A Pre-K Teacher on the Importance of Music and Movement
This Pre-K Teacher Always Prioritizes Music and Movement
Ahead of the 2024 school year, PS's The Educators is spotlighting 24 public school teachers around the country who are making a difference.
Autumn Cardona is a pre-K teacher at Charles F. Seabrook School in Seabrook, NJ. She's always wanted to be a teacher. With six years of experience in elementary education, she's also deeply invested in her students' growth. Keep reading to get to know her.
What inspired you to be a teacher?
I always knew I wanted to work with kids and I loved school, so teaching just made sense. I also loved my second grade teacher and how fun she was. She was the kind of teacher I aspired to be.
What's the most rewarding part of your job?
I love seeing the growth of my students from the beginning of the school year to the end of the school year.
Who was your favorite teacher and why?
My second grade teacher by far! She made learning fun. She did a thing called "Lunch Bunches" where we got to have lunch with the teacher. I remember thinking this was the coolest. When I taught first grade for four years, students could earn "Lunch With the Teacher" as a reward, and the kids loved it.
What's your go-to teaching uniform?
Comfy/cute/casual/professional! I love good flowy pants with a matching top.
What do you always make time for because it makes you feel good?
In preschool, music and movement is a necessary but fun part of the day. There is a designated time for this where I introduce songs based on the weekly theme. However, I try to incorporate music and movement throughout the entirety of the day, particularly during transitions. Not only do I love to get up and moving, but the kids love it, too.
How do you practice self-care?
It has taken me a bit to do this, but I leave work stuff at work. When I get home, I focus on myself and my family.
Anything else at all you want to share?
Our school district is pre-K to eighth grade, three school buildings right next to each other. I love that I get to see former students randomly at dismissal or at school events. Seeing how much they have grown over the years and that they go out of their way to say hi makes me so happy.
Yerin Kim is the features editor at PS, where she helps shape the vision for special features and packages across the network. A graduate of Syracuse University's Newhouse School, she has over five years of experience in the pop culture and women's lifestyle spaces. She's passionate about spreading cultural sensitivity through the lenses of lifestyle, entertainment, and style.
