Position Overview
It is one of the most difficult of jobs to work in a child care capacity. Only the people who truly love children and the work associated with looking after them can do justice to it.
Child care teaching assistants help the lead teacher in providing children with academic knowledge, and look after their physical, and emotional needs, while they are away from their parents.
Position Requirements
Working as a child care teacher assistant requires a degree in early childhood education. If you have had previous experience in this capacity, you will be considered a good candidate to hire.
If not, you will be taught on the job. Experienced or not, this individual needs to possess an inherent love for children. Not everyone is equipped to perform the job duties associated with this work – you have to have a certain personality to be able to do justice to it.
Patience is a given virtue when working in this capacity, as you will be responsible for children who will test you at every point. Knowledge of imparting education to assigned students is also a given.
Ensuring that students are kept safe at all times, especially during outdoor activities is one of the major duties of a child care teacher assistant.
Moreover, he or she needs to make sure that behavioral problems are identified and addressed, so that they so not have a negative effect on the child, or others surrounding him or her.
While this job is hard, it is definitely rewarding, as you are helping children grow physically, emotionally, mentally, and cognitively.
If this work is what you want to build your career in, you might be interested in the following list of duties particular to this job:
Child Care Teacher Assistant Duties & Responsibilities
• Engage children in conversation or play to determine their personalities, likes, and dislikes.
• Assist lead teachers in developing and imparting individualized lesson plans, to meet the specific needs of each child.
• Provide support to children in understanding instructions, and performing activities accordingly.
• Work with individual students or groups to help then comprehend imparted lessons.
• Ascertain that the classroom environment is kept constantly safe for children, ensuring their security and wellbeing throughout the day.
• Oversee children during play time to ensure their safety and wellbeing.
• Observe children during play time and in classrooms, and communicate any behavioral changes or problems to the lead teacher.
• Intervene in alterations between children, aiming to resolve issues, and keeping children safe from harm.
• Assist children with their personal needs such as toileting, diaper changes, and washing up.
• Ascertain that children partake their meals slowly, so that no choking incidents transpire.
• Assist lead teachers in creating and implementing learning resources, aimed at helping students understand and take interest in new concepts.
• Oversee the cleanliness and maintenance of assigned classrooms, ensuring that school standards are met and abided by.
• Provide immediate CPR or First Aid in cases of emergencies involving students, including choking, and play time accidents.