LET'S CHAT with Miss Pamela Neustadter,
Cherokee Kindergarten Teacher
Q: What inspired you to become a teacher?
When I was attending high school and college, I worked in the day care at Lifetime Fitness. I just loved working with the kids. As the supervisor, I started art class and other structured activities for the children. After that rewarding experience, I knew as a freshmen that I wanted to teach in an early childhood classroom and began my major in teaching right away.
Q: What do you enjoy about teaching kindergarten?
Kindergarten is the beginning of a child's experience in education. The amount of growth from September to June is incredible. It is such a rewarding experience to be their first teacher and invoke a love of school and learning.
Q: What is your teaching philosophy?
First and foremost, I make a social connection with my students. My philosophy is to focus on the positive. From a behavior management perspective I discuss the actions of kids that are demonstrating positive behavior and offer positive incentives It is important that the kids feel safe and comfortable in the classroom, that is when the learning starts to happen.
Q: What is your favorite subject to teach?
It is fun to teach just about everything because in kindergarten you can introduce subjects together in creative ways. For example if you are teaching about shapes and colors you can incorporate books, music, math, singing, language arts, art etc. There are opportunities to be creative with the instruction.
Q: Do you have a favorite children's author?
Of course, Eric Carle and we are reading The Hungry Caterpillar now. I worked in the media center at Everett School and had the opportunity to learn about so many great authors.
Q: How has kindergarten changed since you were a kindergartner?
I don't remember very much about kindergarten, just that I loved my teacher! There was more dramatic play. We studied the alphabet, but did not start reading. Now, there is more phonological awareness and emergent readers in kindergarten.
Q: What do you feel is the most significant difference about teaching half day versus full day kindergarten classes?
As a half day teacher, you are teaching the same curriculum but have to be proactive, stay focused and choose the most beneficial activities for learning.
When I was attending high school and college, I worked in the day care at Lifetime Fitness. I just loved working with the kids. As the supervisor, I started art class and other structured activities for the children. After that rewarding experience, I knew as a freshmen that I wanted to teach in an early childhood classroom and began my major in teaching right away.
Q: What do you enjoy about teaching kindergarten?
Kindergarten is the beginning of a child's experience in education. The amount of growth from September to June is incredible. It is such a rewarding experience to be their first teacher and invoke a love of school and learning.
Q: What is your teaching philosophy?
First and foremost, I make a social connection with my students. My philosophy is to focus on the positive. From a behavior management perspective I discuss the actions of kids that are demonstrating positive behavior and offer positive incentives It is important that the kids feel safe and comfortable in the classroom, that is when the learning starts to happen.
Q: What is your favorite subject to teach?
It is fun to teach just about everything because in kindergarten you can introduce subjects together in creative ways. For example if you are teaching about shapes and colors you can incorporate books, music, math, singing, language arts, art etc. There are opportunities to be creative with the instruction.
Q: Do you have a favorite children's author?
Of course, Eric Carle and we are reading The Hungry Caterpillar now. I worked in the media center at Everett School and had the opportunity to learn about so many great authors.
Q: How has kindergarten changed since you were a kindergartner?
I don't remember very much about kindergarten, just that I loved my teacher! There was more dramatic play. We studied the alphabet, but did not start reading. Now, there is more phonological awareness and emergent readers in kindergarten.
Q: What do you feel is the most significant difference about teaching half day versus full day kindergarten classes?
As a half day teacher, you are teaching the same curriculum but have to be proactive, stay focused and choose the most beneficial activities for learning.