I was talking to someone I know that other day and I was telling her about my job.  In case you don't know, I am a preschool teacher and have taught for the last 8 years.  Before that, I had a daycare business in my home when my kids were little.  So my friend and I were talking about how "easy" it must be to teach 5 year olds.  I laughed and said no, it's not really easy, but it's fun.  She said yes, but you just get to play and color all day right?  I said no.  I work in a PRESCHOOL, not a daycare.  We have the kids for three hours a day, but it's school, not just play time.  So she said, yes but you don't teach REAL subjects like science.


Don't I?  Of course I do! I do teach those subjects in a manner that is appropriate for 5 year olds.  When we plant seeds in our classroom, we are doing a science experiment to observe the outcome.  When we read books about animals, both fiction and nonfiction, the children are using their prior knowledge to create more meaning out of what we are learning about. When they are playing with magnets to see which items the magnet will pick up, the kids are learning about science.  When we made ice cream, apple pies and gingerbread cookies we were learning about science and math.  When we learned about the lifecycle of a caterpillar and were able to watch real caterpillars grow, build a chrysalis and become butterflies we were learning science. When we do the calendar every morning and talk about the seasons and check the weather, we are learning about science.


Needless to say...once I pointed that out, she didn't have much more to say. LOL!