Everybody look out because it’s Little Lancers time!

The preschool opened on September 30 and meets four days a week for teacher planning time. Little Lancers has been in business for 3 years.

“We have become more organized and kind of know what to expect, but there are still surprises every day,” said Kate Lane, the child development teacher. This year 17 children are enrolled and those children are full of excitement and energy.

“The high school students get a real world experience planning lessons, teaching preschoolers, reflecting and dealing with variables that are beyond your control,” said Lane.

Taking the child development class may sound easy at first but there is a lot of work behind the scenes. Dealing with the 3- and 4-year-olds is challenging. Children whine, don’t want to share but in the end they are all really good kids and are all willing to learn.

“Working with the Little Lancers is fun and a good learning experience,” says sophomore Alyssa Mattison, who is taking Child Development 1.

Taking this class now can save time and money if a student is planning to be a preschool teacher in the future. If a student takes Child Development 1, 2, and 3 and passes each class with an ‘A’ or a ‘B’ then the student can earn a 90-hour certificate. A 90-hour certificate is needed to obtain a job as a preschool teacher. Even in college, students can earn money part time as a preschool teacher.

Little Lancers is split into two semesters: fall and spring.  The fall section will end after 2nd term.

The children in the preschool have a set routine every day. Every day they come in and play with puzzles, and after everyone is accounted for they stand on the carpet and sing the “Rise and Shine” song.

Then the lead teacher announces the Special Person of the Day and then the children sing the ABC song. After all that is done, the children get to hear a story before breaking off into groups for lessons.

In Child Development 1, the teachers teach an art lesson, a math lesson and a language lesson. After lessons, the children come back to the carpet for a finger play, while some teachers set up snack. After snack the children usually go outside to the playground to run around while Child Development 1 leaves and Child Development 2 comes and takes over.

“I like the fact that my daughter has a place to go and learn so much while she is having a good time,” said Timothy Scifres, a math teacher.

Scifres’ daughter, Flora, is enrolled in Little Lancers and is having a great time singing and learning new things.

“I am confident that the students who are teaching my daughter are doing a great job because I hear Flora talking about her ‘nice teachers,’” Scifres said.