How To Become A Kindergarten Teacher
Alongside parents, they say that a Kindergarten Teacher is a child's first educator. In most cases, they are also the most important. After all, the ages of 0 to 5 years old make up children's direst years for learning and development. Often, these reasons are enough to make a Kindergarten Teacher's duties more complex than that of others. If your goal is to become one in the near future, don't let this scare you. Rather, it should challenge you to be the best one you can be. Get started by reading the rest of our Kindergarten Teacher career path guide.
What does a Kindergarten Teacher do?
Put simply, the role of a Kindergarten Teacher is to prepare a child for primary school learning. This involves providing key knowledge on academic subjects to building his or her social skills. But for the most part, you will also play the role of his or her guardian. In more detail, here are the tasks of a Kindergarten Teacher:
- Inspire students to develop socially through engaging activities
- Teach basic reading, writing, speaking, listening, and counting skills
- Prepare and implement a carefully designed lesson plan
- Monitor and assess students' behavior and performance in the class
- Coordinate with parents on the student's progress
- Work with other teachers and school staff about the curriculum
- Foster creativity and enjoyment through games and classroom resources
Salary Range
As with teaching in most levels, the salary of a Kindergarten Teacher is highly reliant on various factors. Whether he or she is working at a public or private school is one of them. It also depends on the location of the preschool center or school where one teaches.
Locally, a Kindergarten Teacher can get an average salary of Php 180,000 according to Payscale. This does not cover teaching jobs in Special Education, which pay an average base hourly rate of Php 200. Experience, license, and demand likewise affect how much Kindergarten Teachers in the Philippines are paid. This rate will still increase based on bonuses and overtime pay, to name a few.
What is the career path of a Kindergarten Teacher?
Providing a basic level of education is a priority for Kindergarten Teachers. In any case, they go through in-depth training to get to where they are. Hence, it merits very specific job options, regardless of where you are in the Philippines. When you pursue this profession, this is what a normal Kindergarten Teacher career path will look like:
Junior Level (1-3 years experience)
Mid Level (4-8 years experience)Â
Senior Level (8 years or more)
What requirements do you need to become a Kindergarten Teacher?
Becoming a Kindergarten Teacher in the Philippines relies heavily on your credentials. These may include both your academic attainment and professional record. However, to actually thrive as one is another story. If you are serious about succeeding in this profession, it's crucial that you possess most of the following skills. Â
Required skills
Early Education Training
Teaching students of very young ages is an extremely delicate task. More than knowing your lessons by heart and memory, be very specific when you deliver them. Given this, knowing the essence of early childhood education will be helpful in your time as a Kindergarten Teacher.
Classroom Management
As a teacher, it follows that you need to have a certain level of control spanning your teaching space. You should be able to set efficient rules or policies. Also, you must create an ambiance ideal for learning and look after your students no matter what. These are skills just as they are a responsibility.
Other skills
Patience
Taking into account the behavior changes among preschool-aged children, patience is a highly critical skill to have. It will also apply to how you handle someone who is just beginning to explore life outside one's home. The weight of this alone is tremendous, thus essential in being a Kindergarten Teacher.
Collaboration
Education is a two-way process. Conveying lessons makes up the bulk of your everyday work. But being able to listen and understand, despite differences in age, is another. More than that, you have to work well and develop rapport with their parents and your fellow teachers.
Creativity
How kindergarten students receive new knowledge is different from how those in primary and other levels do. But with a balanced mix of humor and resourcefulness, you can make the most of their early learning potential. In this profession, thinking outside the box is key.
Educational background
Most schools in the Philippines offer a standard Bachelor's Degree in Education. Taking this path is a must if you want to be a Kindergarten Teacher. But so do other programs that involve training in certain arts and sciences. The following paths should then be on top of your priority:
Bachelor of Early Childhood Education
This course will provide you the foundation of early childhood education or early childhood care. It will usually cover training on how to devise child-centered teaching methods. But other times, it can go as far as equipping you with knowledge on artistic areas that will come in handy in your work.
Bachelor of Special Needs Education
Often completed in four years, this will open you up to the essentials of teaching people with special needs. Often, it also consists of routes for those who want to enter schools or centers with kindergarten or preschool programs. Expect more inclusive approaches to teaching if you take this option.
Other related courses or programs
As you will be managing students of your own, you can also take up a Bachelor's Degree in the following: Psychology, Communication, or even Nursing. If you do, you must undergo training or a separate program on education. This should be able to complement your expertise with teaching-specific skills.
Required certification and training
Small schools or centers accept attainment in the above-mentioned education or education-related programs. However, for the most part, you must also take and pass the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET). This will ensure that you have the finesse and readiness to teach in your desired institution/s.
The Professional Regulation Commission offers the LET two times a year. Upon passing the exam, you will be eligible to apply for your Certificate of Registration. Being a Licensed Professional Teacher also opens doors for further development. That being said, you should focus on passing the LET.
Opportunities for Continuous Education
As a Kindergarten Teacher, you must make sure that your skills and knowledge continue to match what your profession requires. Therefore, you should take part in professional development training at some point in your career. You can even enroll in further studies to enhance your competence both locally and overseas.
Upskilling is likewise advised. You can do this with the help of Luna Academy. Precisely, it offers courses to help improve your knowledge of technology. That way, you can ensure that your teaching tools and resources remain relevant for a long time.
How to write a Kindergarten Teacher resume?
So, have you already achieved the above requirements, from developing the right skills to getting your license? If you answered yes, then it's time to reach out to your prospective employers. The best way to do this is to first create a convincing yet truthful resume.
Download this Kindergarten Teacher resume HERE.
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