Preschool teachers are facing a new set of challenges in teaching young children and are striving to meet the needs and demands. Education has come a long way from what it used to be even ten years ago. Incorporating newer techniques has become important as teaching techniques too has changed over time. It has become a matter of concern to figure out newer and effective strategies for teaching and guiding young learners. Teacher training institutes aims at imparting such effective skills in aspiring and working teachers.
A pre and primary teachers training readies the teachers for an early teaching experience. Preschool teachers across the globe are working hard in order to furnish children with the necessary skills to succeed in a competing world. Furthermore teachers are keen on instilling flexibility in students so that they can readily mould and adapt themselves according to the rapidly changing world and technology and must promote healthy learning environments that will support creativity, group effort, global awareness, social responsibility, critical thinking, problem solving and communication abilities.
The first and foremost step is Integrating Technology in Classroom environment. In recent times, kids are more tech savvy than the ones teaching them. To relate with this kids in a similar level, teachers need to upgrade themselves and speak in the same language as them. Integrating technology is a step towards imparting enriching learning prospects while reinforcing the technical skills of the students. Aspiring preschool teachers need more than just basic understanding of the available technology in order to keep up with their students and aware them about internet safety.
To increase efficacy in teaching methods, teachers of contemporary times are using more of student centred approach in teaching methods instead of a teacher centric classroom environment. When learning becomes student centric, it encourages a lot of interaction, group efforts and classroom engagement. The teacher allows the kids to discuss class materials in groups thus fostering participation among them. The students work hand in hand with the teacher who acts as a facilitator to them. The group and class-building promotion aids in greater accomplishment. Connecting with parents is also a good strategy to follow when a teacher is serving their wards. They may provide useful information or follow instructions and suggestions offered by the teacher.
Involving children in the goal setting process is an outstanding way to encourage them to learn in their own pace. Goal setting needs to be done in a very simple, basic and clear manner during the early years. As for e.g. frequent conversation with the child about their progress in the classroom proves beneficial. Teachers can further smooth the progress of goal setting by various means and techniques. In general, helping children reach their goals calls for teachers to provide specific, frequent feedback as well as ample time for introspection. Another important aspect of increasing classroom efficacy is to keep track of the attention span. The teacher can plan and arrange activities accordingly if he/she is aware of the individual attention spans. Generally, children have a shorter span and for that activities should not exceed 15 or 20 minutes. Their minds keep wandering, so proper techniques need to be followed to ensure concentration in the activity, this also help the teacher to monitor their level of understanding.
With a Preschool Teacher Training, early educators will know the benefit of understanding the classroom curriculum. Spending quality time in going through it will come handy to him/her. The more one goes through and understands it, the more familiar one will become with the procedures, approaches and activities. This will give the teacher an insight to the components of a program, activities and their implementation etc. This will help the teacher to improve or plan their effectiveness in teaching techniques.
It is a teacher’s duty to maintain a classroom atmosphere of warmth and acceptance. For some preschool children, the classroom will be one of the few places where their opinions and ideas have been heard and valued. There needs to be reason that their classroom experience ends in being a positive and happy one and that they should love to come back again and again. Effective teaching methods aids in positive learning experience and that too in a methodical way. The above mentioned strategies allow teachers to keep their fingers on the pulse of the classroom to ensure that students are learning.
