Meet Our Childtime Staff – Ms. Fay, Preschool Teacher

Meet Ms. Fay, the fabulous lead preschool teacher at Childtime in Mesquite, TX. She has worked for the company for nearly 30 years and has been at this location since 1996! Read on to learn more about her background, why she loves teaching preschoolers and what a typical day is like in her classroom!

Can you tell us some more about your background?

I attended college at Ouachita Baptist University with a major in sociology. After that I married my husband, we moved to Dallas and I became a preschool teacher. I just enjoyed doing that and it became a passion in my life. I continued my education in childhood development by attending classes at Eastfield College and taking different classes here at the school.

How has this career path been rewarding for you over the years?

It’s been rewarding because I was able to be around my own children as well as be an influence over other children. I’ve been here for a while and I have former students that come up to me while at a store with their parents, and they see me and they say “Hi, Ms. Fay!” They still remember me. And so I say to myself, “I must have made an impression.”  That’s rewarding to me to know that I did something to inspire children to go on and continue their education. Some of them have even gone into teaching preschool.

What do you love about teaching the preschool age group?

I just love working with the three-year-olds because they’re just coming into their own. They’re at the end of potty training and they’re coming into the classroom more independent. They talk back to you and they give you feedback when you’re asking them questions. So I found my niche there in the threes.

Can you take us through what a typical day looks like in your class?

I come in around 7:30 a.m. and we have group time and center time. This morning, we did a bean bag toss and we had music and different bean bag games. Then we have breakfast and when we’re done, we wash our hands. Throughout the day, we’re always washing our hands. Then we will go and have our gathering time and talk about what we’re going to do that day and sing songs. I’m trying to teach them a little sign language during that time, too. After that, we’ll get ready for our morning small group activities. We’ll get involved with whatever the theme of the week is. Then, if weather permits, we go outside and play and then we come back in, wash up and get ready for lunch. Then we have a story time and we put on a little music and get them set for naptime. They wake up around 2:00 p.m. and get ready for snack and we have another group time. After that group time we go outside for about an hour and then we go into large group centers and have play before it’s time for pick up.

Why do you feel early education programs are so important for little ones?

They’re very important because this is such a fast-moving age right now. Students are learning how to function in society. It’s so important that you have a preschool that’s geared around education and especially the kind of education we teach here, where the children can pick out what their interests are. They might keep that interest throughout their entire lives! You introduce them to other things, but if they chose to do this or that, you help motivate them to be the best they can be with whatever interests them.

What has been a favorite accomplishment of yours throughout your career?

There are just so many! My favorite is seeing a child grow up and develop. It just warms the heart to see a child leave here, finish high school, finish college and come back and remember me.

What do you enjoy the most about teaching early education?

The children! It has to be that. My love of children. I started in this career and I just love it. I love being a teacher and teaching kids.  It’s been rewarding and when I’m not here, I miss them.