If you have ever wondered what a preschool teacher actually does all day, you are not alone. The role is often underestimated, but it is one of the most involved teaching positions out there. This page walks you through the full scope of a preschool teacher’s job description, from the core duties you will see in every hiring ad to the dozens of behind-the-scenes responsibilities that keep a preschool running.

The preschool year is critical for children’s development, and preschools are rightly careful about who they recruit. While the specifics vary between centers and schools, the broad shape of the role is consistent. Here is what you can expect.

Core elements of a preschool teacher’s job description

Most job descriptions for preschool teachers will include the following ten responsibilities:

• Provide and maintain a safe, clean, and healthy learning environment for children
• Ensure a suitable environment for children’s development and implement appropriate, quality programs and activities to promote each child’s physical, social, cultural, emotional, and intellectual development
• Encourage supportive and productive relationships with families, staff, and the community
• Ensure a balance between small group, large group, and individual experiences
• Give leadership to updating and evaluating the preschool’s curriculum
• Maintain developmental records for each child and all other routine forms
• Develop and maintain a quality program for each child and their family
• Promote respect for the rights of the child
• Develop and implement appropriate behavior guidance policies that relate to children’s developmental levels
• Ensure children with special needs are referred to appropriate agencies and specialists (such as speech pathologists and consulting psychologists) and ensure compliance with advice provided by those agencies

These ten points form the backbone of the role, but they only tell part of the story. The day-to-day reality goes well beyond what fits neatly into a hiring ad.

Day-to-day responsibilities beyond the classroom

Over and above managing your class, a preschool teacher is typically responsible for all of the following:

• Undertaking continuing professional development to stay up to date with the latest thinking
• Ensuring fair treatment and respect for children of all races, religions, and cultures, and ensuring programming takes into account individual needs and preferences
• Facilitating effective communication between children and staff, staff and parents, and staff and administration
• Understanding the needs of the local community and integrating those needs into lesson plans
• Supporting and facilitating the involvement of parents in the preschool and in children’s learning
• Ensuring the program remains in line with your philosophy and the philosophy of the preschool
• Facilitating and attending meetings with parents
• Providing information to parents about the preschool, as well as individual children’s development and needs
• Referring parents to appropriate agencies for help where appropriate
• Remaining up to date with, and adhering to, all policies covering health and safety, licensing, and emergencies (including participating in drills and maintaining current first aid training)
• Maintaining confidentiality in line with regulatory and legal requirements
• Reporting any suspected cases of abuse and neglect in line with relevant legal requirements
• Planning and completing bulletin boards
• Preparing newsletters
• Maintaining attendance records and enrollment information
• Keeping track of children’s medical conditions and any medication requirements
• Actively monitoring children with allergies and being ready to take action
• Completing accident reports where necessary
• Attending and contributing to staff meetings
• Providing feedback to the preschool to improve policies, procedures, and programs

I always laughed when people told me they would love my job because they would get to sit around and play with kids all day. Next time, I might just send them to this page.