Read past storytime features: Robin, David, Terry, Holly, Prany, Amari, Cheryl, Sue and Kathy.

Storyteller: Tammy, Lake Elsinore, CA

Tammy is a mother and preschool teacher from Lake Elsinore, CA.
 
I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. I enjoy being with children and I love watching their faces light up when they understand a new concept. Twelve years ago, when my daughter began pre-kindergarten, I was inspired to return to school and become an early childhood educator. I think preschool helps children learn the social skills needed to be in a kindergarten classroom. Children in preschool learn how to share, how to solve problems with other children, and how to become independent. When children learn these concepts it is easier for them to learn the academics.

As a preschool teacher, I see kids grow and mature a lot from when they first enter pre-k to when they leave. One of the children in my class, Blake, stands out as a great example of the positive impact preschool can have. The first day Blake entered my classroom, he made it very clear it was the last place he wanted to be. He came in screaming, crying, and hitting his mother, and after she reluctantly left, he accelerated into an angry rampage. During that first day, Blake refused to participate in our classroom activities. However, after our initial confrontation, Blake adjusted well in the classroom. He was able to separate from his mother for three hours a day, make new friends, and problem solve with children his own age. Blake’s mom confided that she wished her older son had attended preschool. She could clearly see a difference in skills between the two children and she thought it was because of our quality pre-k program.  When Blake left my class he was able to sit in a classroom and listen to instructions. Blake is now in first grade and is above grade-level in reading in math. However, the most growth I observed was his social-emotional development.

My experiences with Blake and many other students confirm that effective preschool is extremely important, and is secondary only to parental involvement. Programs that are ineffective make people doubt the long-term results of preschool. California should make more classrooms available, considering all the preschool-aged children we have. I also believe that hiring more teachers with a BA, and subsequently paying them more, would build a better preschool infrastructure. When people begin to see the positive effects of an effective pre-kindergarten program in their children and grandchildren, we will gain the momentum we need to fully support preschool programs for all children.