But, You're Not A Teacher..?

Ready for a mini rant? Lovely!

So, a few weeks ago, one of my team teachers came to me upset saying that a parent talked down to her and ended the conversation with "Well, you aren't even a REAL teacher anyways!"

Hold Up!

A majority of the girls I work with have bachelor's degrees in education, associates in early childhood or a CDA. We don't claim to be nobel prize winning teachers but we are teachers. The Webster's definition of a teacher is "a person who provides education for students." In my classroom, I teach life skills-I'm aware that sounds like I am putting myself on a pedestal but I am not, promise! Honestly though, at two, you learn to hold a spoon, drink from a cup, language skills, etc. and being that most of these children are in my care for forty hours a week, I'd say I aid in them learning these skills. I feel like I get as excited, if not more, than my children when they acquire a new skill or learn new words. No, we are not teachers for the county school system but, we are still teachers. We also aid them in learning the fundamentals like their colors, numbers, letters, shapes, etc. We work twelve months a year to take care of your child so that you are able to pursue your career.

I get that we are all busy and have lives but it makes me sick when I see a parent walk into our center on their phone, pick up their child and "SHUSH" them and drive away still on their phones. My parent's spent every waking moment talking to my sister and I...asking questions, singing songs. We were speaking in 4-5 word sentences by two. In my room, even if I am talking just to talk with no responses, I am talking. That's one of the most effective ways to teach a child.

I get that some people don't respect and see toddler teachers as "REAL" teachers but, we are.  It isn't always easy but we love what we do.

-Sarah