Preschool Teacher: Alise Behar

 Today on the blog I have Alise Behar sharing her teaching journey as a Preschool teacher! I first came across Alise’s Instagram: Head 2 Toe Teacher because of her adorable and practical teacher style! Not only does she have fun and amazing style when it comes to teaching but she has a true heart for it too through social/emotional learning with her students and making sure every student and family member feels safe and loved. Here is her interview:

1. What did you want to be when you were growing up?

I have always wanted to be a teacher! I loved playing school with my siblings and stuffed animals and loved going to school. My teachers were always people I admired and deeply cared for. I struggled with math and reading as a child and always felt very loved and supported by my teachers. I knew that I wanted to make other children feel the way that my teachers made me feel. In 3rd grade, we were paired with Kindergarten students as reading buddies and it was the highlight of my time in Elementary School. I loved connecting with a younger student and helping them learn. I love being a teacher and truly feel that I was made to teach. 

2. Is there a moment that sticks out to you that you remember from school with a teacher you had growing up?

My favorite teacher was my 5th grade teacher, Ms. Richards. She was young, fun, caring, and such a bright light. We all loved Ms. Richards and we still connect on social media to this day. In 5th grade, my struggles in academics really started to feel more noticeable. It was the first time I remember feeling like I was struggling to keep up with my peers. Ms. Richards worked with me one on one and encouraged me to push through the discomfort of learning something new. She never showed frustration or disappointment and always showered me with positivity and support. I hope I make my students feel the way that Ms. Richards always made me feel. 

3. How long have you been teaching, what country/state do you teach in, what do you teach, and what did it take for you to get there?

This is my 10th year teaching (it has gone by so fast!). I teach Preschool at a private school in Washington State. I studied Elementary and Special Education and always imagined myself teaching older elementary grades but quickly discovered that I have such a love and passion for Early Childhood Education. 

4. What is your go-to tool you use in the classroom and why?

We use so many tools in Preschool! In a day, I use our timer clock the most often. Transitions and change can be challenging for young students, so I consistently give reminders on how much time is left and set the timer clock so our students have a visual representation. Our students know when they hear the timer beep, to “stop, look, and listen” to hear the directions. It is a great classroom management tool and soothes students who struggle with transitions during the day. 

5. Every teacher has something they are passionate about changing in education, what do you hope to change as a teacher?

As a Preschool teacher, my main focus is teaching my students Social/Emotional skills. We discuss the importance of following the “group plan”, using our words to express our feelings, understanding our bodies when we need to “reset,” following classroom expectations, inviting friends into play, trying new foods, being collaborative with peers, and building confidence and independence. As children grow older, the importance of these social/emotional skills seem to dissipate and the focus on tests, projects, state testing, and general academics takes over. Of course, learning these core academic foundations is important, I just wish they were better balanced with these life skills that we need as we progress through life. 

6. I love your teacher style and that you share your outfits on Instagram. What inspired you to start a LTK and share your outfits to inspire others?

Thank you! I have always loved fashion and finding the best deals and starting a teachergram that focused on fashion has long been something I wanted to do! I was home on maternity leave last year for almost 10 months. It was such a special time to be able to bond and take care of my baby girl, but after gaining 65 pounds over the course of my pregnancy and wearing sweats every day, I felt like I had lost sight of my love of putting together cute outfits. Going into this school year, I was ready to start my teachergram and LTK to not only connect with other teachers, but also to feel like myself again. I have absolutely loved sharing my outfits and it feels great to be reacquainted with the part of me that loves to get dressed every morning. When I am in cute outfits, I truly feel my best!

7. Any advice for a new teacher you wish you had known for their first day of work?

In college, we discussed lesson planning a lot and very little about classroom management. We were writing 10-page lesson plans (which I quickly realized wasn’t a thing in the real world of teaching) but not discussing strategies to keep students engaged, motivated, on task, and collaborating as a team. Classroom management is imperative to having a successful year and trying new strategies with a flexible mindset will help build the team spirit of a classroom. Spending time building the classroom expectations in the beginning of the year will help make the rest of the year go smoothly. Also, make celebrations, holidays, and even random days special. Students walk away from our classrooms remembering dance parties, field trips, a day of play, popsicles outside, etc. As teachers, its easy to get weighed down with lessons, standards, testing, etc. but including these special experiences is truly what makes school a fun and special place for children. Lastly, spend time getting to know your coworkers. Having some teacher besties that you see everyday will help you feel more connected and have some shoulders to lean on when you need support! 

8. What has been the most challenging aspect of being a teacher?

I feel very lucky in my teaching career. I have worked with amazing teachers who have taught me so much. I have collaborated with caring and supportive parent/guardian teams and worked at schools where I have felt extremely cared for. And of course, I have taught amazing, sweet, bright, and fun children who truly make me smile and laugh every day. For me, the most challenging aspect of being a teacher comes down to letting go of everything going exactly to plan. I struggled with being flexible early in my teaching career. If an anchor chart wasn’t perfect, I would make it again. If a lesson plan didn’t go according to plan, it would make me so upset. I just wanted everything to be perfect, but in doing that, I was expending so much energy and frankly, stressing myself out. In the last few years, I have adopted the message “what’s the worst thing that could happen?” which has helped put things into perspective. I hung up the art project and they aren’t straight, “what’s the worst thing that’s going to happen?” I didn’t get time to teach this math lesson “what’s the worst thing that’s going to happen?” It has helped shift my ability to look at things in more of a “little deal” way and I am a better, more flexible teacher because of it. 

9. A lot of people have been saying they hope things start to change in education since the Pandemic, what is one thing about the school system you hope changes?

We all went through so much during the Pandemic and as a Preschool teacher, I am now teaching children that have spent most of their lives living in the Pandemic. Many children are facing school socialization and collaboration experiences for the first time. I hope the school system can slow down for a moment and realize that these children have been through a lot and their learning practices may need to be altered to take account for their experience in a pandemic. Again, I would love for there to be a bigger shift on Social/Emotional Learning and giving our students tools to handle challenging, anxious, hard moments. Their mental health is just as important as their academic health. 

10. Last but not least, where do you see yourself in ten years?

In 10 years, I see myself teaching a grade between Preschool and Kindergarten and having more children. I absolutely love being a mom and would love to grow our family in the next few years. I hope that I continue to make my students and their families feel supported, seen, and heard and continue to grow as a teacher through continuing my education and pursuing professional development, etc. I hope that I am spending my time off from school having fun family adventures and making time for myself to do the things that make me happy as well. 

Thank you so much Alise for this amazing interview!