chatboard - Teachers.Net

Join Teachers.Net

Chatboards

Recent Groups

Preschool

MEMBERS

16 Members

+ Join Group

Pinned Posts

ALLAll Teachers

Teachers.Net LIVE CHAT Support group - Tues eve!

Featured Jobs

Full-timeMontessori Teacher

Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

TemporaryTeachers, rural schools

Peace River North School District

Full-timeHead Teacher: 2nd/3rd Grades – Mills College Children’s School

Mills College

Teaching Jobs on Teachers.Net

Featured Job special only $39!

https://teachers.net/jobs

Become a Teachers.Net sponsor!

Preschool Teachers Chatboard

planting pumpkin seeds

by nicole

Nov 5, 2012

hey guys, I am wondering if anyone has ever planted pumpkin seeds from a pumpkin; I am thinking of doing it with my class, prek, and I am wondering what the experience, if any, has been. thanks!!!!

Comment

(1)

report post

jmho5 On 11/05/12, nicole wrote: > hey guys, I am wondering if anyone has ever planted pumpkin > seeds from a pumpkin; I am thinking of doing it with my > class, prek, and I am wondering what the experience, if > any, has been. thanks!!!!

It's a fun thing to do! I save the seeds from our pumpkin, dry out and then in the spring we pl...See More

Nov 5, 2012

report post

Teacher pay and raises

by tb120

Nov 5, 2012

Hi everyone! I was wondering if anyone would be willing to help me with this. I am currently an elementary school teacher, but I am serving on my son's preschool board of directors. Tonight, we met to discuss our budget for next year, and the preschool teacher's pay rates were discussed. I guess the teachers are paid hourly and get about 1-3 % rais...See More

Comment

(1)

report post

leelee reschool teachers start at 43,000 in my area and go up about 1000 dollars a year after that.

On 11/05/12, tb120 wrote: > Hi everyone! I was wondering if anyone would be willing to > help me with this. I am currently an elementary school > teacher, but I am serving on my son's preschool board of > directors. Tonight, we met to d...See More

Nov 23, 2012

report post

Starting a Preschool

by Wondering

Nov 6, 2012

Hi! Have any of you started a preschool from the ground up?

Any advice?

I'm possibly going to start a preschool with a friend (we are both first grade teachers and have taught K) -- I'll be honest - I've never worked in preschool and that makes me little nervous. Any input would be appreciated!

Comment

(11)

report post

view previous comments

maureen On 11/08/12, Wondering wrote: > Thanks everyone! This would definately be a commercial property. I > do worry about the cost of property and upkeep of bills vs the > amount I'd take home. My friend and I want to co-teach both classes > (3's and the 4's). I have to be honest.........preschool does scare > me a bit. I'm used to first g...See MoreOn 11/08/12, Wondering wrote: > Thanks everyone! This would definately be a commercial property. I > do worry about the cost of property and upkeep of bills vs the > amount I'd take home. My friend and I want to co-teach both classes > (3's and the 4's). I have to be honest.........preschool does scare > me a bit. I'm used to first grade. > > What kind of behaviors do you have? Do you have lots of fit > throwing and behaviors because they are so young? Is it more > managable then in a public school? > > Thanks!

What it all comes down to is that this is a business you are planning. You should have at least a year to get by without a profit to start. You should also have a business plan down to the last detail with a reasonable budget. When you start hiring employees, you not only have to pay their salary but figure double as you add things like social security, etc. You usually have to have a deposit to hold the place unless you know someone who is willing to give you a deal. Most preschools I know have started either in someone's basement or rented space in a church until the clientele is built up. You have to consider location, location, location. What will your drop off and pick up plan be. In our town one has to have so many parking places alotted according to the square footage of the building. That was unrealistic in our situation as we never had every car parked there at the same time and parents dropped off the child at the door and the teacher brought the child in.

You will need so many students to cover costs which can include a website, phone service, utilities, insurance, salaries, as well as the big ticket expenses like fencing, playground equipment, materials, furniture, etc. Since parents of this age child do NOT like large class sizes and it is unrealistic to try to run the bigger classes alone for many reasons you will have to hire an assistant unless you have a parent willing to volunteer in exchange for free tuition.

As for behavior issues. I rarely had any but then again, I was trained for this age group. My classes in the commercial building were anywhere between 20 and 27 but I had a huge room and large classes are preferred for the type of preschool I am trained for. We don't want the children dependent on adults, but to work together as a community (we had multiage with children between the ages of 2 1/2 through 6 years) in the same classroom. The older children served as role models and some even were like having another assistant they were so good with the younger children. The few tantrums I had involved the child and his or her relationship with the parent and usually occurred at arrival or dismissal when the parent was there or had just left.

This age of children developmentally is very different from children 7- 8 years of age. If their needs are being met, then the tantrums should be non existent. I don't mean to discourage you, but these younger children are not just little first graders. They are all very capable, but one can not expect them to "perform" and act like those older children of age 6-7 years. I had very specialized training to run a preschool classroom that incorporated all the curriculum areas of science, mathematics, art, music, sensorial, learning practical life skills (the cornerstone of the philosophy), language - pre reading and pre writing as well as written and reading, geography. The children taught themselves using the materials out on the shelf and I served more as a guide. Our classroom library was almost all non fiction and it was loaded with books to delight their inquisitive minds. I rarely did large group activities except with creative movement and fingerplays. The rest of the time, the children worked independently, with a peer or in a small group or with me. The children were always on the move but it was purposeful movement that was controlled by self. There was always a "happy buzz" as the children worked throughout their day. It wasn't loud, just not perfectly quiet and that is the natural way it should be with the children.

This is just s small picture of what I experienced. Each school is different and usually reflects the teacher's preference. If you don't try to control the children and help them learn self control and intrinsic motivation, then you won't have children rebelling and exhibiting obnoxious behaviors. Each day is different and it is very rewarding if the match of age child with the adults is good.

I am sure you will get more feedback from others. I just don't want you to go into this blind without realizing some of the pitfalls and challenges. You were wise to be asking the questions you are asking.

Nov 8, 2012

report post

Alyssa Someone mentioned converting her 2-car garage. That would be great if I had a garage. My house has a horrible basement that does not lend itself to anything, much less a preschool! Do you think it would be worthwhile to purchase a fixer-upper raised ranch house at a cheap price and use the basement area for a pre-school? Thanks....hope to hear from...See More

Nov 17, 2012

report post

Turkey feather math game

by Teachers.Net Gazette

Nov 8, 2012

Grab an empty shoebox because you will want to make this math activity for your classroom! Please share it on Twitter and Facebook, and in your school!

Comment

report post

Behavioral problems within the classroom

by Lorna primus Joseph

Nov 15, 2012

what are some of your strategies when working with kids which display behavioral problems?

Comment

(3)

report post

view previous comments

Leah On 11/15/12, maureen wrote: > On 11/15/12, Lorna primus Joseph wrote: >> what are some of your strategies when working with kids >> which display behavioral problems? > > > observation, change something in the environment that ssems to > trigger the behavior, observe some more, look into my own > behavior and responses...See More

Nov 18, 2012

report post

Leah The following article might be helpful

Nov 18, 2012

report post

Common Core, Reading Comprehension and Much more

by Dan Hoffman

Nov 24, 2012

This website is updated every day and often twice a day. You will discover many tools and ideas to assist you in teaching. Many videos are presented allowing you to quickly and easily grasp what is in front of you along with examples. If you are using an iPad in your classroom you will find a button to assist you with many apps to support you. The ...See More

Comment

report post

Parent Conflicts

by Katrena

Nov 29, 2012

I am looking for advice from all you fellow teachers on the matter of parent conflicts towards you of any kind, how you handled it and how you felt about it before and after the situation was resolved.

Comment

report post

Learning Centers with a Christmas Theme

by Teachers.Net Gazette

Nov 30, 2012

Karen Cox of prekinders.com shares ideas for Christmas theme centers. Just click below, then start planning!

Comment

report post

Teacher/Parent conflicts

by Lisa

Dec 1, 2012

I was wondering if there are any teachers out there that has had a conflict with a parent, if so what was the conflict and how did you handle the conflict?

Comment

report post