What Makes a Good Teacher?
Teaching is a satisfying and rewarding profession but it can be challenging too. It requires a combination of knowledge, skills, experience and certain intangible qualities. Teaching preschool is a huge feat. Good preschool teachers not only teach the basics of counting and the alphabets, they also encourage and nurture several children with vastly different personalities. Preschool teachers also have to make sure to communicate effectively with parents, deal with unexpected situations, like potty accidents or minor injuries and always ensure their preschool is offering the best programs.
Being a good teacher takes special knowledge and special skills such as: creating an inviting and safe environment; developing a caring relationship with each child; writing lesson plans; making Discovery Area enrichments; dealing with discipline problems; knowing each child’s social, emotional, physical, and intellectual needs and differences; and relating to parents.
What Makes a Good Teacher?
There are many qualities that help make a good teacher, and below are just a few that matter to us at Peake Academy. Continue reading to learn more about the qualities we thrive to have in our teachers and just what goes into becoming a teacher at Peake Academy.
Passion
Being a preschool teacher is a huge responsibility in nurturing and shaping the minds and emotions of small children. Preschool Teachers should be passion about what they do. f you have a burning desire to make a real difference in the lives of young children, you have one of the most important qualities of a great preschool teacher.
Patience
Every preschool teacher needs plenty of patience. Every children has different ways of learning and development. Especailly with young children, constant guidance about their behavior, manners and hygiene are the most common in a preschool day. Patience is one of the key in understanding the needs of children as they develop the ability to express.
A Love of Learning
A good teacher will have their own love of learning. This can be seen in how they create their curriculum, teach their kids and engage with the students. A love of learning is necessary as sometimes the students can teach the teacher.
Good Listener and Communicator
A preschool teacher who is good at listening to the young learners has deeper understanding of children's needs and their development path. It helps create an inviting and safe environment, and develops a caring relationship with each child. Preschool teachers also have to make sure to communicate effectively with parents.
Organized and Structured
A preschool teach has many things to accomplish in a typic preschool day. Being organized and structured with the preschool procedures and creates lesson plan helps make sure that children have a proper and clear path of learning. Complete knowledge of the topics being taught is essential to keeping student's attention and participation
Respectful Nature
A good teacher should be firm but respectful. They truly care about their students and aim to provide their students with an environment that’s respectful. This is true whether you’re attending virtual or in-person school sessions.
Energetic
Lastly, a good teacher will often have a natural energy about them. They will head into the classroom, be it virtual or in-person, ready to get their students excited about learning. The most energetic teachers are the ones that students will often resonate with and it encourages a high level of learning for all!
Peake Academy is committed to ensuring that teachers learn all of these skills. Therefore, Peake Academy carefully designed a professional development ladder for teachers that guarantee that each teacher, from the new hire with no experience or educational training to the seasoned, perhaps degreed teacher, will have the necessary tools and experiences to develop into the best possible teacher of young children.
Peake Academy is committed to teacher training and supports continuing teacher education with a tuition reimbursement plan for teachers taking coursework related to their job.
At Peake Academy, life-long learning is a priority for everyone!
Basic Training
Each employee at Peake Academy completes the Basic Childcare Training Program, which includes learning about company policies and procedures, education programming guidelines, general child development principles, classroom standards, and helpful hints for teaching in center-based childcare.
Advanced Training
Many of the Peake Academy teachers have their Bachelors degree from an accredited 4 year school. Though many in the field of education, there are other areas of study that lend themselves well to working with children.
This formal, supported training program is how your child’s teacher knows! Ask your child’s teacher what stage of professional preparation she has reached. Your recognition of her accomplishments and encouragement to continue to benefit everyone!
Visit our Parent Advisor and The Buzz Blogs to learn more about related topics and parenting tips. You are welcome to join our private Parent Advisor Facebook group. It’s a growing community of parents and preschool teachers where you can learn and share more parenting tips.