Role of Preschool Teachers in Child’s Development by Shruti Gokarn

All children are impressionable, especially toddlers. It follows that the adults surrounding them influence their physical, intellectual and emotional growth. In fact, these early influences chart the course of adulthood. Amongst these adults who have a crucial role to play, a pivotal role is that of teachers. A child enters into a formal institutionalised setting for the first time on entering preschool. This period is fraught with separation anxiety for the child. Away from the security of the home, they are trying to find their bearings in a new environment. If they are welcomed each day into an atmosphere of loving warmth and security, their confidence will get a boost and they will find it far easier to navigate the world around them. It is up to the teacher to create this atmosphere in their classroom. At this stage more than at any other that children learn through osmosis and imitation. And the person they emulate the most is their teacher. Every gesture, every word, every attitude of the teacher is falling on fertile soil and taking root. So, with their words and actions a teacher is sowing seeds of attitudes like reverence for one’s things and surroundings, discipline, and dignity of labour. A warm and safe atmosphere which fosters learning prepares the child for the rigours of the education which is to follow in grade school. Certain skills are necessary at grade school and pre-school teachers equip children with such skills. Teachers design activities with the aim of developing motor skills, introduce them to new vocabulary and get them used to the rhythm so essential to school life. In today’s highly digitised age, children are often bombarded with excessive sensory stimulation. They are bombarded with images which are beyond their experience and often understanding. The result of this is that the imagination slows down. A preschool teacher can play an important role in reversing the effects of this process by providing the child the experience of free play. During free play the child explores their surroundings, learns things through observation and trial and error and thus sets in motion the processes on which further education is built. Thus, the importance of a pre-school teacher cannot be emphasized enough. They set the course for the developmental path that the child will take in the future, laying the strong foundation of a fruitful life. In the era where holistic approach is the main concern educators believe in providing constant guidance and care . They encourage children to make healthy choices through active thinking & self-discovery.