While it is a typical start of the week for most, for the preschool Head Start students, Monday mornings mark the start of a new week to play, learn, and grow. As giggles, sticky fingers, and creativity fill the room, everyone seems happy to be in the Head Start classroom. This isn’t just a place of learning for these kids, it’s an escape.
Head Start is a Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) funded preschool program tailored to children that are in need of extra support, often coming from households facing challenges like abuse, addiction, incarceration, or known obstacles to learning. Woodgrove’s Early Childhood Education teacher Dr. Karen Curtis explained, “Head Start is a federally funded program that helps disadvantaged children or children that live in disadvantaged homes get prepared for kindergarten.” Head Start isn’t just about giving children a place to learn and play, but it’s about providing them with, quite literally, a head start. Sophomore Grace Cofield, Early Childhood Education student and Head Start student-teacher is passionate about the program. “Head start is an important program because it helps children who have little developmental skills,” Cofield said, “it is very important as us teachers support them and build a foundation for them, so later on in life they have the skills that they need.”
A vital part of Head Start is the partnership between the high school student-teachers and preschool students. Students enrolled in Early Childhood Education have the privilege of working directly with the children in the Head Start program. Being that so many Early Childhood Education students want to work with kids in the future, the partnership between the high school and preschool students is very beneficial for both groups, with high schoolers learning how to teach, and preschoolers acquiring the education needed to progress into kindergarten. Head Start student-teacher, sophomore Olivia Markert, stated, “When I grow up I want to be a teacher, and Head Start prepares me for the experiences that I need in order to be an effective teacher, and also is effectively helping the children grow.”
Another part of the unique relationship is the fact that Head Start students see the student-teachers as companions rather than authority figures. Head Start student-teacher, sophomore Sarah Brake, emphasized this, sharing, “The students respect me as a teacher and a friend, but they see me as a younger [person] so they connect to me, and they will open up to me since I’m not an adult and they feel more comfortable.” It is much easier to guide and correct behaviors non-confrontationally as friends rather than as teachers, which results in natural learning through conscious behaviors. This creates a warm and nurturing environment for all those involved.
Head Start is not just a vital program in Woodgrove, but it makes a difference in so many lives. “I love Head Start. I’m very glad I am in the program. It’s my favorite class that I go to because I get to connect with the preschoolers and get to know what my life’s going to be like [in the future],” Brake commented. Similarly, Markert added, “I don’t think that I could imagine high school without Head Start, it has given me a lot of fun experiences with friends and with the children.” Head Start not only sets up a path for future educators, but sets up a path for the future learners of Virginia.