A High Quality Preschool Starts with Great Teachers

Teresa Obert always dreamed of becoming a teacher, ever since she got to work as an elementary school aide during her own high school days.

More than 40 years later, Mrs. Teresa continues to live her dream as a master educator, earning 2018 National Teacher of the Year honors at Little Sunshine’s Playhouse and Preschool®. Children come to school excited every morning about what they’ll be learning in Mrs. Teresa’s pre-kindergarten class in Southlake, Texas.

At Little Sunshine’s Playhouse®, we know that a great education starts with great teaching. An effective teacher has 2-3 times the impact on math and reading performance compared with other school-related factors. On top of that, JAMA Pediatrics found that 35-year-old adults were more likely to have a college degree if they had received a quality education from preschool through third grade.

Little Sunshine’s Playhouse® is proud to reward and support all of the outstanding educators who prepare our students for a lifetime of success.

Honoring the Best Preschool Teachers

Great teachers like Mrs. Teresa love seeing children light up with excitement from learning new things. They invest lots of time and energy to keep students engaged and serve as a trusted resource for parents and colleagues.

Along with passion and enthusiasm, the best preschool teachers are great communicators with the creativity to adapt lessons to meet the needs of the class. They respond with patience and humor when challenges arise. They also respect the diverse learning styles, talents and cultural backgrounds of different students.

One of the ways Little Sunshine’s Playhouse® promotes excellence in teaching is through our company-wide Teacher of the Month and Teacher of the Year programs. Every month, each location submits a different nominee for consideration. Our Teacher of the Month is chosen from the list of local nominees. At the end of each calendar year, our Teacher of the Year is selected from all of that year’s Teacher of the Month winners.

Creating an Innovative Teaching Environment

Sarah Caiafa, our National Teacher of the Month for April 2019, loves listening to children’s ideas as they quickly learn new skills. She also appreciates having the freedom to plan unique activities that will excite her students in Franklin, Tennessee.

Little Sunshine’s Playhouse® knows that preschool teachers are professional educators, not babysitters. Our relationship-centered Creatively Shine™ currculum allows generous flexibility for presenting customized learning experiences. We provide every classroom with lots of engaging materials corresponding to each learning center and monthly lesson theme.

All of our teachers receive ongoing professional development that facilitates innovative approaches to communication and classroom management. Access to the latest child development research empowers our teachers to offer the best hands-on, age-appropriate activities and effective discipline strategies.

Competitive pay and benefits, advancement opportunities and well-deserved time off also help Little Sunshine’s Playhouse® recruit and retain a team of talented, dedicated teachers at every location.

Would you like to meet some of our amazing preschool teachers? Contact a Little Sunshine’s Playhouse® location near you to schedule a visit!