Struggling as Queensland ECT in Childcare Setting
Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2018 9:03 pm
Hello
I'm an early childhood teacher in a childcare centre, running the kindergarten group three days a week as I have a young son.
I completed a Bachelor of Education (Primary) but never got a job in a school as I decided that early childhood was where I wanted to work and so did the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care. I have been working in this rural centre and job for 2 years.
However... I'm considering applying for a job as a Prep teacher through Education Queensland, that should be opening up in the local school as I'm struggling with my role at the centre.
I would like to connect with and get advice on this move from other teachers who are ECTs in childcare centres or ones that have moved onto other jobs
I struggle with:
- An overall lack of consistency, lack of non-contact time to plan and reflect, even unpaid, having 8 hour days with 50 minutes total breaks for eating and pumping breast milk, is effecting how well I'm able to do my job. When I do get non-contact time it's sprung on me, when we have enough staff to cover, and with no consistency.
- The different makeup of kids every day, with some only coming for one day a week, making planning for learning very complicated.
- Different and/or low numbers also mean we have to combine with younger children in a different room, which effects how I can implement learning I've planned for. Also low number make me feel like I'm not helping enough kids in our community.
- This "family grouping" also has me feeling like a baby sitter and that I'm not doing my job as a Kindy teacher. I know babies learn just as much as the Kindy kids and that routines around changing nappies and feeding are great learning opportunities and that cleaning up after kids is just part of the job, but I feel that the time I have to put towards this would be better spent focusing on working with "my" Kindy kids, helping them learn in a play-based manner and preparing them for school.
- Not being seen as a "real" teacher, with parents not listening to my concerns about their children until the "big" school, where things seems to be magically achieved.
- The costs of long daycare, compared to other pre-prep/kindergarten services, meaning that many children in our low socioeconomic status community don't access any form of early childhood education.
I would like to move to Prep for more professional recognition, consistency and the ability to have a positive impact on more kids in my community. Am I idealising Prep teaching because of my current struggles in child care or may I find these things in Prep teaching???
Any advice or thoughts would be greatly appreciated
Kind Regards
An Advice-Seeking Teacher
I'm an early childhood teacher in a childcare centre, running the kindergarten group three days a week as I have a young son.
I completed a Bachelor of Education (Primary) but never got a job in a school as I decided that early childhood was where I wanted to work and so did the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care. I have been working in this rural centre and job for 2 years.
However... I'm considering applying for a job as a Prep teacher through Education Queensland, that should be opening up in the local school as I'm struggling with my role at the centre.
I would like to connect with and get advice on this move from other teachers who are ECTs in childcare centres or ones that have moved onto other jobs
I struggle with:
- An overall lack of consistency, lack of non-contact time to plan and reflect, even unpaid, having 8 hour days with 50 minutes total breaks for eating and pumping breast milk, is effecting how well I'm able to do my job. When I do get non-contact time it's sprung on me, when we have enough staff to cover, and with no consistency.
- The different makeup of kids every day, with some only coming for one day a week, making planning for learning very complicated.
- Different and/or low numbers also mean we have to combine with younger children in a different room, which effects how I can implement learning I've planned for. Also low number make me feel like I'm not helping enough kids in our community.
- This "family grouping" also has me feeling like a baby sitter and that I'm not doing my job as a Kindy teacher. I know babies learn just as much as the Kindy kids and that routines around changing nappies and feeding are great learning opportunities and that cleaning up after kids is just part of the job, but I feel that the time I have to put towards this would be better spent focusing on working with "my" Kindy kids, helping them learn in a play-based manner and preparing them for school.
- Not being seen as a "real" teacher, with parents not listening to my concerns about their children until the "big" school, where things seems to be magically achieved.
- The costs of long daycare, compared to other pre-prep/kindergarten services, meaning that many children in our low socioeconomic status community don't access any form of early childhood education.
I would like to move to Prep for more professional recognition, consistency and the ability to have a positive impact on more kids in my community. Am I idealising Prep teaching because of my current struggles in child care or may I find these things in Prep teaching???
Any advice or thoughts would be greatly appreciated
Kind Regards
An Advice-Seeking Teacher
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