Meet Our Childtime Staff – Ms. Ashley, Lead Kindergarten Prep Teacher

Meet Ms. Ashley, a lead Kindergarten Prep teacher at our location on Eastern Ave. in Las Vegas, NV! She has worked for Childtime on and off for the past eight years and has 12 years of experience in the field. She’s our featured staff member for October, so be sure to check out our Q&A with Ashley to learn more about her!

Why did you decide on a career in early childhood education?

I love children. I’ve tried to do other things but I always come back to the kids.

Why do you enjoy teaching?

I’m happy to see their faces every morning. I love it when they learn something new and they go home and tell their parents. I know that they’re learning new things and reaching milestones.

What do you love about teaching Kindergarten Prep students (4.5 to 5 year olds)?

They’re eager to learn and they’re becoming more self-sufficient. I like to teach them organization, we learn together, they help each other out, and they are starting to write. Every day they want to learn something new.

How do you keep open lines of communication with your students’ parents?

For one we do Parent/Teacher Conferences and I’m here usually at drop off and pick up. I talk to each and every one of the parents. We also have PreciouStatus in our class, so I’m known for maybe sending too many pictures. As a parent, I would love that. I let them know our letter of the week, our word of the week.

What goes on during your typical day?

In the morning, we’re outside if it’s a nice day. Then I bring them in, we wash our hands, and we always do circle time. Then we do our letter of the week, our sentences, and our short story together. Then we do small group activity for whatever our theme is for the week. And then we go and we do reading time and then it’s lunch. We lay down for a nap, and we get up and do another circle time, just to adjust. Then we work in our large and small groups in the afternoon, go outside for a while if it’s not too hot, then we come in and we do centers. Even at pick up, I have centers open for them.

Why is early education so important?

We are their first steps in education and we make a big difference because how they look at us, how we treat them, is how they’re going to look at school. It’s important that they know learning is important and to have fun at the same time and that their teachers are there to support them and to be their friend and their guide.

Can you share a memorable moment you’ve had at Childtime?

I would have to say their graduation that we just had for the last Pre-K class in June. All the parents came to me and said “thank you.” They were very, very happy, and they said, “you taught my child so much.” That made me feel really good.