Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am a stay @ home mom since 2009 after quitting my job in a consulting firm. Now i would like to return to workforce and start my career in childcare. Can anyone suggest which would be the best SHORT TERM term certification/course i can take? i am thinking about early childhood education certification. Anyone in this field? i would like to know how long it will take to complete certification , which would be the best place i can get certification from(community colleges), etc( i live in Northern Virginia).
Any input regarding this field would be appreciated.
You need to research your state's requirements in order to know what you need to do. Requirements vary by state, then each job may have different requirements on top of what the state requires.
Degrees and certifications are not necessarily interchangeable in the profession, so it's important to find out first what is required and not just go for what you think would be best. A degree certainly won't hurt, however if it's not the right degree then you have wasted time and money.
To work in a center you may need to just have a certain amount of training that can be acquired through classes offered specifically for child care (not always through a college) or you might need a degree in early childhood education. There is also a certification out there called a CDA, that might be acceptable to some centers and is similar to a 2 year degree, however it must be renewed. I think it is good for 3 years.
In an actual preschool, you most likely will be required to have a degree and even possibly a masters, depending on what kind of preschool program it offers.
On top of that type of training, in child care you will have to fulfill other requirements, again that vary by state. You may have to be certified in CPR, First Aid and Shaken Baby Syndrome. Those certifications might have to happen after offer of employment because the center may require a particular course be taken, or even offer it in house. You may have to have food handling safety and sanitation courses, how to recognize abuse and neglect or specific training for a specific age you plan to work with.
Most likely you will also have to have a background check, fingerprinting and some medical tests done as well.
So, it completely depends on what your state requires.
Program Leaders: Must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or GED. If hired or promoted after 11/1/93, must also have an endorsement or BA in a child- related field; or 48 semester hours from accredited college or university, at least 12 of which are in a subject relating to group care of children and 6 months of age-appropriate experience; or a 1 year early childhood certificate from an accredited college or university of at least 30 semester hours and 6 months of age-appropriate experience; or a CDA credential or equivalent; or one year age appropriate program experience in group care and participation in a staff training plan of at least 10 hours in first year of employment.
I am a stay @ home mom since 2009 after quitting my job in a consulting firm. Now i would like to return to workforce and start my career in childcare. Can anyone suggest which would be the best SHORT TERM term certification/course i can take? i am thinking about early childhood education certification. Anyone in this field? i would like to know how long it will take to complete certification , which would be the best place i can get certification from(community colleges), etc( i live in Northern Virginia).
Any input regarding this field would be appreciated.
The best way I know to help you is to encourage you to NOT enter the education field or childcare. Do something different. Seriously. You are opening yourself up to all kinds of nightmares when you attempt to care for or teach other people's kids. It's not worth the headache.
Thank You all for your inputs. I actually sent mail to advisor in community college in our area and waiting for reply. Milleka, can you please explain?? Being totally new to this field iam trying to get all the possible info before i commit .
Thank You all for your inputs. I actually sent mail to advisor in community college in our area and waiting for reply. Milleka, can you please explain?? Being totally new to this field iam trying to get all the possible info before i commit .
Everybody thinks they can do your job better than you. Parents are highly critical of everything you do. Administrators don't back you up. Students are disrespectful. And the general public is nonsupportive of education in general. Just lurk on this Ed forum for a while and you will get plenty of input from former and current educators. There are many of us, from all over the country, who are completely fed up and are bailing out of the business as fast as we can... and ALL of us got into it for all the right reasons. The educational system has changing tremendously over the last 10 years and it's only getting worse. I don't encourage anyone to go into teaching.
As if Milleka didn't give enough reasons not to go into the education field, also check out the pay rates in your area. Where I live, preschool and daycare teachers often only get paid minimum wage or slightly higher. If you need to pay for daycare for your own child, that's going to be a problem. Take it from someone who knows.
And I really hate to sound like such a Negative-Nelly, but it is really REALLY tough. I don't think people outside the childcare/education business understand the stress involved with that line of work. Like most other jobs, you can't just "punch out" at the end of the day. Many times you have to work long past your contract time or take work home- which interferes with your family time. The liabilities are what gets me the most though. The constant walking on eggshells because you know there is someone lurking around the corner ready to pounce on your smallest mistakes. Individual incidents don't seem like much, but they tend to pile up day after day after day. Honestly, I take meds to control my anxiety during the school year that I do not have to take in the summer.
Jaida, i am not thinking about payrates now, as i already have a long 2 years gap since my last job. One reason i opted for this is i am seeing a lot of daycare/preschool oppurtunities in my area, but it all need certification or related exp.
Milleka which grades you were teaching? Is it same all level?
Jaida, i am not thinking about payrates now, as i already have a long 2 years gap since my last job. One reason i opted for this is i am seeing a lot of daycare/preschool oppurtunities in my area, but it all need certification or related exp.
Milleka which grades you were teaching? Is it same all level?
I teach sophomore Biology in a public highschool. Kids are kids, and parents are parents though. I used to teach preschool and there are a lot of similarities.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
