CHARMING YOUR CHILD'S PRESCHOOL TEACHER

Mrs. Jones barged in the classroom one day flustered and vented out her pent up ire towards Miss Gloria, a preschool teacher in a private child care center. In a high pitched voice which she feigned like a question but sounded more like an indignation, she confronted the teacher with "Teacher, could you please tell me why my child´s wet clothes was not sent home yesterday!" The poor intimidated teacher sheepishly uttered her reply to mollify the frantic parent who apparently considered wet dirty clothes that were not sent home as urgent as someone having a heart attack. Glassy eyed and feeling humiliated, Ms. Gloria turned her back and walked away.

If you think that giving your child´s preschool teacher a condescending and humiliating treatment over some nugatory issues is a way to make your teacher feel appreciated and loved after going through great lengths in making your child love and enjoy school every single day?

You are so wrong.

On the contrary, repulsive behavior such Mrs. Jones´ tantrums is a one way ticket to the bottomless pit. It´s a sure way to antagonize your child´s preschool teacher whom you´ll be collaborating with and asking favors from within the duration of ten long months.

Often times, preschool children´s teachers are taken for granted in a lot of ways. Parents usually view them along the category of permanent fixtures in the classroom such as white board, bookshelves and cubby holes that constantly stay either solid and emotionless or genetically blessed with hooks set up in both left and right end of the cheeks ready to be pulled apart once the parents arrive to give a radiant, cheerful blithe smile even when confronted with a whining parent trivializing any issue not pertaining to child´s education.

In my two decades of teaching, I can only remember few parents who know how to value teachers in the same way as clasping a golden Buddha carefully treated with love and respect. More often than not, poor teachers get a take-care-of-my-child-and- I –will-check-on-you-later kind of treatment or worse, become the punching bag of parents who just had a bad day at work.

Whenever I see parents who opt for a bland, detached relationship with the teacher possessed with an obnoxious character and demeaning attitude who make nit picking as a habit every now and then,never ceased to puzzle me if they know the eye-popping acerbic facts behind the arduous teaching careers.

Fact number 1: Preschool teachers just like any teachers in general are one of the lowest paid in all parts of the globe. 2. Teachers eke out their income by doing sideline tutoring jobs or other teaching related jobs to make both ends meet or to afford any simple leisure in life. 3. There is no teacher who became rich because of teaching (not unless teacher is a school owner who wears two hats at the same time) 4. Teaching is more of a vocation than a career. 5.) Though preschool teachers are well trained in Early Childhood Education, it does not mean that they are impervious to children´s whining and mischief, parents´ demands and capriciousness who make their jobs more difficult than what it really is.

If you take a closer look on the undisclosed difference between a regular office worker and a teacher- comparatively, an office employee can afford to rest and relax, watch TV and enjoy a hobby as soon as he enters his humble abode.

But sad to say that teachers do not have the luxury of putting their feet up infront of the TV at night or combing shops at dusk or socializing with friends until the wee hours of the morning. Unfortunately, teachers are deprived of the fun of a regular life during weekdays just like the rest of the working class not by choice but due to the rigorous demands of the job.

At night, the places where you can find them are usually infront of the computer or at dinner table writing, preparing and researching burning the midnight oil finding enjoyable and fun filled activities making sure that your child will come home next day thrilled and bellowing Mama I had fun today. This routine goes five times a week for ten months relentlessly (God bless the school calendar for giving a solid two month summer holiday free for some and a month off for unfortunate ones.)

Though it´s true that whole shebang of preparing for the class, attending to your child´s individual needs, answering your incessant concerns are part and parcel of the teaching job. However, teachers just like the parents they serve have their own personal problems, emotional struggles and financial worries which they try to conceal behind those sweet smiles, loving hugs and kisses open handedly reserved for your child.

If you want your preschool teacher to show exceptional caring and generous loving gesture to your little one, it won´t hurt to walk an extra mile to appreciate your child´s teacher. From time to time, send some unforgettable cute small notes to tell her how happy you are with what she has been doing to your child. During special occasions like Christmas or Valentines, it´s well worth investing a few bucks for a small token of appreciation that would certainly bring a sincere smile on your child´s teacher´s face. If you have spare time, volunteer to help in any way you can. Your support will surely mean so much especially if the teaching staff is short handed.

Remember that doing the opposite by being hypercritical, faultfinding and asking for unreasonable demands or worse demeaning your preschool teachers like glorified nannies will not in any way develop a healthy relationship let alone a rapport with them.

Treat them the best you can. The teacher that you despise or love is the same teacher that your child will adore and remember for the rest of his life.

Now I see preschool teachers dancing the jig and cheering a loud resounding AMEN!