Hesston College Preschool is a classroom that serves a broad age range. It’s a classroom for children three- to five-years-old and college students studying early childhood education.
“Our program is unique because students are given hands-on learning opportunities at a freshman and sophomore level, whereas in many colleges and universities, students must wait until their junior year to receive such extensive teaching opportunities,” said Larisa Lawrence, Hesston College preschool director.
It’s not just the children who are learning, the student assistants also get an education. The college students take the things they learn in their Early Childhood courses and apply them directly in the preschool, which is a lab component of the coursework. Freshmen students take introductory early education courses and spend one time a week at the preschool. They then have the option to do field experience in the preschool during their sophomore year, where they serve as assistant teachers two to four mornings a week.
Student assistants have many opportunities to plan and lead children’s learning experiences. Students use the Kansas Early Learning Standards as a guide for making preschool both an enjoyable and an educational experience. These activities are designed to develop literacy, motor skill, memory skills, social skills and other necessary things to learn before kindergarten.
This early exposure to a classroom setting allows students like 2016 graduate Meredith Spicher (Belleville, Pa.) to take what she’s learned in the classroom and apply it directly in the preschool.
“Hesston’s program focuses on nurturing curiosity,” said Spicher. “We want them to learn on their own and at their own pace.”
“We are here working to help these kids reach milestones that are necessary in order to move on to kindergarten, and every skill they learn, no matter how small, helps”, said Spicher.
Spicher’s future plans include working in child development, so the experience she gained in the preschool lab were greatly beneficial. Many students who start in Hesston’s Early Childhood Education program continue their education to become certified to teach early or elementary education, while others pursue careers in social work, psychology, child care or home daycare, para professionals in elementary classrooms and much more.
“My favorite thing about working in the preschool is seeing things ‘click’ in the kids’ minds,” said Spicher. “When a child who is struggling with learning to cut finally gets the proper hold and is able to stay on the line, that gives me so much pride and satisfaction because it shows that what we’re doing isn’t just ‘glorified babysitting’ like so many people think.”
As Spicher’s Hesston College career ends, she looks back fondly at her experience at the preschool.
“I bonded with these kids this semester and I hope they never lose the spark of curiosity that I have seen in them,” said Spicher. “I will miss seeing what they’ll learn next year. A lot of people underestimate kids’ abilities, knowledge or ability to have real conversations, but I loved talking with them and hearing all of their stories. I think that’s what I’ll miss most – just being able to interact with them.”
Hesston College Preschool is now enrolling for the fall. Contact Larisa Lawrence at 620-327-8161 or larisa.lawrence@hesston.edu for more information. See more about the preschool on the Hesston College Preschool blog.
By Abby Musser