Akila Jabir Shabbiri

Senior Teacher

“Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best” – Bob Talbert I love being a preschool teacher. I love seeing little faces light up with a smile when I open the door to the classroom every morning. I love it when all of a sudden I feel my leg being hugged and I look down at a child smiling up at me telling me they love me. I love listening to a room full of kids laugh just because they like how it feels. I love the “difficult” children who say no to everything and test me to see if I mean what I say. I love it when my students are so excited about a topic that they ask a million questions and don’t want to leave the rug for our next activity. I love creating a sense of community by encouraging the parents and caregivers to linger a bit at drop off and pick up and chat about what’s going on in our room and in their lives. And what I love most about being a preschool teacher is that I see the difference I make in my student’s lives, every single day. To me, teaching preschool is very different from teaching older grades. Once a child reaches kindergarten the focus becomes academic – it’s time to learn to read, write, “do” math and take tests. The “soft skills” like learning to deal with frustration, make a plan and follow it during play, taking turns, making friends and dealing with conflict, are rarely taught and often not supported. And to be fair, what teacher has time to deal with a child who can’t sit still on the rug when she has 24 other students and a lesson to get through? But the reality is that it is the mastering of those “soft skills” that will actually determine a child’s success in elementary school and beyond. And teaching those skills is the job of a preschool teacher.

Qureshi Madiha

Assistant Teacher

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.        Henry B. Adams As a young girl, I always dreamed about becoming a teacher because I was so astonished and in awe of my teachers. How they were able to make learning so much fun. I was lucky to have many passionate, clever teachers as a child that instilled a thirst for knowledge and a love for language and books. They made solving problems exciting and literature come alive. But, more importantly, they made a difference in my life. My teachers fostered within me a desire to learn, challenge myself and explore and I wanted to share that same experience with others and I am glad that I took a step in the right direction. I knew from the time I was young that I wanted to help others discover the wonders, that I had been shown. I found a knack for guiding children in the acquisition of knowledge and skills and also take pride in the success of others. The way the eyes of the children light up in response to understanding ignites my excitement for teaching. More importantly, knowing that I am making an impact beyond that of academics cemented my decision to become part of this important, evolving and noble profession and I hope and pray to the Almighty Allah, that I'm able to do justice to my role.

Syeda Tahura Jabeen

Assistant Teacher

It is often said that the first impression you make on someone is the most important. It can never happen again and usually is not forgotten. I believe this is true for education also. Kindergarten or preschool is a child's first impression of the school.  Whether that impression is a good or bad one it will affect the child through the rest of their schooling. I was fortunate to have a great first impression of school which helped me to decide to become a teacher. There are many reasons why I have chosen Preschool Education as my major. The biggest reason is not only because I have always had a love for children but also for learning. The vision that I have for my classroom is like most of the classes when I was in preschool school. They were very colourful, full of books and art projects, and made you feel like you were at home. I will arrange the seats in clusters, in which two students will sit beside each other and then they will face two other students. I believe that this is a less intimidating arrangement and allows the students to gain social skills The bulletin boards will have every students' artwork or projects hanging up. The room will be decorated according to what time of year it is. My supplemental materials will include extra books for the children to read, craft supplies, and anything else that I can find that will make learning more enjoyable for the students.