What Do Preschool Teachers Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Preschool Teachers instruct preschool-aged children in activities designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth needed for primary school in preschool, day care center, or other child development facility. May be required to hold State certification. They also teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills.

Other tasks include:

• Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order.
• Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students’ varying needs and interests.
• Provide a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use, both in learning activities and in imaginative play.
• Serve meals and snacks in accordance with nutritional guidelines.
• Attend to children’s basic needs by feeding them, dressing them, and changing their diapers.
• Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children’s progress and needs, determine their priorities for their children, and suggest ways that they can promote learning and development.

We asked Preschool Teachers how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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61% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 73% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Preschool Teachers plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate. They enforce all administration policies and rules governing students.

A typical day for a Preschool Teacher will also include:

• Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
• Serve meals and snacks in accordance with nutritional guidelines.
• Assimilate arriving children to the school environment by greeting them, helping them remove outerwear, and selecting activities of interest to them.
• Read books to entire classes or to small groups.
• Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.

We asked some Preschool Teachers a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	27% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	71% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	86% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	37% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	22% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	66% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Preschool Teachers also attend staff meetings and serve on committees as required. They may also select, store, order, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Preschool Teachers Collaborate with other teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of preschool programs. They might also Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops to maintain and improve professional competence.

In addition, they Prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Meet with other professionals to discuss individual students’ needs and progress.

To some Preschool Teachers, it is also their responsibility to Confer with other staff members to plan and schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula.

Working life

Less than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Preschool Teacher, you can expect to work less than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others..

They also like working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/education-training-and-library/preschool-teachers.htm

http://www.naeyc.org/

http://www.cdacouncil.org/

http://www.teach.org/