A Good Teacher

"I think a good teacher of young children should try to be all-seeing, rather than all-knowing;  a good listener, rather than a constant talker.  The emphasis should be on observation and interpretation, rather than relying on past experience for solving every problem that arises."

This insight comes from Carol Hillman in her Exchange book, Teaching Four-Year-Olds: A Personal Journey.  She adds, in part:

"I think a good teacher of young children should look at the children's interests in planning the curriculum, rather than relying on last year's lesson plans.  The emphasis should be on the expressed needs of each child, rather than on preconceived notions of what is good for young children in general...

"A good teacher needs to take great pleasure in setting up a classroom that allows children to explore, to question, to work alone or in a group or with an adult.  A good teacher of young children needs to be wiling to be the same kind of learner that she expects each child in her class to be.

"The most important thing about being a teacher of young children is a willingness to learn about a child by being with a child and responding to a child."

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