Today was a designated day to thank a kindergarten teacher (though, truth be told, all teachers need to be thanked). Today's post, though, is a little reminder of how big of a task kindergarten teachers really have. Their role has changed so much from when we were kids and it, definitely, hasn't gotten any easier!
Even kids that attend preschool feel the change when they enter kindergarten. Not only are they, in many cases, dealing with a pretty abrupt change in schedule for the day but they're also dealing with a whole new environment. They are the youngest kids in the school and they are watching a sea of older children mill around them. It's a very scary thing for a whole lot of children and it can be very overwhelming. Enter the Kindergarten Teacher that helps them adjust. She (and we're just using a female pronoun since my kindergarten teacher happened to be a woman) helps you learn the ropes of elementary school. She helps you learn where to put your coat and backpack. She helps you learn how to buy a hot lunch. She helps you learn how to get on the bus at the end of the day.
On top of all of these tasks, she is teaching you to read. Good kindergarten teachers (like mine) are not just teaching you HOW to read but to LOVE to read. It's no small task! They're finding things that are interesting to each child and how to best encourage them to read. They're spotting the challenges in the kids that have them and they're helping the parents to understand these as well.
Add on that they're teaching ALL of the other things teachers teach. They're helping you learn neat, effective handwriting. They're teaching you math and even science and some social studies. They're teaching you sight words. There are a million things that these teachers manage to cram into a single year and they do it with pizzazz! Meanwhile, they are trying to make sure that each child's needs are met and that the parents are getting info on how to help them at home as well.
Additionally, they are dealing with the parents. Some of them are encouraging and want to help. Some of them are sassy and think they're child needs this or that. All things considered, these teachers are dealing with a whole mess of parents who are not all pleasant and helpful! They are rock stars!
And just like that, the school year is over and these kids are moving on....except now, they know how to go through a normal school day. They know how to read and write. They know how to work well with others. They know sight words. They're ahead of the game and it's all because of great kindergarten teachers (well, of course parents contribute too!) Hug a kindergarten teacher today and know that they are a major milestone in your child's development!
