FEATURE ARTICLE ( TEACHING TODDLERS)

“I love you teacher.”

This heart melting line from your students is the best gift you can receive from them. Come to think of teaching toddlers, the word ‘hard’ may come first into your mind unless you like them. But do you ever try teaching them? Or you know to yourself you don’t have the patience needed?

Teaching toddlers (children ages 4-6 years) is a wonderful experience.

It is difficult. It requires patience but happiness is also a factor, especially when you become close to them.

Difficult at first but if you started to have their trust and attention, eventually it will become easy.

Also, you need to have the patience to withstand the short attention span of your students.

You need to use different strategies to sustain their attention.

Sometimes, being strict towards your students is necessary to show them you’re authority in class.

 

I'm happy to teach children and I was really having fun at the same time.

Especially when I teach them nursery rhymes with actions, they’re so happy, cuddling and dancing.

Also when you see that they are learning and they are happy to have stars stamps on their hands.

I can still recall the time I teach children every summer. Their favorite time in class are recess, singing and dancing time, coloring time and of course dismissal. You may often hear these lines from them; “teacher, di ko po kaya.”, or “teacher, dip o ako marunong.” But eventually, after several times of teaching, you may not hear it then especially when you cheer them that they can.

When we are going to write a letter in the alphabet, I will tell them to get their blue notebook. You may hear them saying “teacher, blue?” or “teacher, ganito?” then they will point out the yellow one. I’ll tell them “no, the blue one.” Then point out and raise a blue notebook.

But the lines that you may often hear everyday are; “teacher, pagkatapos nito, kakain na?” or “teacher, pagtapos nito uuwi na?” or “teacher, pagtapos nito, tutulog na?” ‘cause I’ll tell them to sleep after finishing their work and it is already time to go home, then they will bow they’re head into their desk and act like sleeping.

These are the happy moments of being a teacher. If you will love your work, especially your students, they will love you back.

Teaching requires compassion and hard work.

Teaching toddlers builds the foundation of their future.

The things that you will teach them may affect the way how they carry on their studies in the future.

As Jim Henson said, "[kids] don't remember what you try to teach them.

They remember what you are."