If You Want to Get a Great Nanny Job in a Tough Economy Get Some Early Education College Courses Under Your BeltIf you want to land a great nanny job in this tough economy you must prove you are a professional nanny, not just a babysitter.
Taking the time and effort to attend a nanny training program, some college courses in child development or early childhood education, or earning an Associate's or Bachelor's degree or higher degree, guarantees higher nanny salaries and more nanny job opportunities to chose from.
Job seekers should let parents know the amount of time and effort they have devoted taking college courses or earning any higher education degree. Nannies should be sure to list scholarships or awards they have earned on their resumes and nanny agency applications.
If you want to get a great job get involved in nanny training programs and attend educational community programs. Read childcare books and publications. Contact local libraries, parks and recreations departments, local colleges, child care related businesses, and child/family publications for listings of educational opportunities. CPR/First Aid certifications can be earned through the YMCA, the American Red Cross, or local hospitals.
Nanny training programs in the United States offer Associate's or Bachelor's degrees. A good nanny training program combines classroom work in child development, nutrition, family dynamics, and play activities, with supervised time working with children. There are also books, online training programs, compact discs, and videos that may be purchased.
It is also impressive when nannies can show their knowledge in their chosen career by taking the International Nanny Association Nanny Credential Exam (visit www.nanny.org).
Did you take a nanny training course?
My preference is take anything that is accredited and can transfer into a college for credit. Or will be recognized the childcare licensing centers should I ever wish or need to return to that arena.
ReplyDeleteSome nanny training programs I much more costly than community ed courses, online programs, or even workshops in one's area related to child development, child care, etc.
Many state agencies with or without the help of NAEYC, National Association of Education of Young Children have places where caregivers can enroll in FREE training. In my area one of the counties here as a wide range of classes year round.
There was a discussion recently on an area board made up of parents, au pairs, and nannies about college education. Many parents want their nannies to be knowledgeable in caregiving, not just rely on their own background. Especially those parents of newborns, infants, and toddlers. BUT, equally important to them is that the nanny have a passion and love of what they are doing. To them the training doesn't mean as much without that.
Thus, I think a key to finding a job in this tough economy is training/knowledge that has been documented/certified, and the right personality/attitude.
Lisa, do you have a Bachelor's degree?
ReplyDeleteYes early childhood education degree had helped my nanny career. I make much more and have a much greater choice of jobs I realize when comparing to other nanny friends in neighborhood. I used to think it wasn't necessary but I now see it really has benefited me. I have had employers wanting to see my transcripts (grades in each college course) so very important to my six-digit salary. Include my teaching degree along with all the other advice given over the past week and I am proof there are some excellent nanny jobs available even in a tough economy.
ReplyDeleteYou can take courses at your local community college if you can't afford the time and expense of a Bachelor's degree. I can put it on my resume now and it's really helpful and sounds good when I got this last job.
ReplyDeleteWhen parents make as much in a week as some nannies make in a year there's no reason they can't pay for a course per semester of night school for you. Professional development that's in both of your best interests.
ReplyDeleteImani
I used to think it didn't really matter about education. But experience doesn't always mean knowledge. I see many nannies yelling at kids and demeaning them. You can't use the term "positive discipline" or "positive reinforcement" to a grandmother without college courses who has been yelling at kids for decades and raised her kids that way. Continuing education at any age is important.
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ReplyDeleteI majored in theater in college, and used it to teach in community rec programs while in school and after. The after was sometimes around nanny work schedule. My older sister wanted me to get my teacher certification, and when she died a few years ago I at decided to look into it. But I really didn't want to teach in schools. But I also wanted something to validate a lot of the self study I had done in child development that was in the form of reading books, articles etc.
I looked at the INA credential (and I am studying for it.) But I liked the NANC credentialing tier better as it aligned itself more with what childcare workers need to do. Which is not just getting the clock hours but continuing education thereafter.
Things change/evolve in what we know about how children develop and what is best for them health wise, and ongoing education is vital to that. If I were to stay with the practices I was told were the way to do things when I began as a babysitter and nanny, I wouldn't have been aware of the "back to sleep" rule for babies.
Like others have written above, that education is important in so many ways. Like them I can say it mattered in getting hired and what I make now.
I meant to add I have completed the courses now to earn my CDA through the council of professional recognition.
ReplyDeleteMy concern is when nannies say they are nanny nurses and aren't nurses it's decieving so the INA had nannies call themselves newborn specialists instead.
ReplyDeleteIn the same respect I think nannies that call themselves teachers should be careful if they aren't degreed as teachers. Big difference between a BA teaching degree and a nanny.
There are many nannies who have worked in religious education settings where they are called teachers. Does that mean they are degreed, no --- but they are teachers nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteI have worked in camps, community centers, rec departments etc. where they called me teacher.
I have met professionals that have left the corporate settings to come into teach at public school settings while they still don't have their education degrees. And in many states a person can be a substitute teacher in school systems if they have a bachelor's in any field.
There are nannies that do clearly teach their charges. Their resume under education background will state if they are degreed or not, and parents will look at that too.
I wouldn't use the term nanny nurse either. But what I do goes beyond what the a nanny does is. I am an educator.
I think TUTOR is the appopriate term to use if you feel you are teaching your charges and you do not have a teaching degree or certificate.
ReplyDeleteIn my state you have to be certified before teaching in a public school setting or as a homeschooler need a certified teacher as well. The rules vary state to state but here you must have a certifed teacher homeschool. Mom and dad can't just do it, must be certified.
If you have majored in another subject and years later get certified then you can teach. But at colleges you can't just come and teach without first being certified. The rules vary state to state.
I don't mean any nanny is purposely deceiveing the parents, but you really are a tutor at most if you have not earned a teaching degree.
Just don't want parents to be deceived (accidentally) thinking they are hiring a teacher if the caregiver doesn't have ECE degree. I think "teacher" implies certified, at least where I live.
The nanny that has earned an ECE degree will make considerably more than a homeschool teacher who may be certified but without the degree. I hope no caregiver loses a job by parents thinking they are embelishing their resumes by claiming to be a teacher when they are a passionate tutor.
I have sister (a former nanny too) who does have an infant early childcare specialist degree, so in a way I wince when I hear that nannies whether degreed or not use that same title that the INA suggests.
ReplyDeletePrior to be a nanny. I worked as an aide in childcare centers. Many nannies can say the same. We would have continued that course if we hadn't discovered that we could make more as a nanny then being a childcare center teacher.
What I took from that classroom experience among other things was how to create themes of the week in all developmental areas. As a nanny since then I created themes at home with my charges using the teacher books I did then to come up with ideas. Again, I know other nannies who can say the same.
I've converted playrooms into pseudo classrooms with learning centers based on what I saw in the classrooms where I worked and at the preschools my charges would attend.
Like many other nannies, I document what I do and include some of it in my portfolio along with photos of various projects
Many of us know what tutors are. What we do is beyond that. Especially when they are little. Tutors are more inclined to enhance what they are being taught someplace else. Some of us work for people who do not put their children into preschool, thus we become a teacher to them. I do know other nannies (who don't have education degrees) who can say the same.
I spoke about this to my employers tonight, they consider me a teacher. And my former employers in their references wrote of my teaching their children. Not tutoring. There is no deception that I am doing. I find that a really insulting that you imply that I am when you haven't observed me in action at work.
A grandmother who was school principal stated her grandchildren, my charges were more ready to go to kindergarten then their preschool attending counterparts.
A degree does not exclusively make a teacher, if so the education system in our country would not be in the mess that is in.
The higher education you have the better your chances of making a great salary.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt there are plenty of uneducated professionals in many fields that are awesome employees. Plenty of wealthy that didn't graduate high school No doubt. Experience might be more beneficial to some than an education, it's what you take out of it.
I have worked as a nanny and as a teacher.
I have an ECE degree and taught in public and private schools. The public school system is great. The private school system requires much less to teach in, teachers are under paid, high turn over...
The problems with the public schools aren't the teachers who have double majors (that's right you have to have a degree in two subjects, double the work)! The problem is the funding taken out of public schools this year and teachers are so so so under paid.
Mydegree was tough work and it means a lot.
The system isn't so screwed up the students in wealthy town excel. It's the lack of funding that is unfortunate for public schools. You can't keep good teachers if you don't pay them.
I found a HIGHER paying job as a nanny. I currently make $90K+ and that's due to my degree, not nanny experience.
None of us become teachers or nannies for the money. If we chose to work as a teacher or nanny we do so for the love of children. But to make more money the education helps a lot.
You can't be a head teacher without an education even in a pre-school. Doesn't mean you aren't a great teacher. Just education gives you the knowledge and opportunity to earn more.
Fact remains: you can get a higher salary the more education you have in this field.
You certainly don't need a college degree to work as a nanny. But you compare to nanny candidates to one another and if all else is the same, the nanny with the education will get the job.
You can't compare a nanny without an early childhood education degree and a teacher or nanny with the degree! That's disrespectful to all professions that have earned degrees. Four years or more college does create a different caregiver. Just working within the system is important too. If you started and quit you aren't as well prepared as someone who has earned a degree. The education is so extensive, double major necessary, student teaching, lesson plans, psychology, child development, special needs, curriculum, working with parents, working with administration..... You absolultely cannot claim to be a teacher without the degree.
ReplyDeleteDid any one get a transcript after the completion of the course? should get back to me ok..caroline
ReplyDeleteprettiecaro at yah/oo/./co/m/
need some info ok.i mean in certificate of children care EDUCATION.
Even though there are a lot of nanny jobs available, it never hurts to have that extra edge on your competition. Employers look for someone with education and experience, and the International Nanny Association Nanny Credential Exam is definitely something to consider.
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