The Best Preschool Teachers Have 7 Things in Common

Teaching can be a highly rewarding career for many educators, but not everyone is cut out to be a preschool teacher. Preschoolers are young and can be unpredictable and challenging at times, making it obvious that a preschool teacher should possess some very specific skills in order to be a successful early childhood educator.

If you don’t have a passion for the work that you do, then it will be very difficult to achieve long term success. A successful preschool teacher is one who has a love and enthusiasm for teaching young children and recognizes the importance and responsibility of the role they play in instilling a love for learning in their students.

2. Patience

Teaching young children isn’t always easy, and kids know how to test an adult’s patience and push buttons, so having patience and maintaining a calm and kind demeanor is a must have trait when it comes to keeping the peace in your classroom.

3. Creativity

A successful preschool teacher doesn’t just hand out worksheets, but rather knows the importance of planning innovative and engaging lesson plans, games and activities that will motivate and excite students to want to learn and participate.

4. Sense of humor

Young children are naturally funny and silly at heart and tend to respond better to adults who aren’t afraid to smile and laugh and show off their lighter, less serious side from time to time. Don’t be afraid to share a funny story or tell friendly jokes throughout the day.

5. Communication skills

Communicating with young children requires a very different set of skills than communicating with adults. Successful preschool teachers know how to talk to their students in a way that is easy for them to digest and understand.

6. Flexibility

When dealing with preschoolers, anything can happen, so the most successful preschool teachers are those who learn how to roll with the punches and adapt their plans quickly in order to keep things running smoothly and on track.

7. Organization

Being a successful preschool teacher requires organizational skills, as without organization, things can quickly turn to chaos. Preschool teachers don’t have much time to themselves, if any at all, so they need to be able to find materials quickly so they don’t run the risk of losing order in the classroom.

Is This Career the Right Fit for You?

While there may not be a manual to teach you exactly how to be a successful preschool teacher, Athena Career Academy is the next best thing with their comprehensive early childhood education program. We can prepare you for a rewarding and fulfilling career in ECE. Contact us today to speak with our admissions team.