Early Childhood Education Career Paths

What Does A Preschool Teacher Do

Every day is different when youre a preschool teacher, because the needs of your particular students may vary. In the morning, when children arrive, you not only greet them and the parents, but receive instructions from the moms and dads regarding their childrens care and scheduling. You might start the school day with a special ritual such as sitting in a circle and singing to get the kids acclimated. During the school day, youll oversee kids on the playground in good weather or inside playing when its inclement supervise snack and nap time work with children in music, crafts, and art projects read to them and introduce them to the alphabet and the basics of arithmetic, reading, and writing. Preschool teachers also work with children on development of their motor and social skills. Although preschool children are supposedly toilet-trained, expect a few accidents now and then. Preschool teachers answer lots of questions, play lots of games or show kids how to play, and teach them about nature, colors, and other wonders of the world. In the afternoon or evening, youll wait while the parents pick their children up, answer any questions they have or give them necessary information. Its a lot packed into each day, but if you love children, there is nothing more rewarding.

Childcare Workers: Professional Prospects

As the industry experiences great growth, those who choose to join it stand to enjoy many benefits. From a huge number of employment opportunities to an increasing earning potential, this is the perfect time to begin your childhood education career.

In Australia, childcare workers earn an average of $800 a week. Given the high demand and number of centres wanting to secure the very best professionals, highly qualified and experienced workers can expect to enjoy even higher earnings. The growth of this job is expected is likely to reach 144,000 by 2025. Job seekers will find greater opportunities and openings in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, while opportunities will also be found in Western Australia and South Australia.

Ready To Start Your Journey

Students should consider which child development careers most interest them before enrolling in a program. While a preschool teacher, for instance, may only need an associate or bachelor’s degree, a child psychologist must possess a doctorate and license to practice in clinical settings. The following table takes a look at median annual salaries for a few child development positions that require an associate or bachelor’s degree.

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What Are Some Necessary Qualities And Skills For Someone Pursuing A Career In Child Development

There is no way you can do this work without a strong work ethic, thick skin, and flexibility. We work with children. Believe it or not, they do not always respond the way we want them to. The ability to stay flexible is key.

Often our work is viewed as easy, simplistic, and requiring no real skill. I mean … we are working with children, and most adults have children. It can’t be that hard, right? It is so important to have a thick skin to block out those who would discount the value of our work, so we can always stay focused on what is most important: the children.

This job is not for the faint of heart. Children do not understand the concept of business hours. There will be long days and even longer nights. Be prepared.

School Counselor Or Psychologist

Average Salary: $56,310 per yearEducational Requirements: Masters degree in school counseling or related fieldWhere you work: Private, public, charter, and religious-based schools, healthcare and social assistance organizations, other educational services

What does a School Counselor Do?

If youre wondering, what can you do with an early childhood education degree besides teach?, dont worry, there are many job opportunities for you to work with children outside of the classroom. For example, school counselors help students with academic and social skills needed to succeed academically. These are skills not normally taught in a classroom environment, like how to study or manage time effectively. School counselors will meet with students individually or in small groups and identify where they could use some help. They try to identify issues that impede on the academic success of individual students and help remedy those issues. Usually, counselors will collaborate with students, teachers, and parents to solve these problems. Counselors are also tasked with teaching students and staff about sensitive issues like drug abuse and bullying.

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Child Development Career Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of preschool teachers will grow by 2% between 2019-2029, adding 13,500 new jobs in the field. Positions for preschool and childcare center directors are projected to grow 1% during that time frame. Available careers for a child development major vary depending on an individual’s experience and level of education.

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Providing Care For Children During Their Most Vital Time Of Development In The First Five Years Of Life Is An Admirable Career Path But The Path May Have More Opportunities Than You Realise

From spending your days working with children as young as newborns, to supporting literacy, numeracy and school readiness in children who are about to enter primary school, the variety of options in the early childhood sector make it appealing for those who like to have access to a range of career pathways to explore down the track or progress their career at their own pace.

To really appreciate the potential of an early childhood education career, its important to have a firm understanding of what roles are available and the qualifications you might need to get there.

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What To Expect From A Career In Early Childhood Education

A career in early childhood education will be rewarding and fruitful. The industry has experienced amazing growth over the past decade and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. Hourly pay for an Early Childhood Educator ranges between $21.22 and $30.92. However, the average hourly pay for this sector is $25.53.

Theres also great opportunity for professional growth you can start as a Teachers Aide and work your way up to managing or directing a centre, landing a corporate role at a large institution with numerous campuses, or even gather enough industry and business knowledge to open up your own childcare centre.

Not Just Entry Level: What To Do Next

Teachers with advanced degrees and work experience in early childhood education might want to advance their careers in the following ways:

• Manage or own a daycare center
• Direct a group of daycare centers or preschools
• Work as public or private researchers
• Teach the next generation of early childhood educators

For more information on early childhood education studies, read our article on early childhood degrees.

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Want To Become A Teachers Aide

What sort of early childhood education career would you like? Whether youre looking to have direct contact with students and be an integral part of their development, or youd prefer to take on a more corporate or management role directing one or a range of centres, perhaps the education and childcare sector offers a huge variety of positions, and one of them is bound to suit you.

There are plenty of casual and part-time positions for job seekers, making this a great industry for those who live a flexible lifestyle. Some full-time opportunities also exist for those devoted to their career in education. On average, workers in the early education industry work 20 to 38 hours each week, making it a great career if youre looking for a good work/life balance.

In this industry, your employment opportunities include:

• Childrens Service Area Manager, Director, or Centre Manager
• Early Childhood Educator

Early Childhood Education School Accreditation

Accreditation is a process by which organizations certify the competency of schools to teach in a given field. The accreditation process ensures that schools are competent to teach, test and certify their students.

There are many advantages for choosing an accredited early childhood education program:

• Assurance of a quality education
• National or regional accreditation assures students that an institution of higher education adheres to high quality standards based on the latest research and professional practices.
• Qualify for financial aid opportunities
• Accreditation by a national or regional accrediting body also allows students to participate in federally funded and state financial aid programs. In order to receive federal funds, an institution must be accredited by a national or regional accrediting body recognized by The U.S. Department of Education . All Education Schools only lists schools accredited by a recognized accrediting body.
• Earn a more marketable degree
• Attending an accredited teacher-education school can also make you more competitive in the job market some employers will accept degrees only from a regionally accredited institution when considering promotions or salary.

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Early Childhood Education Jobs In Bolton On

relevancedate

• Morning shift +3

  Hiring multiple candidates

• This method gives our earlychildhood educators insight into how kids learn, which we use to build a dynamic in-class environment to meet the specific needs of

Kindergarten And Elementary School Teacher

Average Salary: $57,980 per yearEducational Requirements: Bachelors degree in early childhood educationWhere you work: Public and Private Elementary schools, Child Day Care Services, charter schools, religious-based schools

What Does a Kindergarten Teacher Do?

Many daily responsibilities of kindergarten and elementary school teachers mirror those of a preschool teacher. They put together lesson plans, daily schedules for class, and track the progress of their students. The emotional and social lessons continue to play a large role in this position. By this stage of education, some of these responsibilities become more complex as the students build upon the foundational knowledge they learned in preschool.

There are a few major differences between the two occupations. Preschool tends to take place in one classroom where the students learn, play, rest, and eat. They may move to a lunchroom or an outdoor play area, but kindergarten and elementary school students move around much more in during the day. These students frequently move to different classes for different lessons, head to the lunchroom to eat, go outside for recess, and participate in field trips. A high level of supervision is required of teachers at this stage of schooling. Also, teachers entering this occupation can expect to work at a private or public school. A very small percentage are employed by daycare services.

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The Path To Higher Wages

The normal career path in early childhood education will generally follow an upward path of promotions. If you enter the industry on the ground level, you might start as an assistant teacher and improve your salary after you become a teacher, and then a lead teacher. Eventually, with more education and experience, you can advance to the role of director of a school or center. With greater responsibilities come greater financial rewards.

While finding an early childhood education job in a different city or state can offer you higher pay, you may not want to relocate. The now concluded Pre-K Now project suggests that teachers can also improve their wages with additional education or specialized training. Teachers sometimes begin their careers in a preschool with an associates degree in early childhood education. Those who hold bachelors degrees generally qualify to teach kindergarten through third grade. Teaching a higher-grade level typically results in a higher salary. Getting a masters degree or adding another endorsement onto your resume will also help, and may also open up more job opportunities.

How To Start Your Career In Child Development

A variety of careers are available for child development majors. For example, graduates can work as a preschool or elementary teacher at a public or private school. They may instead choose to work in the nonprofit sector, serving as the director of a childcare center or the head of an organization that runs an after-school enrichment program. Some child development graduates also find employment at local and state government agencies, coordinating the delivery of public services like Medicaid, food stamps, and housing assistance.

Your professional opportunities will largely be shaped by the type of degree you earn. For instance, you typically need to earn a master’s to qualify for clinical positions in family counseling or school psychology. The child development career tables below indicate which jobs you can pursue with an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in child development.

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Preschool Teacher Or Director At Private Public Or Charter School

Being successful as a preschool teacher is predicated on building a safe, secure, nurturing environment for young children to be creative and learn through play. Young children learn primarily through hands-on activities and play, so a day teaching in a preschool setting could involve games, music, art, books, and more. It will also involve helping children learn social and emotional skills, including how to get along with others so they can thrive through kindergarten and beyond.

Childcare And Early Education: Industry Insights

As family dynamics and expectations change, and the number of double-income households increases, we can see incredible growth in the childcare industry. To cater to the growing number of children needing daily care, centres are hiring now more than ever before.

Employment in the early childhood education sectors is projected to increase until 2025. Key occupational groups such as those in childcare will see an increase by 30% between 2021 and 2025, while education aids are projected to increase by 23%, early childhood teachers by 7% and childcare centre managers by 4%.

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Career Pathways Via Certificate Iii In Early Childhood Education And Care

The CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care can lead to many fun, meaningful and engaging career pathways. Some of the roles you might find yourself working in with this qualification include:

• Early childhood educator

An early childhood educator is the broad term for a person who works in an early childhood setting. They often work with children right through from birth to school age. Taking a play-based learning approach, early childhood educators nurture children as they explore and learn in the world, following the National Quality Framework and recording childrens development.

• Family day care educator

Family day care is a type of care provided from the educators home. This is a great opportunity to work from home, giving you the flexibility to choose your own hours. As a family day care educator, you will be responsible for providing a care environment that meets the required standards. Family day care educators who are parents can include their own children in their care, and the demand for family day care services is increasing, making this a highly desirable career option.

• Nanny/in-home carer

• Kindergarten assistant

What Does An Early Childhood Educator Do

Early Childhood Educators work with children from 3 to 5 years of age. Their role is very important in the healthy development of children theyre responsible for maintaining a safe learning environment.

Daily duties of an Early Childhood Educator include:

• Planning and implementing age-appropriate activities and lessons
• Developing schedules and enforcing routines, which are extremely important to encourage the development and discipline of children
• Maintaining a safe and comfortable environment for children to reach their full learning potential
• Providing age-appropriate discipline and supervision in order to encourage and develop childrens confidence and independence
• Observing children and communicating their development and challenges to parents
• Understanding and addressing special needs.

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What Are The Different Paths That Early Educators Can Take

There are paths for those who are highly extroverted and an approach for those who are highly introverted.

Common Skills On Teacher Resumes

• Classroom Management
• Curriculum Development
• Weekly Lesson Plans

• Reduced student discipline rate by 7 percent, implementing effective classroom management policies
• Raised percentage of students reading at grade level by 25 percent with adaptive weekly lesson plans and home reading program
• Developed and chaired the school’s curriculum development board

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Counseling And Family Services

Many child development students hope to work as family counselors or social service providers. They may study topics such as the sociology of alcohol and drug use, psychological perspectives on death and dying, and theories of personality. They typically complete an internship or practicum, as well.

Example Work Places For Ec Educators

Early education educators have the option of working in many various environments, from the home of a family to a government-funded education center. People who work for a family will most likely work in their home. Individuals might be hired as a care worker however, it is also possible to be hired as an at-home school teacher for the family.

Public schools are funded by the government and taxpayers. Major decisions that affect the school district are often determined by an elected body called the school board. Often times, a public school is the only educational option easily available to teachers for employment.

A private school is not funded by the government, but rather these schools are financed through tuition paid for by the parents of students and donations. In most cases, private schools have a more advanced and demanding curriculum than public schools. The classrooms typically have a smaller teacher to student ratio and the teachers may be paid more than in a public school. It is also important to note that they may have higher expectations for student performance.

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