Should We Wipe Bums and Noses?

Question : "Should preschool teachers be wiping bums and noses of their charges?"

Last month, in the midst of our class lesson, a lecturer suggested that preschool teachers should not be wiping bums and noses of their class children, as this part of her duties detracts her from being a more effective early childhood teacher. And it deters preschool teachers from continuing to be in this profession because this is an "unglamorous" part of the job..screwing up her nose as she spoke.

With my jaw on the ground, I said to her,
"In one quick sentence, you have managed to make all of us early childhood teachers resent what we have been doing all these years because you think cleaning bums is beneath us."

Various views were shared and argued, but in yesterday's Forum page, a mother has this to say and it couldn't come at a more opportune time, for us to reflect on:

What makes a great pre-school teacher

I WELCOME the increasing calls to 'professionalise' pre-school teaching by providing better pay and training for teachers.

But I am concerned about the attitude that pre-school teachers should not 'waste' their time on tasks like wiping bottoms and feeding children.

The argument is that these tasks lower the prestige of pre-school teachers and distract them from their more important role of teaching. As a parent of two pre-schoolers, I believe that such an attitude reveals a misunderstanding over the way young children learn.

Educating pre-schoolers cannot be equated to imparting lessons to older children. Pre-school children do not differentiate between an 'educator' and a
'caregiver'. They learn best from adults who are prepared to relate to them in a caring and personal way.

Those who aspire to be pre-school teachers must be prepared to meet the children's developmental needs, whether that involves singing the alphabet song or wiping runny noses.

Pre-school teaching is not just about disseminating information, but also about developing the whole person.

The teacher should not have an attitude that certain tasks are beneath her because of superior education or pay.

With the right attitude, pre-school teachers have a wonderful opportunity to impart life lessons beyond mere book learning. That would make the difference between a well-trained pre-school teacher and a great one.

Boey Shee Lye (Ms)