What is it like to be a preschool teacher?

Hi Karen, great question.

I worked in a preschool classroom during my last semester of college and I loved it. The specific routine would depend on what age group you work with. If you're at a larger childcare center, there will probably be infants through 5- or 6-year-olds. The older the kids are, the more they will do structured activities. I worked with toddlers around 12-20 months old and their day included lunch, snacks, naptime, and diaper changing, as well as lots of free play, reading aloud stories, playing on the playground outside, and some art projects. I had flexibility during my afternoon shift, so I would put on music and dance with the toddlers, which they liked! Routines are important for young children, so I think most classrooms would have pretty set schedules. Do you know anyone with a young child in preschool? If so, you might try asking what their child's day is like.

One thing to keep in mind is that unfortunately early education jobs do not usually pay very well. If you're thinking about a few different career options, you might want to look into what the pay is like in each area. For me that was the biggest downside.

You can also check out the websites of some large companies like Kindercare (http://www.kindercare.com/ & http://www.kindercare.com/careers/) and Bright Horizons (http://www.brighthorizons.com/careers), to learn more about daily activities and potential jobs. Check out the job descriptions for any posted positions to see if the work sounds interesting to you.

Good luck!

Kate