Teacher In A Children's Centre

[Guest]

Hi there! I have used this website before, but under my old job title as a FS teacher in a Primary School! However, this week I started my new job as a 'support teacher' in a children's centre! It is extremely exciting, however I would like to see who else out there is doing my job too!

I would like to hear back from people who are working in the same way as me, as I have lots of questions to ask about how they organise their week etc?!

Thanks!

Matt

[Helen]

Welcome Matt

I was the QTS for a year in a children's centre and really enjoyed it Such a different way of working (I taught for 7 years in a primary school, and have run my own nursery for 8 years now). Tell us a bit about your setting. Are you there every day or are you required to help in associated settings too?

[Guest Wolfie]

Hi Matt, I've just answered one of your other posts but will write here as well. I'm sure that you will really enjoy your job, as I do, but I'm sure that you will soon discover that no two Children's Centre teachers do the same job!

 

EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT! Pay and conditions, hours worked, job descriptions, roles and responsibilities, time management.......the list is endless! I've just been on a two day course run by Early Excellence in Huddersfield all about our role and EVERYONE is different. There seems to be a lack of central guidance about our job and this has led to a lot of confusion and uncertainty with everyone feeling their way and doing what seems best for their particular Children's Centre. Marion Dowling, who ran the course, had been at some kind of consultation at the DFES the day before the course and had stressed that more central direction and guidance is needed.

[Guest]

I would completely agree with you Wolfie!

I've been doing the job since September and I have also been on that early excellence course back in October - everyone in the room was doing the job slightly differently!

I love my job but I think my main tip would be never assume anything - every day brings a new challenge and dilemma and I am still unpicking my job description!! Best of luck and keep in touch xx

[Guest]

Thanks both of you! That is so reassuring! I have been asked by so many people and have just been giving the first line of my job description as a quote! 'to take the lead in the planning and delivery of the foundation stage curriculum and developmentally appropriate experiences for 0-3 yrs" (See I can quote it by heart!!)

I am getting together with two of the other people who were appointed at the same time as me - so that will help!

Can either of you suggest a very rough basic simple plan for how you spend a normal day (yesterday for example?!) Just a hour by hour bullet point would be great!

I am in my first week and have spent most of the week in the nursery learning names and routines! It has been great! I start at my other CC next week for the week.

Matt

[Guest]

Just checking back into this website - I am now 9 weeks into this new job and still wondering about how people spend their days?! It seems to be a huge pile of crossed wires and it is stressing me out! Argh! We know the bits about every centre being different and therefore every job for a teacher being different but this is extremely frustrating when you just need a rough outline of what people do - obviously there is the Sure Start CC guidance which sets out bits but has anyone else seen or read anything in addtion to this? Has anyone had their job description finalised? Has anyone got a rough outline of a week that I could sneak a look at!

Many thanks!

Matt

[Helen]

Hi Matt,

When I was the QTS in a Children's Centre, I seemed to do a bit of the following every day:

*modelling effective interactions with children for other staff to observe

*taking small groups/storytime/music/movement session (again, for less experienced staff to observe)

*tidyingup!!!!!

*doing a display, setting up another workshop type area, adding to the outdoor provision (eg putting up large boards for the children to paint on)

*observing a child during self-initiated play, and contributing to the child's record of achievement

*short-term planning

*meeting with staff (often on a 1-1 ) to train, support, etc

*meeting with senior management (fortnightly) to follow through our action plans

 

If I think of anything else, I'll add to this later!

[Guest Wolfie]

Matt, I've been in the job 18 months...... a job description would be my idea of heaven!!!

[Guest]

Dear Matt,

As a Childrens Centre Manager I know where you are coming from. I read in Children Now (this week I think) that the LA could choose their areas for the performance indicators but there was some rumblings about nearly 80 of the 200 were education based and therefore other ECM outcomes were being pushed aside for education based performance indicators. However, I would also be interested in what all these indicators are as I have not come across them, some are obligatory and others you can choose from apparently. Didn't even know they existed. Communication does seem to be a huge problem, seems difficult communicating within my own LA let alone across agencies. I suppose one of the main indicators would be the increase in FSP profile points and this must be one of the things that the teacher input must affect. However how you go about achieving that and what the other indicators are - who knows. Maybe you could look at the Together 4 Children site and see where you fit in on the reaching vulnerable tooolkit.

Nikki

[Guest]

Thanks for that! Very useful!

Will look at Together 4 Children now!

 

Matt

[surfer]

Hi there,

I have been offered a post as a children's centre teacher serving 2 settings which are nursery schools/children's centres. I have verbally accepted but still not sure about accepting formally. Lots of things seem very attractive and exciting but reading these posts makes me wonder if it is for me? I would really love to hear from anyone who is currently in post and who has previously taught in a nursery or foundation unit. Have you any regrets? What are the pros and cons?

 

Sue