I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love good customer service and praise it when I witness it. This definitely includes the service teachers and staff provide kids and parents at school. Today, I want to thank my son’s preschool teachers and staff who have consistently worked in providing a welcoming environment and great communication.
In the last year, I have taken notice of many details Teacher Mia, Teacher Aurora along with their supporting staff have provided. All of the small consistent things turned out to be the really big things.
When my son’s first teacher retired a year ago, we were introduced to Teacher Mia, she took over the class of 3-4 year olds. She has been an educator for over 20 years, and we heard nothing but great things. We welcomed her, hoping things would not change too much. However on the very first day Teacher Mia came on board, the classroom had a complete different look and feel; the sign in table was in a visible and in an accessible area, there were activity centers set up on every table, and there was a guitar by the carpet area. The classroom had a bright welcoming feeling. It was strange to say because I had no major complaints on the previous teacher, but the feel was just distinct.
My son noticed the changes in the classroom as well. When he approached the sign in table, his eyes bugged out, the sign in sheet no longer had dashed letters. This made my son upset, he had not learned how to write his name without the dashes. He did not want to sit down and try. We approached his teacher and explained the challenge we encountered. I clearly remember her calm and reassuring voice; she told him that she was there to help him accomplish this and many more new, fun things. She told him not to worry and just to try. At this time, my son had just turned four years old and I was feeling confused, was he behind or was I not challenging him enough? We only practiced with dashed lines. Because of Teacher Mia’s encouragement, in less than a week he learned how to write his name all on his own. Thank you Teacher Mia for encouraging my son from the very first day.
Teacher Mia’s daily cheerful “good mornings” greetings helped some lazy days to quickly disappear. The other classroom assistants and the children soon did the same, her positive energy carried on to the rest. It feels good to be greeted with a smile on a daily basis. Several times we walked in as she played the guitar for the kids, and were invited to sing, clap and dance a little. The kids definitely loved these types of mornings. Every day when I leave the classroom, I notice all things were picked up and the room was nice and neat; however the activity tables for the following day were ready to go. The children always have something to do when they walk in the following morning, and the assistants were always available to work with the children because the materials had been set up the day before.
Teamwork and Communication
Both Teacher Mia and Teacher Aurora, who work together, do an excellent job in relaying information. They alternate shifts throughout the day so Teacher Mia would open the day and Teacher Aurora would end the day. At the beginning it made me a bit nervous, however they have done a superb job in always keeping each other in the loop of the daily incidents and positive stories. At the end of the day, I obtain feedback on how my son’s day was and all the staff always had answers for my questions. It gave me a sense of comfort knowing that everyone was on the same page.
Recently, I was having a conversation with Teacher Mia about music and instruments in the classroom. I wanted to understand her perspective and reasoning. Clearly the majority of the kids enjoy singing, clapping and vibe, however Teacher Mia who is a student at The Mariachi Conservatory (http://www.themariachiconservatory.org/) explained aside from having fun in the classroom, the reality is music stimulates the brain and can help children learn. She said, “As a child I learned my time tables through song at a very young age.”
I then remembered reading that studies have demonstrated music enhancing the memory of Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. The scores on memory tests of Alzheimer’s patients improved when they listened to classical music. I appreciate our frequent conversations and her willingness to explain the purpose for all activities that take place throughout the day.
Parents in the Classroom
This past month the classrooms had several different activities and in each activity, Teacher Mia insisted on parent participation. She routinely reminded parents of all the upcoming activities, field trip, walks and parties during drop off and pick up time. She also filled the cubbies with invites and reminders. On Dr. Seuss’s birthday (March 2nd), Teacher Mia informed and invited parents to sign up as surprise story time readers throughout the month. I quickly signed up, I went during my scheduled time and read out loud to the class. It was 30 minutes well spent. With my eldest, I don’t recall ever being invited to partake in a cute and simple classroom activity. I’m not sure if many teachers or schools do this, but if they do, I encourage you to prioritize your child’s classroom and join in as many activities as you are able to participate in.
If you are interested in the obtaining more information on this preschool visit the website or perhaps you would like to learn more about The Mariachi Conservatory for your children:
ELAC Child development Center
https://www.elac.edu/currentstudents/studentresources/childdevelopment.htm
They are always taking applications.
The Mariachi Conservatory
http://www.themariachiconservatory.org/
They offer a variety of classes for all ages.
Cindy Borbon
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