The one and only job I applied to when I first heard about the future of the Japanese school was an early start Reggio Emilia-inspired school that's conducted primarily in English. Ideally, I wanted to continue working at a Japanese-language preschool elsewhere. I don't get much speaking practice in anymore and I'd hate for my language skills to deteriorate after working to hard to get to the level I'm at now. There are a few schools that I came across in the area, but they either weren't hiring or were too far away.
The moment I stepped onto the beautiful campus of this new school on the day of my interview, I knew I wanted to work there. Everything I've been learning in the classes I'm taking says that preschool-aged children learn and develop best through play. The children at this school have free reign over their curriculum, which is play-based, whether it's through dress up, using blocks, painting, or getting dirty in the sandbox. They choose whether they're inside or out regardless of the weather, and they're surrounded by nature in an urban setting. While it may appear unstructured to an untrained eye, this play-based aspect helps young children develop their social skills, fine and gross motor skills, problem solving, among many other things. It's quite amazing to see 3 year olds talk out their squabbles with one another with the teacher providing very little assistance and I loved witnessing everything I'd been learning at school firsthand. After my first interview in March, I was called in to interact with the children as well as substitute teach, and finally in April, I got an official offer of employment!
I formally started at the beginning of the month and spent the summer going in for training as well as traversing around Europe for 20 days. The children are an absolute joy to be around, and my new coworkers are so passionate, knowledgable, and incredibly fun to work with. Since it's a school for younger aged preschoolers, it's unfortunately not full-time, but I maintain hours by babysitting and tutoring on the side. I'm honestly just happy to be in a place that's not only enjoyable to work at but a place where I can apply what I've been studying and become the teacher I want to be. I've already learned so much in the short month I've been there, and I know can flourish even more.
Friday, September 29, 2017
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Endings
When I first started at the Japanese-language preschool about two years ago, it took me a while to get used to being around such small children. I hadn't taken any Early Childhood Education classes and the only exposure I had to toddlers were the sons and daughters of my cousins, all of whom are now in or beyond elementary school, and I'd only see at our family functions. I wasn't sure if I should talk to and act with preschoolers the same way I did with my elementary school and junior high students in Japan, especially since I had to help them with things like using the toilet and blowing their noses. I eventually grew to love working with the smaller ones, which made me keep an eye out for other jobs working with younger children and start taking ECE classes. I now have 6 of the 12 ECE units required to become a preschool teacher in California and am currently working towards 9.
A few months ago, the school's director told me that she'd be closing the school due to her poor health. It definitely takes a lot of physical strength and energy to work with preschoolers, and she didn't want to supply inadequate care to the new 3 year olds who'd be entering the school in September. Most of the children at the school were due to graduate this year and enter kindergarten in the fall anyway, so while it's sad, it was just time for everyone to move on. The other day was the graduation ceremony for the five remaining students, and they performed the songs and sign language we've been practicing over the past few months in front of their families. They also shared their graduation photo albums, which included photos of them from birth to now and small snippets about themselves that they came up with and wrote down. After the ceremony, they surprised us teachers by performing a song they'd been practicing on their own with their parents, and a father even accompanied their singing on the guitar. It was a bittersweet day that I won't forget, and I'm so thankful for this job that introduced me to the joy of working with preschoolers.
To be continued.
A few months ago, the school's director told me that she'd be closing the school due to her poor health. It definitely takes a lot of physical strength and energy to work with preschoolers, and she didn't want to supply inadequate care to the new 3 year olds who'd be entering the school in September. Most of the children at the school were due to graduate this year and enter kindergarten in the fall anyway, so while it's sad, it was just time for everyone to move on. The other day was the graduation ceremony for the five remaining students, and they performed the songs and sign language we've been practicing over the past few months in front of their families. They also shared their graduation photo albums, which included photos of them from birth to now and small snippets about themselves that they came up with and wrote down. After the ceremony, they surprised us teachers by performing a song they'd been practicing on their own with their parents, and a father even accompanied their singing on the guitar. It was a bittersweet day that I won't forget, and I'm so thankful for this job that introduced me to the joy of working with preschoolers.
To be continued.
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