If you attended pre-K as a child, you might recall learning through playing with other classmates and through participating in interactive classroom activities. Pre-K teachers are very different from elementary and secondary school teachers. They typically develop children’s language and vocabulary skills through storytelling and rhyming games; their social skills through cooperation and teamwork games; and their scientific and mathematical concepts through counting games and simple mathematics problems.

According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the ages included in pre-K education range from birth to age eight. Pre-K teachers play a critical role in the development of children. Early childhood learning and experiences shape students’ views of themselves and the world and influence their later success in school, work, and their personal lives.