Becoming an early years teacher is like running headfirst into the freezing cold ocean. It may seem like a foolish idea. In early years the hours are long, the pay is famously low, and there will always be someone who says ‘don’t work with children’. However, once you’re in, it’s great. You’re swimming around and willing all your friends to join you.
I have been working in a nursery for over a year now and there have been many pros and some cons during my time as an early year’s practitioner so far.
The EYFS for example, has things I still strive to securely complete as a woman in her mid-20s. The job is a mix of thinking, ‘wow, are they really learning something great here or have we all been running around in circles for 15 minutes for no reason?’. And have we really been stimulating the sponge-like brain of a fascinated pre-schooler by delivering a world class activity involving volcanoes and counting to 25?
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
