In this article, we'll explore what a child care worker does, what kinds of environments they work in and the types of skills you'll need to be successful as a child care worker. Child care workers are responsible for the care and education of young children and infants. Additionally, child care workers may also work with school-age children in before- and after-school care programs.
These professionals typically hold a degree or certification in childhood education, and they rely on a range of skills to perform their jobs. Depending on the work environment, child care workers may be responsible for tasks like:. Child care workers may also work in a variety of different settings, including schools, churches, community centers, daycare facilities and even as private in-home nannies and caregivers. No matter where you decide to work when you become a child care worker, it's important to develop a strong mix of both hard and soft skills along with skill sets unique to the position, like curriculum guidelines and child care policies.
As a child care worker, you can expect to apply several skill sets to be successful in the role. Here are several important skills that child care workers commonly have:.
A combination of strong written, verbal and nonverbal communication skills is essential in your career as a child care worker. For instance, planning and recording lessons, activities and other documents relies heavily on your ability to communicate effectively in writing. Verbal communication is necessary for interacting with children, staff members and parents, and your body language and other forms of nonverbal communication can be highly beneficial for being able to relate to and build relationships with others at work.
Depending on their work environment, child care workers may also take on the responsibility of planning out and delivering lessons to the children they work with. For instance, a private in-home nanny for preschool-aged children may plan out educational activities and instruct them in different subjects like reading and writing.
Therefore it's important to develop these skills as an early childhood educator, especially if you plan to work in a preschool setting or other academic role.
Child care workers can be extremely creative individuals, especially when engaging with children. Planning fun activities, organizing events for children and keeping the children they work with motivated and engaged is a major aspect of the job, so finding ways to develop your creative thinking and apply it to the role can help you succeed.
Your ability to make sound choices and analyze different aspects of decisions is another important skill to build as a child care worker. There are many choices these professionals make on a daily basis, including what curriculum to teach, how to plan for learning differences, what to choose for different activities and many more types of decisions that drive the way they approach their responsibilities.
Additionally, the ability to make good choices and quick decisions in moments of emergency such as when a child hurts themselves is something child care workers need to be capable of. Overcoming challenges can be a big part of taking a job as a child care worker, so strong problem-solving skills are necessary to be effective in this role.
For instance, challenges in the learning environment like lack of supplies, children coming in sick or upset or having to change instructional approaches are all examples of some of the issues that child care workers may solve in their jobs. Analyzing decisions, weighing curriculum choices and monitoring children's learning progress are all examples of how child care workers may apply their analytical skills in the workplace.
Your ability to consider details and evaluate information is crucial to your success and your students' achievements. For instance, if you work with preschoolers, you may be required to instruct small groups or classes according to specific curriculum standards. This may require documenting data to track student progress. The children under your care trust you to be fair and kind, even when their behaviour may be prickly.
You can deal with challenging behaviours and attitudes, including aggression, cultural prejudice and challenges to your authority. You are open-minded. Working in a daycare involves meeting people with different cultural practices and social values than your own.
You can appreciate these differences and interact with children and parents regardless of their backgrounds. You are fair and just, even if you feel less affinity for some people than others.
You have a sense of humour. You are dynamic. You know that children rarely stay still for long, and so you're ready and willing to move and run with them. You can also react quickly and with strong leadership in an emergency.
You are self-confident. National advertising powered by Mediative. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All Rights Reserved. More Tips. Skip to Secondary Navigation. Skip to Footer. Early Childhood Education and Care Careers and training Qualities of great early childhood educators.
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Qualities of great early childhood educators. Be a good communicator. Be creative and energetic. Be passionate, authentic and love learning. Strong dedication and devotion to your work will lead to great learning outcomes for children. Be organised.
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