Love Kids? Embark on a Childcare Teacher Career Path
Pursuing a childcare teacher career path can be a truly rewarding journey. It’s also a very popular one. As of November 2020, over 1,900 jobs in the early childhood sector were available in Singapore, including positions for preschool teachers, centre leaders and childcare services managers. The Ministry of Manpower expects demand to rise even higher, due to greater emphasis placed on the importance of early childhood development.
Though very fulfilling, the effort required to cultivate a child’s social, mental and educational development cannot be underestimated. If you’re very passionate about working with children, being a childcare teacher may just be the career for you. Read on to learn about how to become an early childhood educator in Singapore.
What does a childcare teacher do?
Early childhood professionals like childcare teachers specialise in working with young children, providing the most basic aspects of formal education. These people go above and beyond in supporting the wellbeing of children, while also ensuring that they are in a safe and stimulating environment.
The job entails strong interpersonal skills combined with organizational skills necessary to be able to manage a roomful of impressionable young minds. According to the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), here are some tasks that childcare teachers are responsible for:
- Educate children
A childcare teacher plans engaging lessons and uses age-appropriate teaching strategies to ensure the child’s holistic development: cognitively, physically, emotionally and socially.
- Care for children
A childcare teacher ensures the children’s safety both inside and outside of the centre, making sure that all their needs are met through providing assistance such as routine care, toilet training, and nourishment. They also administer first aid when necessary.
- Partner with parents and the community
A childcare teacher works closely with the parents, updating them with the child’s progress. This ensures that the child’s development continues beyond the classroom.
- Develop professionally
A childcare teacher needs to keep abreast of the new updates in early childhood education. By attending Continuing Professional Development courses and other relevant activities, they can upskill and enrich their knowledge further.
Salary Range
According to Payscale, Childcare Teachers earn an average base salary of S$29,465 a year. Compensation may include bonuses, overtime pay, profit sharing, and other forms of cash earnings that are applicable to the role.
Per the 2020 Jobstreet Salary Report, Education and Training was seen as a growth specialisation in 2019, with Junior Executives seeing an 8% increase in salary from 2018.
What is the career path of a childcare teacher?
The ECDA, along with SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore (WSG), has identified three main career tracks in their skills framework, namely:
Educarer
Works with young children aged 2-4 months old, responsible for creating a safe environment, teaching and carrying out play activities.
Teacher
Works with children aged 18 months to 6 years old. They implement a curriculum that ensures holistic development for the child.
Leader
Supports the centre’s educators by investing in their learning and development.
What requirements do you need to become a childcare teacher?
Required skills
SkillsFuture’s Early Childhood Care and Education Skills Map outlined four Skills Categories in all the Career Pathways:
Developing the Child Holistically
Childcare teachers need to be focused on the holistic development of children. This requires an understanding of child development theories, pedagogy, the learning environment, interactions and relationships, and health, safety and nutrition.
Collaborating with Families and the Community
Childcare teachers need to learn how to establish and sustain strong partnerships with families and community stakeholders.
Building Professional Capacity
Childcare teachers should invest in their learning, taking ownership of one’s professional growth and development to effectively strengthen their students’ growth and development.
Building Organisational Capacity
Childcare teachers should enhance their capabilities, aligning systems and structures within the childcare centres to realise their goals and vision.
Other skills
Aside from having a wealth of knowledge about children and children’s needs, aspiring childcare teachers need to have a certain set of soft skills to be effective in their role.
Service orientation
Manpower minister Josephine Teo welcomes applicants from other sectors, particularly those in hospitality and retail, because of their training in customer service. The ability to anticipate the customer’s needs can easily be applied to caring for children, especially with very young children who are still developing their language skills and ability to communicate.
Empathy
It’s not enough that a childcare teacher knows what a child needs, they also need to understand why children behave the way they do. Being compassionate towards young minds is crucial in early development, and is an essential skill for a teacher.
Creativity
The ability to think out of the box will be very helpful for childcare teachers. The fast-paced and high-energy environment of a childcare centre requires a teacher who can think on their feet and can adjust to any situation that arises.
Educational background
To become a certified childcare teacher or educarer, the ECDA requires that one meets all professional, academic and language requirements (or equivalent) of the respective certification category.
Early Childhood Teachers need at least a Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education (English/2nd language), while Early Childhood Educarers need to have at least a Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) Higher Certificate in Infant Care. For more details on Teacher Certification, click here.
Required certification and training
The ECDA is the regulatory and developmental agency for the early childhood sector in the country. Applications for childcare teacher must be submitted to the ECDA through the childcare centre/kindergarten at which you are currently employed.
Opportunities for Continuous Education
The ECDA strongly recommends that all early childhood educators such as childcare teachers complete at least 20 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) per year. Childcare teachers can choose to attend CPD courses or participate in Professional Development programmes and initiatives organised by ECDA. An updated CPD Prospectus is available for download on the ECDA website.
Diploma programmes are also available for childcare teachers interested in upskilling. The Advanced Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching & Learning (ADECT) aims to prepare teachers for the role of teacher leadership. Also available is the Advanced Diploma in Early Childhood Leadership (ADECL), which prepares Senior Preschool Teachers for the role of centre leadership.
In 2019, the Ministry of Education launched the National Institute of Early Childhood Development to help boost the preschool sector in the country. The NIEC works together with the ECDA and the MOE, offering a wide variety of courses to help professionals at various stages of their early childhood career.
How to write a childcare teacher resume?
A childcare teacher resume should highlight your relevant educational background, training, as well as the essential skills that you can bring to the role.
Download the Childcare Teacher resume HERE.
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