Professional Preschool Teacher

Yes, that's right! I am a professional preschool teacher, and I am proud of it.

Being perceived as a professional is a sign of respect. Preschool teachers are professionals and should be respected as such. However, sometimes we are not seen as much more than babysitters.

As a teacher, I have been relatively successful in getting respect from parents. While I am always looking for more ideas to further improve in this area, I know that some of my fellow preschool teachers struggle with this. So, I am sharing five things that have thus far helped me.

First, I always display my credentials. Most preschool teachers have credentials that they could display. But, they may not display them. Many other professionals display their credentials. Think about doctors, lawyers, and accountants. They display their credentials. One dictionary definition of the adjective "professional" is as follows: engaged in a specified activity as one's main paid occupation rather than as a pastime. That is definitely an adjective that describes preschool teachers.

What credentials might a preschool teacher display? It goes without saying that we can display any college degrees that we may have: associates, bachelors, masters, or even higher. However, if you don't have any other those, we should all display any certifications and certificates that we receive for related training. Did you receive any special music training, food training, or dance training? Have you received CPR training? Do you have any licensure from your state? Display any of these with pride!

Second, I establish early contact with parents. In the beginning of the school year, I call each child's parent to have a brief one-on-one conversation to let parents know how things seem to be going during the first week or two. You would be surprised at how happy parents are to hear from you before any official time that they are scheduled to hear from you. During these calls, I always point out something positive that I have noticed about their child. It could be something as simple as noting that the child seems to particularly favor a specific center in the classroom.

Third, speaking of communicating with parents, I think that it is essential to have a newsletter for parents. Some preschools send them home monthly. I send mine home weekly for preschool. (I send them home monthly when I teach elementary grades higher than first grade.) Parents love hearing about what their children are doing and learning. The newsletter does not have to be fancy. It should just be consistent and helpful. For consistency, try to send your newsletter out the same day every week.

Fourth, I try to dress appropriately and professionally at the same time. For me, this is often a button-down shirt (think business shirt) with comfortable pants. But, everyone has to determine what professional dressing is, based on where they work. (Honestly, I love theme dressing, and would do that more often if I had the wardrobe.) I may think about dressing professionally more than some preschool teachers because I once worked in an affluent town where a parent made a comment about lots of the teachers looking like they were dressed for the playground rather than the classroom. That comment has been stuck in my head for years.

Finally, I try to greet and acknowledge each individual parent and child that I encounter during the day. I also, say goodbye at the end the day. I use names as much as possible.

These are some of the main things that I do to show professionalism. Nevertheless, I am always looking to grow. I would love to hear from any of you who have methods. Please connect with me and share.

"We've got to respect teachers the way we do soldiers and pay them like we do doctors." - Pete Buttigieg

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