Top Five Questions

Here are the Top Five Questions folks ask about my preschool What a joy it is to have you join me on this journey through early childhood education. Here are the Top Five Questions folks ask about my preschool What a joy it is to have you join me on this journey through early childhood education. My name is Deborah and I own my own private preschool in Indiana. Often times, folks ask me about my preschool so I am going to share the top five questions along with the short answer that folks ask me. Teach Preschool Children's Studio How many students are in your class? My very 1st day that I opened my preschool, I had exactly one student show up! By the 2nd week, I had ten students. Fast forward to next school year and I will have 24 students. What ages are your students? My students range from ages three to six. My students enter my preschool at age three and most of them stay with me anywhere from two to three years depending on birthday and readiness to move on to kindergarten. Is your preschool in your home? My indoor classroom is located primarily in a building located on my property but it is not in my home. My outdoor classroom is located in the lower level of a screened in porch that sits in the woods behind my house. We do go into my house on occasion to use my basement or kitchen but most of our time is spent in our indoor and outdoor classrooms. How many teachers do you have working with you? My set up is a little bit unusual because my teachers not only serve as teachers in the classroom but they also serve as photographers, virtual assistants, finance managers, and the list goes on. There are currently four of us jugging all the demands of running a preschool along with managing the all of the Teach Preschool publications and online activity. What is your teaching philosophy? After 30 years of working in a variety of different types of childcare programs or preschools, getting an associate and master degree in early childhood education, and spending countless hours of my own time studying the works of others - I am a blend of all that I have learned and all that I continue to learn or be inspired by. I am and always will be a work in progress. My fundamental belief is that children learn best through hands-on exploration and play. I put into practices teaching methods and ideologies that I believe my students need day by day. What works for one child may not work for the next. What works for one teacher may not work for the next. In the end, I believe what matters most is that my students leave my classroom well adjusted, happy, eager to learn, loving school, confident, and competent in all areas of development and I will do whatever I can and apply whatever teaching philosophy or method I feel comfortable with to help them find success. I hope you have a wonderful day! My best, Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed. www.teachpreschool.org