Position Overview
Education is one aspect of our lives that we must take seriously.
As parents, we often feel inadequate when challenged with making our children learn the different things that they will need in order to become functional adults eventually.
The good news is that there is help available now.
Parent educators provide us with the necessary knowledge and skills required to raise emotionally and physically healthy children.
While not a new concept, the role of a parent educator is receiving a lot of attention nowadays, owing to the growing need to educate people who are responsible for the future of coming generations.
Educational Requirements
A parent educator needs to possess a formal degree in early childhood education or a similar discipline if he or she needs to work in this arena.
Strong verbal and written communication skills are essential in this work, as is the ability to plan and develop sound work schedules.
The capability of analyzing the effectiveness of the plans that they implement and the instructional activities that they carry out is also extremely important in this work.
Being a good problem-solver goes with the territory as does the ability to establish positive relationships with people from various backgrounds.
Since parent educators have to work with a wide variety of people, it is important for them to be able to communicate well.
Some of the main work responsibilities of an individual working as a parent educator are included in the list below:
Parent Educator Duties and Responsibilities
• Create a list of parents involved/participating in educational programs and devise methods of reaching out to them
• Develop plans and strategies based on parent education curriculum and demonstrate and impart knowledge of child development and child-rearing practices
• Coordinate activities with administrative staff to create schedules for classes and ensure that appropriate invitations are sent out to parents
• Introduce the concept of parent education and instruct parents on relevant information regarding child development, language, motor and social skills, and age-appropriate milestones
• Model and teach appropriate verbal interactions, communication techniques, and behavior management strategies
• Instruct and assist parents in developing strategies for strengthening their effectiveness
• Conduct in-home sessions (where applicable) to provide individual families with constructive feedback regarding their daily routines
• Complete developmental, health, vision, and hearing screenings and create correlating reports for submission purposes
• Develop and maintain a network of community services, aiming to link families and provide parent group connections
• Assist parents and children with transitions in other required services such as health or mental wellness facilities