Bachelor qualified but a Lead Educators role in Toddler room

[shy123]

Hi,

I am currently being interviewed for a room leader role in the toddlers room and was wondering what is a fair salary range for this?

I am Bachelor Qualified but the role that is presented is a lead teacher in the toddler's room and it's for a diploma qualified position.

[Lorina]

Hi!

Since the position of for a room leader, then you will be paid as a diploma educator. So, you will be starting at Level 4.1 which starts at $27.21/per hour. Since you have a degree you may be able to negotiate above award wage, however the rate i mentioned will be the starting rate.

Good Luck!

,
Lorina

[shy123]

Thanks LOrina for your help

[Lorina]

You're welcome!

,
Lorina

[SarahB01]

I am also working towards my degree, currently a room assistant. i need everyone's help.
So there is a child who bit, spat and used physics force on me, this one is beyond challenging. Other educators are also feeling the burden and the stress because they have been dealing with him more than I have. With this child, he constantly spats on people’s face, and always uses the “f” word in most of his sentences or “shut up” whenever educators try to engage in a thoughtful and meaningful conversation with him. Can you imagine getting bitten in the knee and spat on the face by a preschooler child, because you stopped him from throwing things or kicking his friends constantly? In my life, i have never been spat at my anyone, or been punched or kicked by a child. Yes, he does smile and get all positive when we praise him, and that’s why me and the other educator put out activities for him that reflects his interest. It is obviously pointless making a deal with him (e.g. if i fold you this airplane, can you be good to your friends today?). I am at the stage where I am getting concerned about my own safety and other children’s safety in the room, because he keeps picking his victim who are doing quiet things. There were several parents who have stopped coming to the centre(i.e. removed their child from the centre), or made a formal complaint to the educators, but to no success. Other educators are also getting tired of him, because they need to hold him still until he is calm, but every time he gets “released”, that’s when he puts revenge on all the people he harmed.

[Lorina]

Well you need to get the Director involved and the Parents involved, sit down and have a serious discussion about this child's behaviour.

Form a intervention plan, get third part support to form strategies and ideas to resolve this type of behaviour that should be followed through at home as well.

If none of these take effect, you may have to remove him from the centre. A child should not be harmful to anyone.

,
Lorina

[SarahB01]

Thanks Lorina. I have told my director, sent an email to the director outlining all the events that happened (regarding his behaviour and actions eductos have taken) and my feelings about all of it. I am studying towards my ECT degree, and this is my first formal experience working in a childcare centre, so it is bit overwhelming. If the parents do not want to cooperate, what should we do? Also, how should I talk to parents? I have created a word doc document that outlines all the events that the child did to other children. Also, if he tries to bite me in lower body parts again or tries to throw heavy objects to me or other educators or the children, can I push him on the floor and restrain him? Thanks.

[Lorina]

The Director needs to have a formal meeting with the parents. This seems to have gone above and beyond what you're capable of trying to deal with by yourself (well for any Educator). All these incidences where the child has hurt other children should be written up in an incident form and given to the child's parents so they are aware of what is happening formally. Do they know what's going on? You cannot push the child onto the floor to restrain him, however you can sit behind him on the floor and gently restrain him by putting your arms firmly around him until he calms down. Also he needs to be removed from the situation immediately. Take him outside away from other children... it seems like he cannot control his anger so it's best to remove him from the situation once he gets out of control.

Please sit down with the Director and go through this issue so you can both formally come up with a plan on dealing with this child.

,
Lorina

[SarahB01]

Hi Lorina,
I 100% agree with you that this is out of my control! The room leader and I will do some mindfulness sessions with children next week, and I am also thinking about doing a group time session where kids and i can make some classroom rules, and also talk to them about some images that describes posiitive classroom rules (e.g. using gentle hands, waiting for your turn, sharing and being nice). The staff members do everything to control him, and whenever he behaves wrongfully, he gets sent outside and educators hold him still in their laps and engage in a conversation with him until he is calm. This can take 30 minutes sometimes, but the child will commit wrongful deeds throughout the day. The thing is, so many incidents happened because of that kid throughout the day, and we have written incident reports about it and talked to the parents about it(they do not know what to do), but the child is not changing. Although they write incident reports, they do not tell the parents all the things that happened that day(we are a bit short on staff members, and after I got mauled by that kid, the director had already gone home and I had to go and do nappies for toddlers because at that time, all the toddler room teachers had gone home and I was the only one left who worked in the toddler room). The room leader always talks to the parents about any critical incidents that happened(sometimes 10-15 minute conversation). I think we should all sit down with the director and come up with a formal plan (e.g. safety plan, intervention plan). The director had said he will be starting school soon, so we do not need to worry about him for too long. However, studies have shown that exposure to violence in care settings has a significant impact on children's growth and development, and some kids and parents have even expressed their concerns and fears. Last night, I have written a PDF document that outlines all the incidents this child was involved in (including all the wrongful habits he is developing(e.g. swearing, biting people in body parts and making sexually inappropriate comments/behaviours to teachers), and I will send it to the director today because this issue needs to get resolved.

Everyone had told me that working in childcare will be challenging, and even supervising a lot of children by yourself is a challenge and even if you provide them with activities to do, fights always occur. I love working with children, I love seeing them grow and being able to take part in their learning journey is a blessing. Even with babies, you see them taking their first step, using forks to eat food and trying to turn pages of a picture book and being active explorers. I want to do masters and PHD in this industry and become a leader in the field by the time I turn 45 years old (i am only in my early 20s). However, when I go through incidents like this where a child uses physical force on me and hurts me, just because you are an adult and he is a child, it doesn't mean that what the child did should be "shrugged" off. Some people might say, "Oh, he is just a kid. He will grow up." But i do not think that is the case. When kids develop a habit that is wrong, they will feel a sense of joy whilst doing that habit and educators remind him/tell him all the time what he is doing is not right. Some educators have had to yell and use their "big" voices because this kid is that hard to deal with.

Thanks Lorina. You are the best

[Lorina]

This child should not be shrugged off because he is starting school soon.. even more so it is our duty of care as Educators to mould him, guide him and support him to manage his emotions and learn to effectively handle situations.

A Director should lead by example to their Educators and support them during such difficulties, come up with solutions together as a team that all Educators and the family can work towards for the sake of this child.

It just infuriates me when a child who obviously needs guidance is shrugged off by those who are not willing to help.

I can read in your words the compassion you and the other Educators have in trying to find resolve and all you need is guidance on what to do next.

I appreciate that you are trying to find new ways of supporting this child. I will go through my Resources and see if there is anything in particular I can share with you.

What you are doing so far is great and all I can say is to continue, be consistent, have all Educators dealing with this child to be on the same page as well as parents with any strategies you implement.

You and your team are doing a great job as it is. Even with all the incidences that are happening don't give up building a respectful and positive relationship with this child will be the light at the end of the tunnel.

Please keep us updated and I'll get back to you with any Resources I find.

Thank you for being such a caring Educator.

,
Lorina