Pre-School Teachers

[LovePinkCoach]

Is anyone here a pre-school teacher? (Or know someone who is one)

I am really considering going back to school for early childhood education. This was my original major back when I was 18, but I was obviously young and immature, and listened to other people who said I would get paid "crap". I am now 23, and feeling a little lost because I am not happy in my current career, and through the years I have changed my major because I haven't found anything I would really be happy in, like I would while working with children. It really has a been a dream of mine for a long time, and I feel like crying when I realize that I could have been a pre-school teacher now, had I stuck with it.

Anyway, my question is... I am extremely worried that if I go through with this, I will not be able to make it financially... pre-K teachers obviously do not make that much money, and I'm worried that I won't be able to pay my bills on the salary.

So, for all you pre-K teachers out there... how do you manage? Do you have a second job to be able to live comfortably?

I do not want to not go through with this just because of the lack of money, although it does concern me.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[cocokitty]

Is anyone here a pre-school teacher? (Or know someone who is one)

I am really considering going back to school for early childhood education. This was my original major back when I was 18, but I was obviously young and immature, and listened to other people who said I would get paid "crap". I am now 23, and feeling a little lost because I am not happy in my current career, and through the years I have changed my major because I haven't found anything I would really be happy in, like I would while working with children. It really has a been a dream of mine for a long time, and I feel like crying when I realize that I could have been a pre-school teacher now, had I stuck with it.

Anyway, my question is... I am extremely worried that if I go through with this, I will not be able to make it financially... pre-K teachers obviously do not make that much money, and I'm worried that I won't be able to pay my bills on the salary.

So, for all you pre-K teachers out there... how do you manage? Do you have a second job to be able to live comfortably?

I do not want to not go through with this just because of the lack of money, although it does concern me.

Thanks for any advice!

Ok, not a teacher myself, but my mom was and a few of my friends are or are going to be in a year or so. I just want to ask you something. You do know when you do ECE that they, the school, can place you anywhere in that range? You can be in a p,k, or 1-3. I only ask because you seem dead set on being a prek teacher. Also, do you know anyone who's a teacher or someone who works in the school systerm? I ask because my mom got her first job by knowing someone and everyone i know who has gotten their BA in ECE has gotten a job by knowing someone and those who haven't had to wait a year or so. Teaching is very political for a job that doesn't pay much. It's all about who you know and where you graduated from. I've heard of very qualified people not getting jobs because their school didn't have a "good" rep. Whatever that means! Also, being a first time teacher, they're not gonna put you where you want. They're going to be you in the class room no one wants, because you're the lowest man on the pole and have no tenyer (sp?). Anyway, I just wanted to inform you of that first, because you seem to have a good job and it would suck if you flonder out of school because you weren't in the know or had a connection.

My mom used to teach and she always raved she liked it. Saying she got a raise every year and where she used to work and when she used to work (In the 80s to early 90s) she used to get a Christmas bonsus and what not. They gave the teachers turkeys for Thanksgiving. Stuff like that, but from the people she keeps in contact with that stopped awhile ago. Here anyway. While the salary was ok/good my mom started her own daycare, and the money is much better, and that's what she's going currently. So, if teaching doesn't work out for you finanical, you could always do that or go back to school and become a principle or something.

A few of my friends are currently teachers. I don't know how much they make, but I know they all have good benefits. I also know it's a good salary for them because they're single and don't have kids. That said, none of my friends are really into deigner things and waste money like I do on various crap. So, if you're like me (even if you just like designer purses), it wouldn't be a "good" salary for you.

 

[GhstDreamer]

I just want to ask you something. You do know when you do ECE that they, the school, can place you anywhere in that range? You can be in a p,k, or 1-3. I only ask because you seem dead set on being a prek teacher.

A few of my friends are currently teachers. I don't know how much they make, but I know they all have good benefits. I also know it's a good salary for them because they're single and don't have kids. That said, none of my friends are really into deigner things and waste money like I do on various crap. So, if you're like me (even if you just like designer purses), it wouldn't be a "good" salary for you.

I'm an elementary teacher in Canada so it may be different than where you're from. Here, you can't teach primary simply with an ECE diploma - you also need your Bachelor of Education degree (quite a large number of teachers have their graduate degrees as well). Without an undergraduate degree in the sciences, social sciences, business, human kinetics, or arts, and only having an early childhood education background, you can't really move beyond primary to teach junior even if you have your B. of Education in primary and junior. However, you can work as an Education Assistant in the kindergarten classes but need additional qualifications to assist in special education classrooms like the DSWs and the CYWs (many have social work background). We don't have such a thing as a degree in ECE. I'm assuming you're from the US and you may be able to teach primary without a teaching degree! However I'm assuming that it may be harder for you to get a teaching job afterwards with only an ECE background compare to someone else who may be more qualified.

Pre-K is preschool so the pay isn't the same as a teacher's salary - it will be a lot less and I don't think the benefits will be as good. I know where I am, substitute teachers make about $180 - $240? a day which is pretty good. Substitute ECE's (most start on the supply list) make around $70 - $80 a day and even if they have a contract, it's usually around $10 - $14/hr (max) but there are benefits included. They don't make a lot of money and many do have their own children but they are married so their income tends to be the supplementary income.

My recommendation is that if you want to teach, don't block yourself into pre-k (I'm sorry but it's more like babysitting!) and get into the education program at your university, so you can teach in an elementary school. The pay, the benefits and the pension package are much much better! On a side note: I have taught kindergarten and had really wonderful ECE's who I worked with! They were great (lots of patience) with the very needy children!

 

[cocokitty]

I'm an elementary teacher in Canada so it may be different than where you're from. Here, you can't teach primary simply with an ECE diploma - you also need your Bachelor of Education degree (quite a large number of teachers have their graduate degrees as well). Without an undergraduate degree in the sciences, social sciences, business, human kinetics, or arts, and only having an early childhood education background, you can't really move beyond primary to teach junior even if you have your B. of Education in primary and junior. However, you can work as an Education Assistant in the kindergarten classes but need additional qualifications to assist in special education classrooms like the DSWs and the CYWs (many have social work background). We don't have such a thing as a degree in ECE. I'm assuming you're from the US and you may be able to teach primary without a teaching degree! However I'm assuming that it may be harder for you to get a teaching job afterwards with only an ECE background compare to someone else who may be more qualified.

Pre-K is preschool so the pay isn't the same as a teacher's salary - it will be a lot less and I don't think the benefits will be as good. I know where I am, substitute teachers make about $180 - $240? a day which is pretty good. Substitute ECE's (most start on the supply list) make around $70 - $80 a day and even if they have a contract, it's usually around $10 - $14/hr (max) but there are benefits included. They don't make a lot of money and many do have their own children but they are married so their income tends to be the supplementary income.

My recommendation is that if you want to teach, don't block yourself into pre-k (I'm sorry but it's more like babysitting!) and get into the education program at your university, so you can teach in an elementary school. The pay, the benefits and the pension package are much much better! On a side note: I have taught kindergarten and had really wonderful ECE's who I worked with! They were great (lots of patience) with the very needy children!

I'm not sure of the specifics, but I know they major in ECE. I'm in NJ and ECE means you're able to teach up to the 3rd grade. I also know they have to have a double major. Like English, Math, ect. I'm not sure of the specifics, but that's what I know from people who recently graduated that I know.

 

[Babestaaa]

I'm not sure of the specifics, but I know they major in ECE. I'm in NJ and ECE means you're able to teach up to the 3rd grade. I also know they have to have a double major. Like English, Math, ect. I'm not sure of the specifics, but that's what I know from people who recently graduated that I know.

Subbing making 180-240? That's insane. Definitely have to move there lol.

 

[GhstDreamer]

Teaching is a pretty well-paying job in Canada - I'm guessing better than in the US. We have one of the best pension packages around (a bit less than the ones offered to the canadian autoworkers), as well as benefits packages that covers almost every single thing. It's actually the pension package that lures a lot of university students to go into teaching - it's good enough that you don't really need to put much towards additional retirement plan especially since benefits are extended into retirement. However it's still a good idea to.

 

[GhstDreamer]

I'm not sure of the specifics, but I know they major in ECE. I'm in NJ and ECE means you're able to teach up to the 3rd grade. I also know they have to have a double major. Like English, Math, ect. I'm not sure of the specifics, but that's what I know from people who recently graduated that I know.

Here there is no such thing as getting a degree in early childhood education - the program is offered at colleges and you get a diploma and certification (unless if it exists in another province). It means that you are certified to work as an Education Assistant in kindergarten classrooms and special education classrooms and in daycare settings. Someone can do a double major in drama & education (this is very popular) or something like music & education but even after getting his/her undergrad degree in it, he/she still has to attend the faculty of education and get a bachelor of education to teach (it's usually a 2 year program but there are a few that has it as a one year program).

Teaching is such an oversaturated market and with the cuts in funding to programs like spec. ed., music, etc. and laying off qualified teachers in these (I've recently been moved from spec. ed. and early years to teaching french and physical education for the new school year) - it's just a tough market right now - I'm pretty sure it's a similar situation in the US as well...our union reps kept telling us, we just need to be patient...

 

[cocokitty]

Here there is no such thing as getting a degree in early childhood education - the program is offered at colleges and you get a diploma and certification (unless if it exists in another province). It means that you are certified to work as an Education Assistant in kindergarten classrooms and special education classrooms and in daycare settings. Someone can do a double major in drama & education (this is very popular) or something like music & education but even after getting his/her undergrad degree in it, he/she still has to attend the faculty of education and get a bachelor of education to teach (it's usually a 2 year program but there are a few that has it as a one year program).

Teaching is such an oversaturated market and with the cuts in funding to programs like spec. ed., music, etc. and laying off qualified teachers in these (I've recently been moved from spec. ed. and early years to teaching french and physical education for the new school year) - it's just a tough market right now - I'm pretty sure it's a similar situation in the US as well...our union reps kept telling us, we just need to be patient...

I think they do it differently in the US, because I know people who have graduated as ECE majors and they're teaching in 2nd and 3rd grade class rooms. They do encourage you to get a masters, but I don't know if it's necsarry or not. ECE is not my area of knowledge at all, but I do think things are done differently here.

 

[cocokitty]

This is something I found from the school one of my friends went to. Not mine, though. "The programs in early childhood education are designed to deepen the understanding and perfect the skills of teacher candidates planning to work with children from birth through eight years of age in a variety of child development and school settings. Emphasis is on current theory and research in child development and application to early childhood education practice. " This is for undergrads.