Laying the Foundations
One teacher's journey
For a while now, I’ve said that one year I will take on the challenge of teaching Prep (aka Foundation/Kinder/Transition/Pre-Primary/the first year of school that nobody can agree on what to call).
It turns out that 2021 is that year! I’d love to start by sharing why I want to be a Prep teacher. What on earth was I thinking? I can tell you that I put more thought and planning into this year than I have needed to for a while. I think the only year I have put this much thought into my preparation was my first year as a teacher. So, why do I want to teach students in their very first year of school? Well, my daughter is starting Prep (at a different school, closer to home). There’s a synergy in helping her be ready to walk into school and helping other students take their first steps. I am sharing a lived experience with the parents of my students and can empathise with them. I have a deeper appreciation for what they are going through as I also faced the struggle of the myriad of choices and anxieties parents face: Which pants to buy? Which lunch box to choose? What food to send? Will they make friends? Will they like school? Will they learn to read? Of course, it’s not necessary (nor practical, nor always healthy) to have a child in the same year-level that you teach. However, I need to recognise that this parallel has given me a gentle nudge towards taking on the challenge of teaching Prep. Filling a void The second factor that led me to take the plunge was that the current Prep teacher wanted to take on a new role. (You may notice that I talk of a singular Prep teacher and that gives you an indication of the size of the school I work at). This left a noticeable void. She is well-respected and admired by parents and colleagues. Her students adore her! Of our current staff, I was the only one who showed interest, so the baton was passed to me. Leading from the front Over the last 12 months our school has changed our literacy instruction to be more evidence informed. We now use the Science of Reading to inform our teaching and learning. As the literacy leader, I am a strong advocate for this approach that can enable almost all children to be capable readers and writers. I wanted to see how we can ensure that students follow a path to literacy from the moment they begin school. There is something nerve-racking about walking the walk, after talking the talk. There is also something empowering about achieving this. The first steps of school The first year of school is one of the most important. It sets the scene for a child’s life of learning. I feel the pressure of being responsible for each child in my class. I am responsible for teaching them to read, write, count, make friends, and hopefully find joy in learning. I hope that I am up for the challenge of laying the foundations!
9 Comments
James W
4/25/2021 03:54:38 am
A great post James. I am in the same boat. I have moved to a new school this year and have moved to the Prep level (from year 5/6). I can relate to all the feelings you are having teaching this level. But how good is it seeing the progress they make?!
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James
4/26/2021 02:40:17 am
Congratulations on the move! Your jump was bigger than mine.
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1/2/2022 08:12:34 pm
Add 'reception' to your aka's.
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10/5/2022 09:54:16 pm
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I'm JamesI am a father of two (8 & 5), married to a future Early Childhood Educator. Archives
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