What You Need To Know Before Choosing A Career As An Early Childhood Educator
Early childhood education is one of the most important and impactful careers you can pursue. Children want to learn anything and everything. They want to be able to do things themselves which is a big part of growing up. Early childhood educators get to watch these children grow and help them realize their potential along the way. The younger years are some of the most critical in a child’s life as this is when they begin learning and developing a personality.
The joy of helping children pick up skills and grow into confident, self-sufficient individuals is unparalleled. At the same time, it’s not an easy job! However, if you’re considering a career in this industry, Rainbow Academy Learning & Child Care Center is happy to help you learn more about this profession and the requirements to pursue it.
1. Certifications required
One major responsibility for early childhood teachers is providing a safe and fun learning environment for young children, which involves planning and arranging the learning environment(s) and providing careful supervision with an eye to safety. All this requires proper training and certification so that you can provide the best environment for young children. To be an early childhood professional in public schools, state certification is typically required. This certification is most commonly earned through a traditional bachelor’s degree program with a major in early childhood education (ECE). Only then can you become a registered early childhood educator. You will also require a first aid or CPR certificate so that you are able to perform basic first aid on any child that requires it. As with most teachers, you will also be required to do a Vulnerable Sector Check. The Vulnerable Sector Check provides the screening of individuals who intend on working or volunteering with vulnerable people such as young children. Lastly, you will need to provide a medical record so that it can be ensured that you are in a proper mental and physical state to work with young children.
2. Basic skills and talents
Educational qualifications give you the formal knowledge and skills you need to become an educator, teacher, and leader in early childhood education and care. But, along with qualifications, the personal qualities, and skills you have also make a big difference in helping children love and want to learn every day. You will need to have some knowledge of licensing regulations so that you can establish proper and ethical guidelines for behavior. You will be required to develop and implement childcare programs that support and promote the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development of children.
Because of their young age, you will also be required to guide and assist children in the development of proper eating, dressing, and toilet habits. Similarly, as they are so young and easily influenced, you will have to observe them for signs of potential learning or behavioral problems and prepare reports for parents. That way, any problems can and will be nipped in the bud through proper planning.
As a whole, you are going to have to plan and maintain an environment that protects the health, security, and well-being of children. You are also going to have to assess the abilities, interests, and needs of children and discuss progress or problems with parents and other staff members. For this to happen efficiently and effectively, you will have to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with co-workers and community service providers working with children so that you all can work together to form a healthy, educational and encouraging environment for young children to grow in.
3. Soft skills
The combination of emotional intelligence, personal attributes like patience and responsibility, and communication and social skills are examples of soft skills that can help you become a great early childhood educator. Along with sufficient education, passion, and experience, soft skills can help you get the job you want, flourish in your role, and even progress in your career. The ability to listen, be patient, show kindness, and empathy are vital in early childhood education because an element of the position of the educator is to portray role model behavior. Children learn from observing and often copying what they see around them. Effective interpersonal skills, flexibility, team player, excellent oral communication, written communication, interpersonal awareness, dependability, judgment, values and ethics, reliability, punctuality, etc., will all help you better shape the lives of children. Moreover, bringing together knowledge and hands-on skills with soft skills can help to nurture a society that is compassionate and caring.
The benefits and challenges of a career as an early childhood educator
In every career, there are the amazing days when you feel like you are doing exactly what you should be with your life, and then there are the challenging days that make you question everything. Being an Early Childhood Educator (ECE) is no different. The benefits and policies may vary from Childcare center to Childcare center, but many of them do offer medical and dental benefits, paid time off, life insurance, educational assistance, and other benefits.
You also get the added advantage of free weekends and a good work-life balance. Working in child care is more than a job, and you can find meaning through your work in a Childcare. Watching the children grow and develop into kind, respectable human beings is the biggest benefit you will receive. Those children will soon treat you like a family member because of the bond you have with them. And their parents will always be thankful for your support.
That said, there are a few drawbacks to working in this industry. As the hours for this job are made to accommodate working parents, many Childcare centers open at around 6:30 am and close by 6:30 pm. This means you may have to work some early morning or end-of-day shifts.
Additionally, it is your job as a teacher to push yourself so that your children get the most of your teaching. To go the extra mile, preparation time for your lessons may extend beyond the workday and require a lot of experience and continuous training as a teacher. Various care duties may depend on the age of the kids you’re working with.
If you’ll be caring for babies and young toddlers, diapering and feeding will be a big part of the job. For older toddlers and preschool-age kids, you may take on more of a teaching role while also handling serving meals and trips to the potty. All this can be taxing to someone who has not trained for it. But, if this is your calling and you want to help the new generation acquire great life skills, then there are ways to get past these problems by preparing.
From a financial perspective, you will receive a minimum of $19 an hour. This, coupled with the satisfaction of helping young children become good and educated people in the future, is worth all the extra effort you put in.
If you’re interested in a career as an early childhood educator, Rainbow Academy Learning & Child Care Center is happy to help you out. Early childhood educators usually have practice placement opportunities in childcare centers while they are taking the ECE program in college or university. These hands-on experiences help students become professionals before they start working in the field. We make sure to offer sufficient training to all new applicants who join our team to ensure they can mold and support the young minds of tomorrow. The commitment to ongoing professional development and participation in Raising the Bar are proof that Rainbow Academy Learning & Child Care Center is focused on continuous improvement and giving toddlers and children the best possible environment to learn and develop. Parents who place their children at Rainbow Academy can rest easy knowing that they are getting the very best early childhood education available in the area. New and challenging courses, hot and nutritious meals, and an indoor play area are other benefits of choosing us. Our programs include infant care, toddler play, preschool learning program, kindergarten club, before and after school program, and summer camp. To learn more about the services we offer, please click here. To get in touch with us, please click here.