If you've been around many three- to five-year-olds, you know their attention spans are short. Keeping this in mind, prepare your lesson plans in advance and make sure you've filled the day with short activities that require each student to be actively involved. For instance, if you're reading a story, stop frequently to ask questions to keep children's attention from wandering.
Being prepared also means having a constant stream of activities. Transition times within the preschool classroom can mean chaos, but having an organized schedule will allow you to move directly from one activity to another.
Like most people, young children respond best to positive reinforcement. Teaching proper school behavior is important for preschoolers, as it's their first time in this type of environment. There are several ways to enforce good behavior. One is to keep a classroom behavior chart that includes each student's name, on which you can award stars for correct answers, helping others, cleaning up, staying quiet or finishing assignments. You can also have each student carry his own chart, so he can keep track of his star chart. You can offer a prize or treat to those students who reach a set number of stars in a day or week.
In a classroom of very young children, safety is a key aspect of proper management. Collect allergy lists and medical conditions from parents prior to the start of class to help determine what snacks or other foods are a no-no. Additionally, you and any other adult supervisor in the classroom should be trained in CPR and have an emergency plan in place.
Preschool children should never be left alone. Be present both in the classroom and during recess or playtime. Before students arrive the first day, check all areas of the classroom for safety hazards such as sharp corners, poor electrical outlets or cords, or sharp objects.
Especially in larger classrooms, keeping tabs on small children can be difficult. Ideally, you should have two to three co-teachers or assistants to help out. This way, students can participate in activities in smaller groups supervised by one adult. Students will not only behave better with direct supervision, but receive more one-on-one learning instruction.