Education
- Faculty Profile - Tami Keim
 Tami
Keim
Director of Early Childhood Education program
620-327-8156
tamik@hesston.edu
A.A., Hesston College, 1972
B.A., Central Michigan University, 1975
Early Childhood Special Education Certification, Associated Colleges of Central Kansas, 1998
M.S., Kansas State University, 2001
What draws you to the field of education?
One of my greatest fulfillments is helping others grow and
develop. Watching the "lightbulb go on"
for a child in the preschool or a college student in the classroom
is exciting and spurs me on to continue my efforts.
How did Hesston shape you as a teacher?
My interest in working with young children was first ignited
during my own student years at Hesston when I took several
courses just to explore psychology, sociology, and education.
Describe the early childhood education (ECE) program and its students.
ECE coursework helps students develop a foundation of theoretical
understanding upon which they build their practices. We want
students to become intentional practitioners who are purposeful
in their teaching - they know why they teach as they do and
are able to explain their philosophy to others.
I find that frequently students who are especially drawn to
working with people; who are fascinated with how people develop
and become who they are; who want to serve and nurture others,
etc., are the ones who become interested in this field.
What are the advantages ECE students find coming to
a two-year college like Hesston?
ECE Students take a variety of general education and education department courses and become involved
in the preschool classroom so much during their first two years. Graduates
who pursue early or elementary education teacher licensure
after Hesston often describe how much they appreciate the extensive
experiences they had during the first two years - more than
their classmates in the schools to which they transfer.
How do you connect with students in the program?
Because we work together so intensely I feel that I get to
know the students who take ECE courses quite well. I really
enjoy working with them in the preschool classroom. The program
enables a lot of interaction among us and provides the framework
for us to function as a team together.
I feel privileged to have many meaningful conversations with
students as they explore their personal and career goals. Many
are processing so much during their time here - who they are,
who they want to become, and what they want to do in life.
What do high school students need to know about Hesston’s
learning environment?
Most high school students are still learning about all of the
career options they have and might want to pursue in life.
I believe that the level of individual attention they receive
here helps them process and continue to develop their direction.
Sometimes students whose interest in children initially caused
them to think they wanted to go into education find they want
to use what they are learning here to proceed more in the direction
of working with children and families in other settings, perhaps
pursuing a degree in child and family studies. And sometimes
students who initially thought they just wanted one course
for a limited exposure to ECE decide to go into it whole heartedly.
We'll help you figure out what you really want!
Since we put all of our energy into your first (or, for some students, only) two years
of college, we provide a greater variety as well as depth in
your experiences.
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