Preschool programs are important for developing positive K-12 school experiences for students. Research denotes that students who attend publically-funded preschool programs tend to be better prepared for kindergarten than students who do not attend (NPR ED, 2017). WPS Preschool Programs are anchored in several guiding principles designed to ensure children are visible, valued, highly engaged, and partners in their own learning—to name a few.
Mrs. Angie Cain, WPS Early Childhood Coordinator (PreK-2), stated that surrounding students with an environment where they can belong, thrive, and learn was of utmost importance. She explained that attending a preschool program was often a child’s first experience away from home. Thus, she guides teachers to spend time—particularly at the beginning of the school year—to establish relationships, routines, and schedules. “Family engagement begins before school starts with a family visit,” she stated. She wants teachers to make connections and to learn about their students’ families to ensure all feel comfortable interacting with one another.
I had an opportunity to observe her sentiments first-hand in several of the preschool classrooms that I have visited, including two classrooms: Mr. Troy Phillips (who as nominated by his school as the 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year) and Mrs. Brandie Brown; and Mrs. Tanesha Hutchinson and Mrs. Heather Servage. Students were visible, valued, highly engaged, and absolute partners in their own learning from the moment I walked into each of their classrooms. Most noticeably was the ability for students to see themselves in every aspect of the environment—including the curriculum, activities, and visual displays.
When asked the importance for students to see representation of themselves in the classroom, Mrs. Hutchinson explained that their mission was to “meet the needs of the students where they are” and being willing to “change things in the classroom if it is not working.” They strive to ensure students “feel comfortable knowing that their classroom is no different from their homes, grocery store, or a walk in the park.”
Mr. Phillips expressed he most appreciates working with his students because the students are “fueled by pride and recognition of their successful tasks…the amount of intrinsic motivation that occurs every day…and having 18 little warriors that would literally do anything for you because they trust and love us as much as we do them.”
Mrs. Hutchinson stated that there were many things to appreciate about working with preschool students. She noted how they “enter the classroom with little or no skills to take on the role of being students” and “start at the beginning of the year being fearful, not knowing what to expect but also eager to learn.” She values being able to observe the growth that they see “every day in their social emotional skills by being problem solvers.”
Mr. Phillips and Mrs. Hutchinson identified various priorities for serving preschool students, including experiencing new and different things, science experiments, building their confidence, and exploration with different mediums and tools. Mrs. Hutchinson noted that she wanted them to “become a generation of learners that are not afraid to take chances.” Mr. Phillips stated that, “expanding their curiosity of the world around them is always a goal of mine.”
As Mr. Phillips reflected on his years serving preschool students, he noted how “many children from many different walks of life and various demographics interact and learn from one another every day.” He shared, “They are not only learning from us, but so much is gained through their peer interactions. Having such a blended classroom makes my job so much fun and opens my eyes to the amazing world that exists within each and every learner.”
“Let the students see that you are having fun,” Mrs. Hutchinson stated, “so that they can do the same.”
