I teach preschool in an elementary school. We have a new principal this year who comes from a high school background. In the past, preschool has been somewhat ignored and undervalued. We're not included on school assemblies, staff meetings, planning, etc.. Last year, i had a first grade teacher ask me if I even went to college, even though I have a masters. This year it feels even worse. The K-5 teachers mostly ignore us, our students are referred to as "babies" as we walk down the hall in our perfectly straight line with quiet mouths, and even though our P has done multiple observations in every classroom since school started, he's never even been in my room before. Does anyone else experience this as a preschool teacher? Any advice to how to change this?
I have found that our area preschools are not considered part of the school. It's more like they're borrowing space in our building. :unsure: Note, this is not how I think it should be.
I don't notice that here. We have centers. Preschool & kindergarten are in one school. We have a high at-risk population, so many of our kids begin young. Several of my current 7th graders have been in school since age 3.
We have a district preK in my school...actually 3 classes of preK kids. It's a relatively new program for my district. The teachers are contracted and union members. They attend faculty meetings, PD, etc. The kids go to assemblies ehen appropriate. They also go to art, music, library, gym. The preK program actually HELPS OUR BUDGET TREMENDOUSLY.
My current school doesn't have pre-k. They have a pre-k "campus" for the entire district in one building and from what I hear the teachers just love it. I have noticed in my previous buildings that pre-k is definitely not seen as a "real" part of the school. Like justme said, that's not how I think it should be, that's just my observations of how it is. In my first district they were kind of run by their own department- my principal wasn't even really "in charge" of them, which may have been part of it.
Yes, I think that's part of it here as well. There is someone at the district level over the preschool program. I think that person is the "pro" knowledgeable of preschool requirements and therefore seems to be over the principal in this way...even if technically the principal is the preschool teachers' boss.
Pre-K in our school is definitely respected as part of our school. The pre-k teacher sits on committees, attends faculty meetings, and participates in every other activity that goes on in the school.
I'm no longer at the elementary level, but when I was, the pre-k in the building was as much a part of the school community as all the other grades. Maybe it was more obvious in our school that the pre-k program was a vital component of student success.
our preschools are separated physically from the other schools. Sometimes our public PreK and Head Start are housed together even though they're separate programs. I've subbed at public pre-Ks. I'm not a fan of the program. But I respect the teachers just as I would any other.
My area doesn't have preschool, except for children who are mentally and/or physically handicapped. Most preschools here are through churches or Head Start.
Generally, though, preschool isn't respected by a lot of people I know; they think we fingerpaint and play with play-doh all day. They don't get why 3 and 4 year olds have things to learn before they start kindergarten.
This EXACT thing happens to me all the time in my Pre-K-5 building, and I HATE it. It's one of my biggest pet peeves. My students are walking down the hall quieter and better behaved than your fifth graders are, and you call them "babies?" Give me a break. I feel your pain! It stinks that people, especially in the education field, don't have more respect for what we do. My suggestion is to involve yourself and your students as much as possible. Over the years our school has gotten better with things like this. I show up to faculty meetings, eat lunch in the faculty room, participate in whatever I can, and I made friends with the PTA so they now include us in almost everything. That alone made a big difference.
No respect here! Our local program is state funded through the school. if the school Super/Principal doesn't like you, that's where you teach. Our Principal visited 2x last year, and the 2nd time was at our request due to a child's behavior. We were excluded from all activities.
