Experience a Day in the Life of a Teacher at Concordia Shanghai: Early Childhood Education

6:00–7:25 a.m.

The day begins quietly. Gentle moments of reflection and prayer prepare me to be present for the children. As I ready myself for school, I hold in my heart the curiosity and wonder I know will unfold when we gather together.

7:30 a.m.

The classroom is waiting—an array of possibilities. I prepare the environment with intention: materials are set out as invitations, provocations  to spark discovery, family photos placed to remind children of their deep connections.

7:45–8:00 a.m.

I welcome my entrusted gifts from God, each child, at the door. With a smile, a greeting, and sometimes a hug, we mark the beginning of our day together. These small rituals affirm that every child is seen, valued, and ready to contribute to the life of our community.

8:00–8:30 a.m.

Our Responsive Classroom time builds belonging. Through greeting games, sharing our schedule, and assigning classroom jobs, we prepare our minds and hearts for the day. The children’s voices guide this time, ensuring that their choices, interests, and ideas shape our classroom culture.

8:30–9:00 a.m.

Learning explorations begin. English and social studies weave together seamlessly, as children investigate questions of identity, culture, and community. Dialogue, stories, and materials invite them to make meaning in ways that feel authentic to their world.

9:00–9:45 a.m.

Snack time and recess call. Outdoors, the children engage in rich social-emotional explorations, collaborating, negotiating, and inventing games that stretch both body and mind. The playground becomes a laboratory of friendships and problem-solving.

9:45–10:30 a.m.

Specials enrich our week. Art, Music, Movement, and Counseling offer new languages for expression. Whether with paint, rhythm, or dance, children communicate their inner worlds, each experience layering their understanding of self and community.

10:30–11:00 a.m.

Mandarin class immerses us in a new way of thinking and expressing. Songs, stories, and symbols expand children’s perspectives, reminding us that language is both a tool and a bridge to others.

11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Learning explorations continus, sometimes in ELA, Math, Science, or Social Studies, and often in an integrated flow of all four. An essential question that may lead to measuring, storytelling, and sketching, as children find the answer across disciplines.

12:00–1:00 p.m.

Lunch nourishes more than bodies. Getting our own lunches, waiting turns, and conversing at the table all nurture responsibility and empathy. Afterwards, outdoor play invites running, climbing, and laughter, joyful movements that strengthen both muscles and relationships.

1:00–2:15 p.m.

Back inside, we slow down. Calming music, quiet reflection, and focused projects allow children to revisit and extend their learning from earlier in the day. This time deepens their thinking, offering space for documentation and dialogue.

2:15–3:00 p.m.

Choice Time is filled with possibility. Some children construct elaborate block cities, others role-play families in the home corner, while others gather at the art table or use iPads to research their questions. Each choice reflects autonomy, agency, and joy in learning.

3:00–3:15 p.m.

We end the day as we began, together. Children prepare to go home, belongings gathered, and hearts centered in one last story. As the book closes, so too does our day, filled with questions, laughter, and the shared work of growing together.

3:45 or 5:00 p.m.

When this teacher finds her way home, her work is not yet done. She helped little learners all day long, and now it’s time to do her own learning as she finishes up her doctoral studies. Her learning, like her teaching, is never truly finished.

7:00–9:00 p.m.

Dinner and family time nourish the heart. Stories from the day are shared, laughter fills the room, and the table becomes its own place of connection, just as the classroom does during the day.

9:00 p.m.

Time to lay my head down to rest and fulfill my soul. With gratitude for the children, families, and colleagues who filled the day with meaning, I give thanks and allow my body and spirit to restore for the new day ahead.