The past, present and future education

Ever since I was in second grade I have always dreamed about being a teacher. Many days were spent playing with school with anyone or anything and when I say anything I mean my clutter of stuffed animals. I would spend hours and hours of my afternoons during the summer and after school playing school. I loved teaching and being able to show someone how to do a activity or help them even if it was writing their name. When I was fifteen years old I still was very eager to teach someone, or at least anyone who would let me, that person was my baby cousin who was five years old at the time. It was great she would get home from preschool and I would teach her more. We would play school and it was great because she would now understand what I was trying to teach her. I would write a letter on the chalk board and ask her what it was she would repeat it back to me. I then started writing out words to her and teacher her how to spell yes she was five and yes I did get her to spell a few words one being ill never forget. Kimmy and I were in the car and she was talking about pizza and I said "do you know how to spell pizza?" she of course replied back "No" I told her it was simple, P- I- Z-Z-A she then went around everywhere that day spelling pizza. I felt so accomplished that I actually did it. I could teach someone, even if it was just my baby cousin. Now that I am much older and a little more wiser, I get to teach every day. I haven't gotten to my own classroom yet but I am well on my way there. I work at a day care with ages infants to 12 I mainly work with the age group of one. With that being said, they can only speak certain words but they are very smart. These kids now I feel are a whole lot smarter than I was at that age. There are quiet a few that very smart for only being 1 and 11 months old. You wouldn't think at the age of 1 you would know almost all of your colors and the whole alphabet even if it is just singing it. I can point to a color and they know exactly what it is in perfect English not even that fuzzy I can't make out what you are saying baby talk. I am so amazed on how these kids grow everyday and are so smart and just keep getting smarted by the day. We teach them sign language on a daily basis it amazes me how these kids know sign language so well. If I can even be able to give advice to people I would say to them teach sign language and at an early age. They understand it more than speech its amazing to watch infants even sign a word like milk. I used to think it was just those phony informercials that was made up but its true. You make the sign for milk with your hand in a fist and move your fingers in and out. You tell them milk and they will sign you milk. Many parents that come in out of daycare's are either happy that we have a curriculum or upset that the children are not playing as much. Well being a worker at a day care, children have plenty of opportunities for play especially the younger ones. The curriculum is just there as a guide line. Most of the time children are playing while also learning. For example a child is playing with multicolored blocks, I will ask the child oh what color do you have and they repeat what color they are holding. They are still playing but are also learning with out even realizing it. Every toy in the classroom has a purpose. They are not just to play with. Some toys are strictly for counting, dramatic play, social skills and so on. I defend both class room curriculum and class room play. They are both equally important. A child needs to learn their ABC's and 123's, what their name is, and how to go to the bathroom. If a child does not learn these things it will make going to grade school hard and more than likely maybe socially awkward. I am not saying every child needs to go to preschool, but it certainly helps a child.