How a Teacher Is a Role Model to Preschoolers

Eating

• Preschoolers learn food preferences and eating habits that will last a lifetime. A teacher shapes a preschooler's eating behavior in a number of ways, including talking with children at mealtime and eating with them, encouraging children to try new foods provided to them by their parents and praising good habits. According to an article published on the National Association for the Education of Young Children website, preschool teachers can allay their student's food fears, help them exercise self-control and manage pressure to eat.

Emotional Role Model

• Children of this age are learning independence, demonstrating an increased awareness of themselves, comparing themselves to others and gaining an understanding of what causes their feelings, according to an article on the PBS Parents website. Preschoolers build their emotional maturity in these areas partly by imitating their teacher's social behaviors, such as how she tolerates frustration or manages conflict. Preschool teachers act as role models to their students by offering positive coping strategies, modeling what to say when angry and encouraging children to identify and talk about their feelings.

Social Role Model

• Playing with students is one way a preschool teacher models appropriate social behaviors. If a child is jealous about something, for example, the teacher can role-play appropriate responses to the situation. Because children of this age group are learning to include others in their play, teachers who both praise and model cooperation are influential role models. Reading stories about how children handle common social problems, such as fear or anxiety, can give children the tools they need to negotiate these emotions.

Building Self-Esteem

• A teacher who is happy and positive when facing everyday problems and stress is likely to have preschoolers who imitate these behaviors. One sign of low self-esteem, according to an article on the Kids Health website, is not wanting to try new things. Preschool teachers who notice this behavior can show children, by their own participation in new activities, that it is normal to try new things, fail and still have fun.