Meet Our Childtime Staff – Ms. Allison, Toddler Teacher

Meet Ms. Allison, lead teacher in the toddler room at our Childtime location in Monroe, NC! She has been at this location for eight years and loves getting to work with some of our youngest learners. Read on to learn more about this fabulous member of our team!

Why did you decide on a career in early education?

I always loved children. Especially the younger ones. I like working with the toddlers, it gives me a unique opportunity to see them grow. I work with ages 1-2 and love seeing their progress.

How is it rewarding for you?

It’s awesome. Especially with the parents. The parents get so excited when their child finally picks up on the colors or when they start saying those numbers. My main goal is to work on the numbers 1-10 and the basic colors, and normally by the time they turn 2, they know those. It’s really good to watch them grow like that.

Why do you feel early education programs are so important for kids today?

This generation is so complex, especially with the new technologies that are out there. I feel that once the children get into grade school, if they don’t have the early education, once they get to school they’re going to be lost and confused. As they start in kindergarten, they expect you to know numbers to a certain point and you need to know all the basics. If we don’t teach it and they aren’t doing it at home, then they are going to be farther behind. We have to shape them now.

Do you have a favorite accomplishment since you’ve been at Childtime?

I had this one child who when he first started, he didn’t want to socialize with anybody. He wasn’t talking, and he was a little bit older. The parents were concerned that he might have a disability, so I said I’d watch and observe him. Finally, there was one day where he just came running into the classroom and ran up and gave me the biggest hug. He had a smile on his face, and it was that day that he first said my name. I mean he hadn’t spoken at all before that. He said my name and it really was a big accomplishment. Ever since then he just took off. I recently got to see him graduate from pre-k. When he graduated from pre-k, he was a completely different kid!

How do you ensure strong communication between yourself and your students’ parents?

We have a very open relationship. I talk to the parents in the morning and we have the brightwheel app where they can send us messages throughout the day. I want them to feel comfortable talking with me about their child. We also have conferences, spring and fall, and we sit down and discuss their milestones.

If your students could describe you in one word, what would it be?

Probably “crazy” or “spontaneous.”

Why do you enjoy working at Childtime?

Overall, it’s like a family. My co-workers and I, we all get along, we joke around with each other. We come together for the children. We have an all-around good time. It’s really like a big family.