Week 3 - #CathEdSocial - Early Childhood Education

To be honest, I had to Google search exactly which grades were included in #EarlyChildhoodEducation.  It's birth to preschool, by the way.

I teach Middle School.  At a previous Catholic school, when my Middle School teaching job was eliminated due to lack of enrollment, my principal offered me a teaching contract for the following year to teach kindergarten.  I immediately said no and started looking for another teaching job.  I know my gifts, and teaching little people younger than the age of reason is not my gift.

But I do have some (read: very little) teaching experience with the little ones.  When I substitute taught in Catholic schools last spring, I substitute taught in a preschool classroom for two days in a row.  Honestly, I almost did not come back the second day, but I went and offered my day up as redemptive suffering.  I asked the principal if I could never sub in preschool again.  She laughed, but she never asked me to sub in preschool again.  She too knew my gifts.

It is my firm belief that there is a special place in heaven set aside for Catholic preschool teachers.  I could never do their job.  And I definitely could never fake enjoying doing their job.

In my opinion, it is the perfect time to evangelize the young parents who bring their child/ren to our Catholic schools.  Get these young parents involved, both in the school activities and with activities in the parish!  Get these young parents connected with other school families.  Make it difficult for them to leave our Catholic schools after their child/ren finish preschool there.  If we evangelize well, these young parents will all keep their child/ren in our Catholic schools for their kindergarten year.  And if we evangelize well, these young parents will show up to Mass on the weekends.  And if we evangelize well, these young parents will bring their young child/ren to Mass on the weekends too.  But how can we evangelize well?

Denise's Evangelization Ideas for Young Preschool Families

1. Bible Study Groups - Depending on your Catholic school demographic, there may be some stay-at-home moms who bring their child/ren to preschool for half days.  Intentionally invite these moms to a faith-sharing group once a week during half day preschool hours.  Could an on-fire 8th grader lead this group?  Could an on-fire principal lead this group?  Could an older parishioner lead this group?  Yes to all.
2. Meet Their Needs - Depending on your Catholic school demographic again, determine which needs these young preschool parents have that your Catholic school can meet.  Do they need help navigating carpool?  Do they have school uniforms?  Do they have school supplies?  Do they have snacks to bring to school?  How can your Catholic school help attending your school easier?  In one Catholic school in St. Louis, the school pairs with a community outreach organization to bring free fresh fruit as a snack for every student every day.  School families appreciate this.
3. Buddy Families - Intentionally pair every single preschool family with a school family who can invite them to their home, answer their questions about preschool, share their uniform hand-me-downs, give user tips for navigating carpool and the online grading system, and who can form an intentional bond with this family.  Host "Faith Family" nights that these paired families can attend together.