What do you feel like is the hardest part/the biggest pain points associated with being an early childhood educator?
Some kids just don't adjust well to school: separation anxiety, behaviors, social skills....potty issues...crying....
The kids who have serious behavior/developmental/? issues which totally change how you can run your class and affect the amount of care/attention/education/time/? you can give the rest of the children. Being hit, kicked, bitten, pushed, etc. by the above children and having other children at risk if you don't put yourself in harms way protecting them. Exhaustion.
I'm in a public school, and I think all of the "outside" pressures of the district and limitations of school building are the hardest part for me. For example: 1. I'm by myself with my class for almost 2 hours every day while my paraprofessional is at lunch and then on prep (plus bathroom breaks, etc.). Also a struggle to get paraprofessionals to actually do anything during their prep, like send home artwork or sanitize/organize toys in centers. They see prep as another personal break. 2. We don't have a good place for indoor gross motor. We were able to get the cafeteria this year but we have 60 kids in a too-small space. Pre-K is always the last in line when scheduling is done. 3. No administrative or other school staff support for behavior problems. They think the Pre-K students are cute little babies and coddle them (extra treat/snack/game when tantrum-ing). We have a district-wide behavior support team, but they develop long-term strategies for teacher to implement in classroom. If a child is on a rampage (kicking over furniture, hurting other children) and I'm by myself, I'm scr*$#&^%ed! 4. Paperwork, student growth objectives, meetings, etc. that I'm required to do don't apply to my grade at all, yet I am required to do them. 5. No late pick-up policy. Big kids are left in office if no one picks them up but preschoolers can't be left. So I am stuck with kids at the end of a long day until parents decide to come, with no consequences, but lost paperwork/classroom cleanup time for me. Also no consequences if they never bring extra clothing or nap blanket which are technically required. 6. If my paraprofessional is out sick, sometimes I get no lunch or prep break if a sub is not available. Every other grade has cafeteria lunch and special area prep but pre-K is self contained, so it is hard to get coverage if para is not there. 7. Cleaning is atrocious. My floors are not often mopped, so juice spills and sand table spills are still there the next day. We have a huge rodent problem, so there are mouse droppings all over the place. I clean them when I can but some days are too busy. The custodians will vacuum carpets, sweep up a little, and empty garbage. That's it. Maybe centers have the same issues, I'd love to hear!
I teach in a developmental preschool setting. The challenges are similar to teaching in special education/resource. 1. Other teachers, educational assistants, parents, community members, and other school staff dismissing what I do as teaching. 2. Required to participate in PD that is k-5 specific, so I have extra work. 3 lack of support from administration. 4. Parent interference in the classroom 5. No support for late pick ups. 5. Most of the school doesn't know my program is at the school. 6. IEPs, FBAs, BIPs, paperwork..and more paperwork.
Wow... You have a tough situation. How have things gotten so bad at your location? Have they always been this way? Adam
The paperwork/meeting situation is getting worse each year, but the rest has been the same for the five years I've been in my school. I'm glad to have the salary I make in a public school, but I'm not sure Pre-K belongs there.
What support did you get from the admin? did you quit. How much stress can you take? When should it be, " enough is enough?"
Scmom hasn't been on the forums for a year and a half, so it's unlikely you will get a response from her. On OLD threads, it might be best to start a new related thread.
