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Why should you choose a career in early childhood education?
What career goals do Early Childhood Educators have?
How do I pursue a career in early childhood education?
Why do you want to work in child care?
Apr 28, 2023 · For over 40 years, since I first chose a career in early childhood, I’ve never ceased to be amazed by the unique stage of life that is early childhood. The work has changed in some ways of course, but it matters more than ever today.
A common misconception about the early childhood profession is that there are limited job options and few ways to advance a career. But once you obtain the skills to get started in the field, there are many different jobs to pursue both immediately and along your career path.
- Overview
- Why employers ask why you want to work with children
- How to answer why you want to work with children
- Example answers
When preparing for interviews in the child care field, there are several common questions you'll likely be asked. Besides communicating your desire to work with a particular employer, one of the most important questions you'll answer is your reason for wanting to work with children. In this article, we discuss how to answer when asked why you want ...
Employers want to know if your experience, skills and abilities will fit with their mission. Answering this question offers employers insight into your unique experiences with children. Depending on the position you're applying for, employers use this question to gauge your philosophy on relating to children, managing a group of children and teachi...
Describe your most meaningful early experiences working with children
For many in the childcare field, their first experiences working with children may have been babysitting, volunteer work, internships or summer camp. For example, "I want to work with children because when I was 17, I worked at a summer camp and enjoyed working with overnight campers," can be an interesting opening that gets the hiring manager's attention.
Explain how these experiences positively affected you
Think specifically about what you enjoyed about these experiences and how they may have changed your outlook or goals. For instance, "I found great satisfaction in watching students master two- and three-digit multiplication," is far more memorable than "I loved working with kids."
Mention any relevant educational experiences
Include any internships, conferences or seminars you've attended, even first aid or lifeguarding certifications. Be sure to explain how this helped shape your current educational philosophy or goals. Again, be as specific as possible. For example, "While taking an introductory course in child psychology, I decided I wanted to become a guidance counselor."Related: How To List Education on a Resume (With Examples)
Example 1: Tutor
"I want to work with children because of my experience and skill set. I first began working with children as a volunteer at a community center coaching youth league basketball. While I coached, I noticed that I really enjoyed working with players individually, teaching skills, leading drills and offering players feedback on performance. Over two seasons, I watched my players grow into playoff teams. I took a great deal of pride in their development."Now, as a university student, I'm studying math education. My strong background in math and early experiences in the youth league let me know that I'd be a great teacher. I want to continue working with children for the opportunity to teach middle school students while also preparing for my future as a math teacher."Read more: 30 Jobs That Involve Working With Kids
Example 2: Teacher
"I've known I wanted to work with children since I was 17. In high school, I worked at a summer camp as a lifeguard. At night, I led a cabin of eight-year-olds through evening activities, including getting ready for bed. During the day, I was personally responsible for teaching swimming and boating. Until that summer, I'd never realized how wonderful it is to see someone take something you've taught, apply it and master a new skill. I was proud to see campers grow into confident swimmers and boaters."Now, after attending university and studying early childhood development, I look forward to seeing the same growth in a first-grade classroom. Through student teaching experiences and classwork, I've learned that students respond to a structured environment, direct instruction, opportunities to practice new skills and timely, pertinent feedback. The key to being successful in schools is building relationships with students and their families. I want to work with children to continue building these relationships, see students grow and provide a positive role model in their lives."
Example 3: Child care provider
"I want to work with children because it's what I know and what I do well. I began babysitting in sixth grade for two nights per week. Instead of going to movies with friends, I watched kids so parents could go to movies with their friends. I continued to babysit throughout high school, becoming close to many families. I was often called on short notice for emergencies. The best part has been seeing kids grow up and sharing special moments with their families. I've been to graduations, family celebrations and even the wedding of a kid I babysat for."Now I'm taking classes at the community college in hopes of opening my own child care center within the next four years. The reason I want to work with children here is that your agency has a great mission, and I believe it would allow me to continue doing what I do best: sharing moments with kids while helping them grow into adulthood." Share: Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Email
- See the world from a new perspective. “Working in child care has helped me gain a whole new perspective on the world. As well as being my job that I completely love, I feel like I am able to be excited about the little things in life like a child does and it’s an awesome feeling.”
- Child care workers are in demand. “Knowing that I was gaining qualifications for an in-demand role with genuine job prospects was a key factor for me when starting out with my early childhood career.
- Not your standard working days. “I never enjoyed working a standard 9-5 working day at a desk. The variation available in shifts means my days don’t get monotonous, plus I’m moving all day which I love.”
- The rewarding nature of early childhood education. “Seeing children grow sometimes right through from being babies then toddlers and eventually kinder children ready to go to school is incredible.
Jun 3, 2019 · Early childhood educators have the benefit of working right alongside children in a very stimulating environment, which they’ll often say helps to “bring out their inner child.” The career outlook is bright for early childhood educators. There is always – and will always be – a need for education.
May 13, 2019 · Considering a career in Early Childhood Education? These are the top 10 reasons to choose this path & why ECEs find their work so rewarding. Learn more.
Mar 16, 2023 · If you want to pursue a career in early childhood education, it's good to have some career goals established inside and outside of the classroom. In this article, we discuss early childhood education and typical career goals in this field, and we provide tips on how to set and achieve your own goals.
