Who are graduates of “Preschool Education”? They are future preschool teachers. What questions worry prospective students? Is it difficult to enter, what is the lowest passing score, what is this specialty like and who am I going to be after graduation? So we tried to collect the most relevant information from the students of the specialty. There’s no better source to learn this information from.
Why do students choose “Preschool Education”?
#my_choice
Anastasia Velyugo (4th-year student): “I assume that most of us will say that it is because we love children. I’m not an exception. I chose this specialty because I wanted to communicate and work with kids”.
Ekaterina Derevyago (4th-year student): “Initially I wanted to be a psychologist. But then I considered all pros and cons and chose preschool education. Why? Because there are more advantages than disadvantages. First of all, it’s an opportunity to fulfil my creative potential, to diversify activities and always be on the move. Secondly, I can improve my communication skills. In addition, this sphere lacks of personnel and it is always interesting to work with children”.
Veronica Ganebnaya (3rd-year student): “I’m humanitarian that’s why I had to choose between ‘Practical Psychology’ and ‘Preschool Education’. After that, I investigated these two specialties in the universities of the country and decided on Polotsk State University. This profession has its own specificity. Working with children is exciting but it is also hard work: every child and every situation needs personal approach. If you are ready to be a patient and understanding preschool teacher, learn how to deal with children and be an example to follow, then this specialty is definitely for you”.
A preschool teacher: who is it?
#pedagogical _specialty
E.D.: “A preschool teacher is a responsible person who finds creative ways of dealing with their job. They are attentive, sociable and stress-resistant”.
V.G.: “Preschool teachers spend most of their time with children. That’s why this person often becomes an example to follow for a child. First of all, a preschool teacher is a versatile person. He/She has to understand everything and explain complicated things with simple words, tell fairytales and fascinating stories, play games and love children with their whole heart against all odds. Then everything will work out”.
A.V.: “I chose this specialty, mainly because I wanted to work with children. I believe that a preschool teacher is a creative person who has various skills. I believe that the teacher, first of all, should be responsible for the work, for raising children. Of course, you have to be a moralist, strive for professional self-improvement, be a patriot, be engaged in social activities and lead a healthy lifestyle”.
Why is Preschool Education exciting to study?
“Practice every year”
What awaits future students of Preschool Education? Yes, first of all, a large amount of theoretical material, lectures, seminars, workshops, as well as an active student life: concerts, meetings with interesting people, scientific conferences, creative and sporting events, volunteer movement and much more.
What do the students study? No, not biology, mathematics and the exact sciences, but a cycle of social-humanitarian, general scientific, professional and special disciplines, such as “Theory and Methods of Guiding the Graphic Activities of Preschool Children”, “Preschool Pedagogy”, “Child Psychology”, “World and Domestic Literature for Children”, ”Intellectual Development of Preschool Children”, “Fundamentals of Theatrical Activities of Preschool Children”, “Training of Interpersonal Communication”, “Fundamentals of Pedagogical Skills” and other disciplines.
A.V.: “To be honest, I like all the disciplines. We have very good lecturers who know how to give the material in a correct and interesting way. I think our faculty is the luckiest of all, because we have the coolest lecturers”.
Right after entering the specialty, you can dive into the profession. Because, starting from the 1st year, students gain practical experience and have the opportunity to improve their professional skills.
A.V.: “We had an introductory practice in the 1st year, methodical practice in the 2nd, psychological and pedagogical practice in the 3rd and undergraduate practice in the 4th year. We conducted classes, discussions, walks, morning exercises, a physical education lesson, made psychological diagnoses, in a nutshell, performed all the work that a preschool teacher should do. We also learned about the features of the preschool education institution functioning: about the interaction between preschool education institution and the family, about the administration work, about the psychologist work, about the various entertainments and holidays organization, and a lot of other things.
Of course, at first it was difficult. When you learn to fulfill the duties of a preschool teacher, not everything works out right from the beginning. For example, you get lost when someone starts to act up or not obey, and it’s also difficult to organize all children to do some kind of activity. But our supervisor helps to overcome everything, and gives advice what to do or what to say, where and what techniques and methods are better to use. My best memory is a well-conducted lesson: it was interesting not only to me, but also to the children. It is very cool when kids learn something new, are interested, ask questions, put this knowledge into practice. And you understand that all your work is not in vain”.
E.D.: “While studying the course in ‘Preschool Education’ we received not only the necessary knowledge, but also practical experience. For me, the practice was the most memorable and interesting event in my student life. It was a kind of vacation, because we were doing what we really like, and were able to see all the ins and outs of this profession. The practice was held in preschool institutions and consisted of all the duties of a preschool teacher”.
V.G.: “We have practice at preschool institutions every year. Each practice is special and not similar to the previous one. A huge advantage of our profession is that you can plunge into the profession from the first years of studying. We had an introductory practice in the 1st year. We visited preschool institutions and watched the educational process. Having received the necessary knowledge, we could already try ourselves in the role of preschool teachers. In our 4th year we are going to learn about the activity of managing a preschool institution”.
Why enter Prechool Education and what prospects do students have after graduating?
#students’_advice
V.G.: “During the studies in this specialty, you get not just knowledge, you change as a person for having gained invaluable life experience, especially during practice. You are becoming confident of yourself and your abilities. Closer to graduation, a lot of students have a fear of the unknown. But by the end of the 4th year, students of Preschool Education clearly understand what they will face, and some of them are already working in their specialty, teachers and faculty leaders always make advances”.
E.D.: “If you are completely confident in your abilities and you like working with children and being in constant contact with them, if you are a creative person who has a lot of ideas and also has nerves of steel and patience in store, then I definitely recommend trying your strength in the profession”.
“Preschool Education” is exclusively a female profession? Of course not! But it looks exactly like this, because who else but women can always find an approach in communicating with children.
E.D.: “I can’t say that a profession can be either only for men or only for women. It is rather a stereotype. Even modern parents just got used to seeing female representatives rather than male representatives as preschool teachers. We would also like the female team to be “diluted” with males, but, unfortunately, this is a very rare case”.
V.G.: “No, this is a baseless stereotype. We have excellent examples of male preschool teachers who have taken a course in our specialty and are now in demand in their profession. I think that if not only women worked in preschool institutions but also men, substituting their strong shoulder at the right time, the process of education and training would be more correct from a pedagogical point of view”.
A.V.: “I think that the study has given me a lot. First of all, knowledge that will be useful in my professional activity. Besides, training at PSU helped me to meet a great number of amazing people who are now the examples to follow. While studying here, I’ve changed a lot as a person: I’ve become more open, communicative, active, begun to read more books, become interested in the culture of other nations. I believe I have my own life philosophy now. What’s more, now it’s easier for me to do the right thing in any situation.
If you love children and want your work to be creative, then a preschool teacher is definitely your profession”.
If you are a creative person who loves children and you like the profession of a preschool teacher, then #welcome_to_PSU to the specialty “Preschool Education”!
How Do I Enter Polotsk State University?
In case of any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Faculty for International Students
address: 29 Blokhin str., Novopolotsk, room 260
telephone: +375 (214) 50-57-62, +375 29 798-09-09
e-mail: ,
Tatiana Osipova
Photos: PSU archive