What it takes to Excel at Preschool Teaching Jobs

Anyone who works in early childhood education knows that preschool teaching jobs are anything but easy, but they’re also some of the most rewarding careers out there. Preschool teachers get to witness serious growth, socially, physically and academically, each and every day that they spend working with their classes. They also get to experience the world through the eyes of little ones, often an eye-opening experience in itself. But what exactly does it take to excel at preschool teaching jobs? These qualities are must-haves:

Creativity

Creativity is a must for any preschool teacher. It’s needed to inspire children and make learning fun. Kids learn better when there are songs, dances and crafts involved, so preschool teachers have to be able to come up with fun, unique, hands-on, highly engaging lesson plans. A creative mind can handle this task far easier than one lacking in the creativity department.

An associate degree

Nearly all preschool teaching jobs require an associate degree. Every once in a while, you’ll land upon an opening that doesn’t require applicants to hold a degree, but more often than not, a two-year is the minimum. Some preschools will even give preference to those with a four-year bachelor’s.

Good budgeting skills

Preschool teachers don’t make very much money, usually between $20,000 and $30,000, so money management is an absolutely necessary skill for those looking at preschool teaching jobs.

Organization

With dozens of three-year-old running around, things are bound to get out of hand from time to time. This is when strict adherence to rules and a strong sense of organization come in very handy. Preschool teachers must be able to lay out the rules from the start, introduce the consequences and follow through with them whenever the rules are broken.

Patience

When things in the classroom do get a bit crazy, the preschool teacher has to be able to close their eyes, count to 10, and calm things down. This takes a lot of patience and a bit of practice.

Sources:

-“The Time I Quit My Job Teaching Preschool, or a Farewell to Legos” Thought Catalogue

-“Preschool Teacher” U.S. News

- photo credit: Bob Cotter