“Working with children is so fulfilling”: Young educator ahead of an exciting year

2023-09-10 22:04:00

Not only does the school year begin today for the students, for many of them the very first, but elementary school teacher Nina Prayersberger from Vöcklamarkt is also starting a new phase of her life: The 25-year-old mother of a small daughter is taking over her first class at the elementary school in her home community is really looking forward to it.

Salzkammergut News: What are your expectations for your first school year as a teacher?

Nina Prayersberger: I’m in a very positive mood and I’m really looking forward to it. I have a nice fourth grade class with 17 children. This is a relatively small class. I feel pretty confident because I’ve been a fourth grade teacher for a year. I was able to learn a lot from that for myself. In the last two weeks of vacation I also did the summer school for children who find it a little more difficult.

Teaching children in fourth grade is certainly special.

In the class I will be teaching, the children are nine and ten years old. It’s extremely exciting, especially because there’s a lot to do in fourth grade: the bicycle test, then we’re going to Linz Days, there are a few workshops, native English speakers are coming for a week – it’s a lot of program and it’s demanding is, but also very exciting. And I think a lot happens with children between the ages of nine and ten, which is interesting.

Do you feel challenged by having to see which of the children is particularly gifted or who needs to be adjusted a bit before they go to high school or middle school?

Yes definitely. I think this will also be challenging for me because it will be my first time doing it all alone. Parents question what is more suitable for their child. Some people really want to send their child to high school, which may not always be a good idea for the child. I am of the opinion that the first ability group, if you call it that in middle school, actually already corresponds to the high school level. And if a child doesn’t do it so easily, it’s just as great and all paths are still open to them after middle school.

What do you think your biggest challenge will be when teaching children of this age?

In the fourth grades, school work begins that does not exist in previous grades. Just putting together school work becomes challenging, something I’ve never done before. Then the implementation and the evaluation. I think this will be “tricky” for me, but luckily I have nice colleagues who help me and who I can come to at any time. This will definitely be exciting and I will learn a lot more.

What you can tell is that they are really looking forward to it.

Totally. Working with children is so fulfilling.