LITTLE BIT OF

Early Childhood Education program teaches future educators

Kailey Calvo | Staff Reporter

All high school seniors are worried about graduation at the end of their final year of highschool, but some are even worried about the graduation of the preschoolers that they teach, coming in at 6 a.m. to get working on the preschool graduation decorations. While it may seem strange that a high school campus has a fully student-operated preschool, the Early Childhood Education program is teaching its 180 students how to create and teach lesson plans to 18 preschoolers on Hagerty’s campus.

Open for 18 years and taught by lead instructor Jenny Burrell and levels I and II teacher Jennifer Hennessy, the early childhood education program consists of five levels. Students start by learning the best way to teach lessons and end as an active teacher within the preschool. Students even sweep and mop the floors, do laundry and clean furniture, fully operating the preschool.

In level I, students learn what the best practices are for educators and how to properly teach children different skills. Students also receive training and testing for DCF hours, which are required in order to work in childcare in Florida. In level II, students begin to work directly with the children in the preschool. They create lesson plans, vocab sheets and creative lessons to keep the children engaged. Education topics like shapes, letters of the alphabet, numbers, and days of the week change weekly, and lesson plans are created around each topic.

According to Hennessy, who will take over the program after Burrell retires at the end of the year, there are plans in the coming years to integrate different types of learning into the preschoolers’ curriculum.

“I am really looking forward to adding more STEM-related materials and hands-on science and math lab activities for our preschoolers. Getting them to learn in as many ways as possible is always our goal,” Hennessy said.

There are four certifications that students work toward while taking this course, ranging from the statemandated education classes to ServSafe for proper food handling. Certification takes place in the early levels, while levels three, four, and five all build on the skills taught in the previous levels. Each level has its own focus and certification.

Level three works a lot on theorists of education in order to prepare to take a test with Seminole State College and earn college credit if they pass. In level four, students start working on their Child Development Associate certificate, working on the many steps throughout the entire year. as fun as it is hectic.

Not only is an important curriculum taught to students, but they learn important life skills just by interacting with the children daily.

“Working with preschoolers has taught me how important patience is. These children are learning about rules and consequences every single day, and it is important to remember that,” senior Ariana Seguinot said.

“I love the calmer moments, when it’s a few of the teachers and the kids,” junior Ashley Zientara said.

Even though one may think that the early childhood education career pathways program is only for those who want to become teachers, all are welcome in the course, and it teaches valuable skills that occur because of teaching.

My favorite part about the program is getting to watch the kids grow as the year goes on. As the year progresses they open up more and you get to see some of their personalities start to develop.

- Kaleb Heyliger, 11

As the preschoolers become more acclimated to the preschool environment, they begin to learn more from their teachers and make friends in their class.

“[I love] to watch the kids grow as the year goes on. At first, they tend to be a bit shy, but as the year progresses they open up more and you get to see some of their personalities start to develop,” junior Kaleb Heyliger said.

As one could imagine, managing and operating a preschool is equally

“Early Childhood Education gives skills that are transferable to many different areas. These include coaches, counselors, entrepreneurs, management and healthcare. Our core skills focus on teamwork, leadership, psychology of children, and how to communicate effectively with not only children but provide the necessary skills to communicate with others in the workplace,” Hennessy said.

At the beginning of the 20232024 school year, spots will be open to enrolling preschoolers in the program. All children must be at least 3 and potty trained in order to be eligible to apply for a spot in the Husky Pups Preschool.