Stars_And_Sunsets

Ever since I was about nine, I've wanted to be a child care worker.
Up until two years ago, though, I had never had any experience with young children since I'm an only child and don't have young cousins.
Two years ago, I did a week's work experience with the Kindergarten to Year 4 Students at the Primary School I attended, and I LOVED it.
But, I still wanted to be a child care worker.
Anyway, I've just started the Diploma of Children's Services course at my local TAFE. After completing this course, I'll be able to work in a child care centre, but not a primary school.
For the course, I have to have 22 hours of experience, and today was my first day at a child care centre. I was there for six hours and by the time I got home, I was exhausted.
I don't know what it was, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. It was so hard to constantly talk to the children in a cheerful tone and to not raise my voice when the children fought (which happened a LOT).
Now I'm not sure that I WANT to be a Child Care Worker...I'm now leaning towards a Primary School teacher, but I'm not sure.
Maybe my expectations were too high. Plus, it was only my first day and I still have three more to go.
I was just wondering what you guys would prefer? Being a Child Care Worker or a Primary School Teacher?
Also, any thoughts on my sort-of problem?

ALittaM

I would prefer being a teacher. Good teachers must have patience and a smile but they must know how to be strict and firm. Young boys and girls need discipline and care, and if you are a good teacher to them they will remember you for the rest of ther lives.
I am biased, though, because my mom is a junior high literature teacher and I was blessed with wonderful teachers since first grade.
I think that in the end you should do what you instinctively like more. It's true that you had a dream in mind, but maybe over the years it changed a little bit, and now your heart is telling you to become a teacher instead.

CrabbyCancer69

patience...if you don't have that, it's quite impossible to care for a room full of children everyday, all day long.

Quarterley

I worked at a daycare before. Soooo not for me.

LittleMilkJug

Looking after kids??? ARGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!




from a mother of 4

*Juli*

Ah, I am planning on getting a french degree, which I am currently doing, and then doing one more year to get a primary/elementary Education degree.

I ADORE kids. I'm the middle of 7 kids with the youngest 2 children being 11 and 12 years younger than I am. My mom calls me their mother because I helped raise them so much. I also have a nephew that I pretty much played mom to for the first year of his life (I actually spent more time with the baby than his mother did).

I think if kids get on your nerves easily, it's not for you. For me personally, I could do child care OR be a teacher and be completely happy. I am way more comfortable around small children than anyone else in the world and I like to be a positive influence on them through teaching them fun but also right from wrong.

I could be a homemaker and raise kids for the rest of my life and be happy. Kids can be brats but if you teach them early, they can be so much fun

The difference between a child care worker and a teacher, though, is that with being a teacher, there is a little more of a structure system when it comes to discipline in the school. Perhaps that would be better suited for you if the fighting gets on your nerves? I think the allowance of more discipline in being a school teacher sounds like it's a better option for you, especially since you found the no disciplining thing hard.

amusic20

More than likely, I'd be an teacher -- ever since 4th grade, I've thought about becoming a teacher. & now it's still one of my options.

Lorna

My mum is a primary school teacher who is working in the nursery that is joined to the school at the moment. She finds it very stressful!! The children are probably the "easiest" part of the job, it's all the other paperwork, organisation etc, that goes along with the job that is the killer. She works 12 hour days most days, and a couple of hours over the weekend -- not because she loves the job so much! believe me, there are other things she would rather be doing with her time!

If you want to have a career with children, I would recommend doing the teaching degree. Even if you don't work in a school, you will still have a formal qualification which will bump your salary up. The assistants that are in mum's nursery are very badly paid, because they don't have any qualifications!

Personally, I would never be a teacher! After seeing all the stress it has caused my mum over the past 8 years, there is NO way I would ever put myself through that. For me, the positives don't come anywhere close to outweighing the negatives! But that's just me -- my sister is training to be a teacher at the moment!

I hope you enjoy the rest of your placement! If you want me to ask my mum anything, let me know!

BeccaBeez

I can't remember what the name of the study was or who did it, but I remember reading a report on an experiment that dealt with this kind of thing. They found that people get more enjoyment out of an activity when they are doing it voluntarily as opposed to being paid to do the same thing. Something like as soon as it is your job, and you're getting paid, you loose some of that excitement for the job.

I'd say train to be a primary school teacher and then you have more options open. You can teach kindergarten OR teach primary. You can be a highly trained kindergarten teacher which will give you a chance to work in more specialised preschools.

But thats just my opinion. I may be wrong.

AdriaMichelle

If I were you - train to be a primary school teacher. Child care is a lot of work and it is more like babysitting than anything else. I have worked in a child care center and worked as assistant pre-school teacher. The assistant pre-school teaching job was such a rewarding experience and I will never forget that experience.

I discovered that the pre-school I worked at was a better experience - the people I worked w/ I learned a lot from them and they treated me such w/ such great respect. They were actual teachers, certified and all, as well as went to college to become teachers. I also enjoyed the children a lot better too, and I really did not have to worry about changing diapers. Whereas, at the child care center I did.

Plus my assistant pre-school teacher job - a lifelong dream working w/ children as a teacher was finally fulfilled, and I hope that I can get a chance to do it again.

Whatever the decision you make - I wish you all the best of luck.

-Kelly-

Follow your heart