Bring Technology to the Foreground
Children are being taught in the home to use technology at an early age. This carries over into early education classrooms, where teachers need to work with parents as they use technology to educate children. Students can learn basic concepts such as colors, shapes, and numbers with a computer game just as well as with books, flashcards or other items. There are also online activities to help keep them busy during playtime.
Instructors in these classes will need to teach children the basic use of a computer keyboard and mouse. In some cases, instruction can also apply to tablet use if some are available in the classroom.
Children can get a good foundation for online learning through early interaction with computer games. Games can help increase their interest in using the technology so they are prepared to use it throughout their school years.
Get Out and Play
Even though technology is making an impact in preschool rooms, the concern of obesity in children is also on the minds of teachers. There is a strong emphasis that time should be set aside each day for physical exercise and play. Little Sunshine's Playhouse and many other early education centers in the nation have outdoor playgrounds for students to climb, run, and play on as they stretch their imaginations and their muscles.
Some preschools also incorporate individual sports into their day to add extra physical fitness time. This often allows the children to try a sporting activity before their family invests in it outside of the classroom. Scheduling time to exercise through fun activities can start students on a healthy lifestyle early on.
Consider Early Education as a Profession
With the growing number of preschools opening to serve the expanding needs of students, there are positions in early education becoming available all the time. Many facilities have entry-level openings for qualified candidates who wish to enter this field. Interested persons may have a teaching certificate or an associate degree.
However, those who hold bachelor's degrees can generally expect to earn more and have a better chance of being hired. Some organizations require their lead teachers to have a four-year college education. As time goes on, it is likely that most schools will want their instructors to have a bachelor’s degree. Many colleges and universities offer programs to train future teachers for early education positions.
Obtain a Head Start on Learning
Parents are becoming increasingly aware that if their child attends a preschool starting at age three, the student will usually score better on tests and have better grades throughout their school years. Children’s development begins about this time and the sooner they start learning more than their alphabet, the better they will do later in life.
Many employers are beginning to help finance early education or are opening preschool centers of their own within their place of business. These are some of the reasons that the demand for trained teachers and other workers in early education is on the increase.
Discover new Demographics
Another challenge facing early education teachers today is the diverse pool of students coming into their classrooms. People with all kinds of backgrounds want their children to be educated. In addition, because there are organizations that will assist with preschool for low-income children, some education centers are able to subsidize students whose families can’t afford tuition. Since children learn at different levels, many children may need additional help to get them caught up with the rest of the class.
There are more and more students attending preschools that speak a language other than English. Some schools will need to have a staff member who is bilingual to help these children learn English in addition to assisting them with the rest of the curriculum.
Find Funding for Educators
The desire for early education has reached far beyond the classroom. Nonprofit organizations have developed programs to assist teachers in educating young children. Some have produced systems that help children learn how to work with computers and other technologies, such as robot building. Others have designed curriculums to assist with math and science, while some companies provide help in educating children from different cultures and backgrounds.
Organizations, both for-profit and nonprofit, have donated money to fund early education centers. Some have helped individual teachers with mortgage payments and other necessities.
The recent trends in preschool education have created a demand for instructors because of the increased enrollments, more students of diverse backgrounds, and a push towards the use of modern technology.
Thanks for mentioning Little Sunshine's Playhouse in your article!
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