Any early childhood teachers out there?

[Emma09]

I'm thinking of studying a bachelor of education- early childhood.
I am curious about my career potential with this course.
What positions have you held since this qualification?
If i choose this course, I'm hoping to study online, part time- should be finished in about 8 years LOL...

[Emma09]

Bump....


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[My Three Sons]

I am probably not much help... but i did a bachelor of early childhood studies (10 years ago) which i believe is a similar degree.
I am not working in that anymore since having my kids, but before then i worked in a childcare centre. I was quickly promoted to 2IC which was great. Toddlers were always my fav, so i never did kindergarten.
After having my first son, i worked for our local Family Day Care service, running playgroups for all the carers and kids they cared for. It was a great job!
Then i had DS2 so i, worked as a family day carer myself from home, with my 2 boys.

Our initial course was supposed to qualify us to do early primary/kindergarten, but they left out a lot of the primary stuff, and i chose not to do the extra year of study (4 years was enough!) to get that qualification.

Now i have gone on to study midwifery... so a change of scene for me.

[Emma09]

Thanks for your help.
One of the issues I have, is if I do the course and end up working in a childcare centre- what my earning potential would be....


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[HotI]

You would be awesome at it! but i don't think the earning potential is very high in that area.

[Emma09]

You would be awesome at it! but i don't think the earning potential is very high in that area.

Thanks :-)
I don't need to make millions- but I'm swaying between a few things.... And $$ could help me make my final choice.
Is there a website or something that can help me figure out salaries for these jobs?


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[MrsFabuloso]

I am. I have been an ECT in a LDC and Pre School, on the floor teaching the kids. I have been a director of a LDC and a multipurpose centre. I have also had the opportunity to be a FDC coordinator, as well as an OOSH coordinator (both while I've been a SAHM and haven't wanted work).
There are alot of positions you can get. They don't necessarily have to be as an on the floor teacher, though they can be a little difficult to get into sometimes.

[meow]

The salary is pretty poor but there are niggles to get ECTs paid the same as school teachers so surely in 8 years time...

Teaching you can pretty much work in a child care centre or kindergarten. If your degree covers 0-8 year olds you can also teach the first few years of primary school. Non-teaching there are jobs in early childhood management such as long day care directors or accreditation supervisors.

The industry is changing a lot with so many working families and sessional kindergartens may phase out in favour of long day care. Which I find utterly depressing but if you're happy to work in long day care then that's okay. Some teachers in long day (I've noticed in Melbourne) are able to negotiate the same work conditions as kindergarten teachers, so they have less contact teaching hours and school holidays off.

[Emma09]

Thanks so much ladies!
Through helpful google- I have found a bachelor of education (early childhood learning and primary school) - you can teach 0-12 years old. Perfect for me! But the link is broken

Thanks again!

[MrsFabuloso]

Teaching you can pretty much work in a child care centre or kindergarten. If your degree covers 0-8 year olds you can also teach the first few years of primary school. Non-teaching there are jobs in early childhood management such as long day care directors or accreditation supervisors.

That depends on the degree she is studying. My degree is only for teaching 0-5's.

You can also do an adult teaching course as extra and be a tafe/college teacher.

[Emma09]

:-( can't do the 0-12 years degree externally :-(
So disappointing!

I would LOVE to be a kindergarten teacher- but I fear there may not be many positions available for reasons some PP's have mentioned.
If that is the case, and I end up working in a childcare centre, not my first preference due to long hours and poor pay, then I may as well have just done a Diploma in children's services IYKWIM?

[meow]

You do get more pay and better conditions as a teacher compared to a diploma in long day care. Teachers are on a different award so you're entitled to more planning hours which is good... and like I said you can often negotiate extra holidays.

[KimmyF]

Emma09 as of next year (I think) all LDC centres in Vic have to employ someone with a Bachelor qualification for a minimum of 20 hours a week, now I know in regional Vic there will not be enough people with the qual to go around. Also from 2013 (if it all stays the same) all Vic kindergartens will have to offer 15hours of funded kindergarten a week for 4 year old kinder, this means that where one kinder teacher has taught two groups of children for kinder they wont be able to anymore as there will be too many preparation hours and contact hours for their working week. So my point is there will be heaps of work in the next few years for kinder teachers, and a lot of it may be part time. The 15 hours is necesarily definate at this stage but having a bachelor qualified person in all LDC centres is. Good luck

Edit - just wanted to clarify that all of the above only applies in Victoria

[MrsFabuloso]

:-( can't do the 0-12 years degree externally :-(
So disappointing!

I would LOVE to be a kindergarten teacher- but I fear there may not be many positions available for reasons some PP's have mentioned.
If that is the case, and I end up working in a childcare centre, not my first preference due to long hours and poor pay, then I may as well have just done a Diploma in children's services IYKWIM?

You can, but you have to do the 0-5yrs one first. I did and will be trying to get into the primary teaching one for next yr.

[Amaunet]

There are 0-8 quals around. B.Teach is offered by distance at UNE in NSW. If you are employed in a school (in NSW) you may find that while you are initially employed to teach infants (kinder to year 2) you are actually "allowed" to teach in the Primary classes. The earning potential in schools is much higher than in preschool/daycare setting and I honestly can't see it changing, as how will the centers afford it?

[zap]

What about a kinder assistant? From my understanding all you need for that is a cert III?? And the pay diff is not that bad. My SIL is a kinder ass and says there is a huge demand out there at the moment!

[Floweryfields]

Earning potential in childcare is (for first year out) around $22/hr. You also would only receive the 4 weeks annual leave per year and not those that teachers get. Also no paid maternity leave, etc. and conditions aren't as great as possibly in the school setting.

Each year you might go up a $ or so an hour but it ends up getting capped at probably close to the $30 mark - so definitely not the potential you have if you work in a school.

[Emma09]

Thanks ladies- you have certainly given me plenty to think about.
I have previously worked in a primary school as a teachers aide- so I guess I could really weigh up the pro's and con's using those experiences.
I have also thought of furthering those qualifications to kind of dip my toe in the water so to speak.