Do You Know Unemployed Teachers are Working as Nannies?We have been discussing the results of the Be the Best Nanny Newsletter monthly poll. We asked nannies why they think it's harder to find great nanny jobs?
Those who participated in our poll answered that illegal immigrants are the number one reason nannies can't find stellar nanny positions. Next, nannies blame the bleak job market on the economy. According to our survey results, nannies accuse American citizens that are paid illegally in cash, working off-the-books, for hurting the credibility of nannies in general.
Next, results of our survey show that nannies think so many teachers being laid-off nationwide has led many educators to join the nanny job market.
In 2011 hundreds of teacher contracts expired and for many teachers, those contracts were not picked up again. This school year thousands of education jobs are at risk.
Most school districts (over 75 percent) simply did not replace some teachers who resigned or retired. More than half reported laying off central office employees, dismissing teachers without proper certification and not replacing them, or freezing or reducing teacher hiring.
Obviously parents jump at the chance to leave their children with someone with a teaching background. Why wouldn't parents hire the most experienced and educated nanny they can find for the same price? Meanwhile, does that mean qualified nannies with 20-years of experience are being overlooked?
What do you think? Are there less nanny jobs available because teachers who are working as nannies?
7 comments:
Well my boss's part time babysitter is a teacher that was forced into early retirement or she would lose her pention and health insurance. She helps me too sometimes drive the older kids around. I feel terrible for her for being forced into early retirement before she was ready. But since she isn't working full time as a nanny I don't think she's necessarily taking a nanny job away from a career nanny.
I think it depends on what that nanny with 20 yrs of experience brings to the table to in her own career/professional development. Gone are the days when it wasn't easy or convenient to become educated, thanks to the internet.
So many nannies lose their jobs as children go off to preschool or school fulltime, and I have managed to retain mine. In a big part due to what I bring to the table regarding helping the children with homework, learning to read, and afterschool enrichment. (I mean see what the kids' school offers for those types of things, and I am competitive with that.)
So I believe nannies have to realize in order to be hired it takes a combination of things.
I know a few nannies that always tell everyone they were a teacher. It's like it's not good enough to be a nanny. They feel bad for themselves and are working as nannies for now but make it really clear they are teachers, not "just" nannies.
I am a former teacher who became a nanny. It is a career change and many nannies go change careers to be something else. I know a nanny who changed careers to become a nurse, but no one thinks that qualified nurses are losing their jobs to unemployed nannies.
The point you make about individuals willing to participate tax evasion hurting nanny job offerings is legitimate. The point you are making about someone's former, and now abandoned, career is less so.
If you (the nanny with 20 years experience) aren't someone with a former job as a teacher and the family is looking for that skill set, then it is a job opening that wasn't actually open to you to begin with. Also, if a former career choice (what if you were the world's worst teacher?) is more important than experience to a family ... good riddance to that nonsense.
Jenni,
IMO No one's blaming teachers. Simply results of the survey I think. Most au pairs and young first time nannies leave for other careers I think. IMO no one was attacking teachers at all. It's natural for unemployed teachers to work as nannies and for nannies to become teachers IMO.
I'm trying to HIRE a teacher and I can't seem to find one! I'm being totally honest. I live in Maryland where the economy is quite stable and I need a teacher for my 2 kids (we homeschoool... long story) for 30 hours a week... get this $30,000 a year and I can't find 1 qualified soul! The well-qualified teachers all want $40-60/hour (no joke!) and the rest all say they are going to "take some classes in the Fall!" I need a teacher with a BS degree and I don't care if s/he has experience or not. I need them for 6.5 hours per day, I will pay them in cash ... and I can't find one. I am soooo frustrated. I've posted my job on every free online site I can find. If there is an unemployed teacher that wants an honest job near Frederick, MD, please post your email and I'll contact you -- I promise!
Well anonymous $30 K is NOT a good salary for an educated teacher. They make more than that starting in public schools. Well educated teachers that become nannies more likely are making close to six figures working for highly public, wealthy, or celebrity families that can afford the most educated caregiver. Public schools have unions and teachers start out making more than $30K.
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