passion for working with kids, I had taken on babysitting as one of my part time gigs in middle and high school and thoroughly enjoyed my time observing young minds at work. During that time I felt that working with kids had affected my own growth and perspective allowing me to see the world through their lens in an imaginative and vibrant way. By the time I had started college, I had worked with kids from nursery to the beginning of middle school and in a variety of settings as well, from churches, to schools, babysitting for families, and volunteering in camps in different countries. Having these experiences allowed me to observe the way education interacts with different cultures and values around the world and inspired me to discover more about educating spaces not only in the context of my own life but the way it exists in other places around the world as well.
What do you find most rewarding about working with young children?
Observing the way they are interacting with the environment around them and watching them discover things for the first time. Watching their sparks of creativity and imagination encourages me to see things in a different light in my own life as well. Spending time with them and sharing their curiosity and excitement reminds me that the future is filled with endless possibilities and growth.
How has your cultural heritage influenced your approach to teaching and working with young children?
Being Asian American definitely changed my own educational experience. English was not my first language entering kindergarten and experiencing cultural differences and language barriers was challenging for me. At the time I didn’t have the understanding of why, but I felt that I was different. Knowing what my own experience was like, I make even more effort now to understand and welcome differences in my classroom and encourage my students to do so as well.
How do you create a nurturing and engaging classroom environment?
Participating in my class are kids from all sorts of backgrounds, and cultures and it is my responsibility as a teacher to be mindful and intentional with how I am respecting that. Assumptions are easy to make but I try my best to keep in mind that there are always things I don’t know about the kid’s out of school lives and to heavily prioritize their feeling of safety and love in the classroom where I can support them. In terms of engagement, it is hard to guess the interests of my students. Some years they are especially interested in content surrounding music and dance, other years they show more interest in hands-on content projects. I have found the best way to find those interests is to just ask. I like to have brainstorming sessions with my students to hear what they think and also to show that I value their opinions.
Can you share a favorite activity or project that your students love?
One of their favorite activities is what I call the “fishing game” which includes the kids each creating their own fish with colored paper and googly eyes finishing off with a paper clip at the very top. I then make a “fishing rod” with any kind of long rod or rope attaching a magnet on one end. Using hula hoops or tape to make two distinct “ponds” the kids can then take the fishing rod and catch fish by aiming the magnet at the paper clip and transferring the fish from one pond to the other.
How do you involve parents in their children’s education?
Our school currently utilizes an app that consolidates the child’s information and allows us to message parents as well as update them on what we are doing throughout the day with photos and videos. We also distribute a weekly lesson plan that includes a weekly theme and activities supporting that theme. During pick up and drop off I like to share updates with parents which may be an activity the child enjoyed or something that we may need to work through together to help their child progress. Students attending our school hold different home values and practices and that is important to take into account. When confronted with a situation requiring correctional measures, it is essential to communicate with parents face to face to ensure there is consistency for the student between the school day and when they return home.
How do you continue to grow and develop as an educator?
Part of my growth as an educator is understanding that even though I hold the teacher title in my classroom, I am constantly discovering and exploring new ideas and experiences through my students and coworkers. Really, there is a huge element of me participating in the classroom as a student to the kids in my class. This dynamic allows the classroom to be a space of mutual growth and understanding rather than a space for me as a teacher to give knowledge to my students. On another point, I think the nature of having a different set of students each year also creates both a point of challenge and crucial development. No set of students are the same and the lesson plans that students engage with one year may be completely unrelatable for the next year of students. Because of this I am constantly reassessing lesson plans and activities based on the interests and strengths of my students as the year progresses and this research definitely contributes to my growth as an educator.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in early childhood education?
My advice is that there will be huge challenges and difficult responsibilities to hold as an early educator however I have found working as a teacher to be one of the most rewarding experiences I have committed myself to. It is interesting to see how much it has taught me about myself and how perspective changes everything. With that said, I would encourage anyone who is getting started to start with an open mind and willingness to be both the teacher and the learner, and to take on different perspectives.
