Next Fall's Preschool Class - Opinions?

I teach preschool at an in-home daycare. This coming fall I will have 7 children in my 2 1/2 yr old class on T/TH. I'm a little nervous... these little ones have definite listening and obedience issues (which I know they can do some growing up this summer before school starts again, but the sharing and pushing and other things related to the terrible twos don't go away that quickly do they?). I already feel discouraged, just knowing what's coming. Any suggestions I could be planning during the summer before the new school year begins? I almost feel like I should have an assistant, but then tell myself that I should be able to do it by myself, and I'm incapable of my job position if I feel like seven 2 1/2 yr old's are too many to do alone. I feel a lot of pressure from their parents because most of them think their child will be learning their abc's and 123's, and recognization of them. I personally feel that's not fair to expect from a child that age. I think they should be focusing on social skills, listening skills, fine and gross motor skills, sensory experieces, that type of thing.
What do you think about all this? I will also have another class for mature 3 yr olds through 5 yr olds on M/W/F. I have set my personal limit for this age at 6 or 7 children (8 MAXIMUM, if they're all really well behaved), knowing these children will all require extra one-on-one help.

[kpa0627]

7 - 2 1/2 year olds is a lot to handle. I'm sure that you can do it but if you feel like you need extra help to be able to do more circle time, projects, activities, etc. then I would look into hiring an assistant for the two days you have these children. You could just hire an assistant to come in from maybe 8:30-11:30 (when the bulk of the learning part of the day will be). That will ensure that you have a good early morning program to learn abc's, 123's, etc. That's only 6 hours a week to pay someone and I'm sure it would help a lot. Even if you payed them $10 an hour that's only $60 a week. I'm sure that could be handeled. Plus, if you ever HAD to leave for an appointment you could do it while the assistant was there.

[QualiTcare]

advertising as a "pre-school" for 2 year olds definitely puts on the pressure.

i would just suggest structure, structure, and more structure.

just keep in mind their attention spans aren't very long - so keep all activites structured, but short.

SONGS make learning soo much easier for little ones (which is why there's an ABC song, i guess) but i used songs for EVERYTHING with 2 year olds. clean up time - hand washing - transitions - we just sang up a storm.

i spent a lot of time in a Pre-K public school classroom that was taught by possibly the best Pre-K teacher ever IMO - and it was 3 and 4 year olds. she sang all the time and i saw how effective it was with the learning. you know how you can remember lyrics to a hundred songs, but can't remember a phone number?

she also had centers twice a day. one center might be play dough - another might be blocks - another a doll house, etc. she changed the centers DAILY. so, before the kids could have time to get distracted or start fighting, they were already moving on to a new activity. they were EXCITED to get there each morning to see what the centers would be. heck, i was excited to get there and see! lol. i think this would be very do-able for you with 7 children. you could have 3 centers - 2 children in 2 groups, and 3 in another.