Vent Incoming.....work related.

[kathieA]

You can be qualified as a teacher and take a position as a janitor. They are however two very different fields have two very different titles yet you can be both at the same time.

In the child care/education fields however you will find qualified teachers in both classrooms in schools and after school care programs.

So are you a licensed teacher or not?

 

[Pomlover2586]

To all who have participated and or read along.....Bottom Line.......respect and appreciation is all we ask for.

We generally have higher educations than your average babysitter and we'd like that to be acknowledged every now and then

God Bless

 

[JulyGirl]

I can feel your pain OP. I worked for a year in a daycare right after I graduated college. While I was technically hired under the title of "teacher", I really did feel more like a babysitter. When I got a position in an elementary school, the difference to me was loud and clear. While I did teach the children in daycare, I did not have the pressure of standardized tests, etc. Nobody really evaluated my daycare teaching. The director of my daycare was happy if I kept my group well-behaved and happy. The principal at my school has to look way beyond the smiling, happy faces. Don't get offended by the babysitter title. If the parents weren't happy with your services, they would not send their children there. Keep up the good work!

 

[AC7179]

I teach kindergarten in a city funded daycare center. I have the same level of education as public school teachers. I took the same licensing exams as NYS public school teachers (LAST, ATS-W and CST).

Why shouldn't I be called a teacher?

If you teach kindergarten, I wouldn't consider your setting a daycare, I'd consider it a school, even if there are daycare classes held in your building.

 

[AC7179]

Just as pomlover feels she deserves a title other than babysitters, teachers feel that they deserve the title as teacher because of the completition of their degree, as well as other requirements needed to earn a teaching certificate.

Here in Texas, you must have a four-year degree to be a teacher. If the degree wasn't in education, you must participate in a lengthy and tedious program (evenings and weekends) to be eligible for a teaching certificate.

Our wonderful ladies who run the afterschool program are teacher's aides. They do a FANTASTIC job and we couldn't make it without them, but they're not teachers.

I say, let's stick to childcare provider for the OP. She does deserve recognition for her work and education, just not the title of teacher, IMO.

 

[AC7179]

Whether I was a licensed teacher would depend on the type of masters I have. And you do not need a Masters to be a licensed teacher BTW A Bachelors with teaching credentials and state exams qualifies you.

The problem is your ASSUMING that all childcare workers don't have these degrees/and or credentials. Many of us HAVE them and CHOSE to work in Child care facilities instead of schools.

Two people [A & B] may be equally qualified as teachers and choose different field of child care/education to work in. "A" becomes a 3rd grade teacher and "B" chooses to work in a child care center. It does not make "A" any more qualified than "B" yet without openly broadcasting the fact that "B" has said credentials she has now been labeled a babysitter/child care provider and not teacher. KWIM?

I don't think that MANY people choose to work in a daycare setting over a school, if they have the ability to work in a school. The pay is less and the hours are A LOT more.

 

[Robindianne]

WOW.....you compare a child care worker to a counselor? Counselors have YEARS of education behind them. If I was called a counselor I'd be honored. If you called them babysitters........then perhaps you should have hired that 16 year old and saved yourself money


KathieA- "but I don't send my child to after school care to be taught by a "teacher", I need a responsible adult to watch her for about an hour and a half after school until I can pick her up. I send her to school for six and a half hours a day to be taught by a teacher."

You may send your child to school for 6 hours a day to be "taught" but education comes from ALL aspects of life....not just a classroom setting. If all you were looking for was a responsible adult to babysit you should have hired a grandma and saved yourself the money.........but even she would have "taught" your child somthing

Wow! We are only teachers if we earn a teaching certificate from the state department of ed and have a minimum BA in education.

We do have a day care center in one room of our public school and staff are day care workers, day care providers, etc. They aren't required by law to have an education, although I believe some do. I know that some child care businesses may want that in order to hire someone though. They are mostly young adults, going to night school, getting experience for a future career, etc, but not teachers.

They might help kids with homework but they don't teach classes or have lesson plans reviewed by principal; don't have required curriculum mandated by state and district; required district meetings; don't take continuing ed to keep from losing their certificate, etc.

This daycare isn't the same thing as Head Start or district or developmental preschool though. It truly is babysitting. A teacher could be hired there to babysit, but daycare staff could not legally be hired (in a public school anyway) to teach.

They provide a valuable service, and yes, kids are "taught" in many areas, but we can't call our city librarian a teacher even though she likely has more education than many teachers, because her education is library science and she is not certified by the state to teach. I could not be called a professor for teaching adults. It's not personal, it's a title given by the state (well, professor is given by the university system one is a part of). KWIM?

Sorry so long, the more I tried to ensure I wasn't hurting feelings the more long winded I got.

 

[Robindianne]

I didn't call them counsellors...that's what they called themselves! That was their job title. BTW, most of them were 16-18 yrs old, and a couple were university students as well. They did a terrific job with the kids. They had an awesome summer program. I worked from home but my son still wanted to go to After School and summer camp because all his friends were there and they played sports and had cool fieldtrips. Child care providers...yes. Teachers? No way.

Sounds like a camp counselor.

 

[Robindianne]

I can feel your pain OP. I worked for a year in a daycare right after I graduated college. While I was technically hired under the title of "teacher", I really did feel more like a babysitter. When I got a position in an elementary school, the difference to me was loud and clear. While I did teach the children in daycare, I did not have the pressure of standardized tests, etc. Nobody really evaluated my daycare teaching. The director of my daycare was happy if I kept my group well-behaved and happy. The principal at my school has to look way beyond the smiling, happy faces. Don't get offended by the babysitter title. If the parents weren't happy with your services, they would not send their children there. Keep up the good work!

Ah. Good points.

 

[WDSearcher]

I have more education in curriculum/child develoment [from a 4 year college] then multiple student teachers/interns who work at the school I'm at. And in case you are not familiar with student teachers, they are students in their final years of college finishing up their education/teaching credentials and are running full sized [30 student] classrooms BY THEMSELVES

Wow. Doesn't your laughing at them kind of stoop to the level of anyone who might use the dreaded "B-word" to describe you? You're accusing those "B-word"-using parents of somehow looking down on you -- you, the child care provider with the education and lesson plans and experience, etc -- and yet, you're doing the same thing with the student teachers who are finishing up their credentials and running classrooms and teaching ... which is what they have trained to do (with education and lesson plans and stuff). If running a full sized classroom by yourself is something you want to do, then clearly you have the credentials for it. If it's not, then why make fun of them for pursuing that work?

I'm not so sure why the "lmao" icon is there or why you find that so darned funny. Seems to me as though it's okay for you to demean people who you identify as "inferior", but it's not okay for someone else to do that to you. Unless I read the laughter incorrectly ...

 

[ols386]

When my kids were young and they stayed at the home of a babysitter, that's what we called her, the "babysitter". When they became a bit older, and stayed in a daycare center before and after regular school, we called them the "teacher". I don't think some of the "teachers" had a college degree in teaching, but because it was in somewhat of a school-setting, we called them the teacher.

Personally, I don't fully understand why the OP seems somewhat focussed on her title. I can certainly understand why she would expect to be treated with respect by the parents, and should be treated with respect, but it seems like she is a bit focussed on her title.

 

[Mom2Nick]

If they are paid by me to watch my child when I am not available - they are a babysitter.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I can understand that the OP feels like she is doing thankless work. It sounds like she is doing a wonderful job. It would be nice if her clients at least acknowledged that. A little praise goes a long way. I don't think anyone disagrees with that.
I am a sahm. I have a college degree, and am licensed also for a trade. I teach all day long. I create lessons, crafts, activities, even take field trips. I do not expect to be called a teacher. I can teach many things. I can also get paid to teach certain things. However, I did not go to school to become a school teacher. Therefore that title isn't really appropriate. It's like going to school to be a paralegal. You might do almost everything a lawyer does and you might know the law better than your boss, but you did not take the Bar. So you are not a lawyer.

OP- I am glad you seem to like your job but I think you might feel that people don't realize that you have a degree and you feel that they treat you like an idiot. Hey, I know what that is like. I just don't care if anyone thinks I am "just" a Mom. I love being "just" a Mom. In fact I think it is the best thing in the world and I don't care what anyone thinks. I understand your frustration, but know that you are appreciated and some people just don't have manners.

 

[luvsJack]

Julygirl, if that was your experience with a child care center; then that was not a quality program at all. At no time should the director have been happy with that "keeping the children quiet and happy", and she certainly should have been evaluating your abilities with the children and in the classroom.

That may be the difference here. A low quality child care center is nothing but a glorified babysitting service. If you find high quality childcare then you will see the difference between a "babysitter" and a childcare provider or preschool teacher (or whatever title is preferable)

In her original post she was not asking to be called a teacher, that was the title given to her by her employer. She just doesn't want to be called a babysitter. If you have every done her job you would understand why.

Titles are important to people. Most of us work hard for the title we have earned. I don't get why it is such a major thing to call someone by the title they are given?

BTW, if you don't think it takes much more than a 4 year degree to make someone a teacher; you are sadly mistaken. There are many people with degrees to teach who are a far cry from being a teacher, and there are many people who don't have a degree who are fine teachers.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I just can't wrap my head around saying "Hello Child Care Provider!"

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Julygirl, if that was your experience with a child care center; then that was not a quality program at all. At no time should the director have been happy with that "keeping the children quiet and happy", and she certainly should have been evaluating your abilities with the children and in the classroom.

That may be the difference here. A low quality child care center is nothing but a glorified babysitting service. If you find high quality childcare then you will see the difference between a "babysitter" and a childcare provider or preschool teacher (or whatever title is preferable)

In her original post she was not asking to be called a teacher, that was the title given to her by her employer. She just doesn't want to be called a babysitter. If you have every done her job you would understand why.

Titles are important to people. Most of us work hard for the title we have earned. I don't get why it is such a major thing to call someone by the title they are given?

BTW, if you don't think it takes much more than a 4 year degree to make someone a teacher; you are sadly mistaken. There are many people with degrees to teach who are a far cry from being a teacher, and there are many people who don't have a degree who are fine teachers.

I think this depends on where you live. Teachers here have to have multiple certifications and only have a certain time frame to get their Masters and keep their job. Then if they want certain pay raises they have to keep taking classes. Also, some districts requires higher levels of certification etc.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Oh GOOD gracious...
Another battle of the teacher bashers-vs-parent bashers...

OP, you may know how I feel about many 'teachers' by my history of posts here on the dis... But, I have to say that I mostly agree with your original post!!!! Nothing is worse to me than parents who DON'T parent... They are the ones who give cause for unwarranted and inappropriate parent bashing!!!

On the flip side..
I don't care WHAT 'degrees' or qualifications that you have...
I have seen one to many 'educated fools'. (not you in particular...)
As a parent, all I would care about is that somebody loving and caring is looking after my child for an hour or two after school. I expect that time to be precious and much needed 'down-time' for children, not an extension of the structured demanding educational school day. Whether you may like to play the role of 'teacher' or not.

All of the constant 'I am a counselor, I am a physician, I am this, I am that... I am GOD... All the 'self ingrandisement' really turns my stomach and even raises a bit of ire...

I see no reason why so called 'Teachers' should be on any pedestal any more than anyone else.

 

[luvsJack]

I think this depends on where you live. Teachers here have to have multiple certifications and only have a certain time frame to get their Masters and keep their job. Then if they want certain pay raises they have to keep taking classes. Also, some districts requires higher levels of certification etc.

No, I mean having a degree (regardless of how many or what kind) does not make you a teacher. They have a degree in education. That does not give them the ability to teach. It means they may teach it does not mean they can. The degree is a requirement for the job, the ability should be a requirement to keep the title.

No offense to teachers, most are wonderful at what they do and work extremely hard for very low pay; but there are some that should never set foot in the classroom.

My point was that everyone keeps saying teachers have a degree that gives them the title of teacher. The degree is in education. That have to pass a certification test to teach (and some should have to be evaluated to retain the title). Childcare providers in some states have to pass a test to be provide care to children (which in this state includes teaching).

 

[Mouse House Mama]

No, I mean having a degree (regardless of how many or what kind) does not make you a teacher. They have a degree in education. That does not give them the ability to teach. It means they may teach it does not mean they can. The degree is a requirement for the job, the ability should be a requirement to keep the title.

No offense to teachers, most are wonderful at what they do and work extremely hard for very low pay; but there are some that should never set foot in the classroom.

My point was that everyone keeps saying teachers have a degree that gives them the title of teacher. The degree is in education. That have to pass a certification test to teach (and some should have to be evaluated to retain the title). Childcare providers in some states have to pass a test to be provide care to children (which in this state includes teaching).

Makes sense.

 

[FayeW]

Sounds like a camp counselor.

Yes, in the summer, they were the summer camp counselors. During the school year they were after school counselors. All I said was that we called them counselors because that was, in fact, what they called themselves. This was/is a city run faciltiy, and all the employees are city employees. While I am sure that my son learned many things while he was there (and they had a "homework club" also where the counselors would help with homework) the counselors could in no way, shape or form be considered teachers.

I also think that it is silly to refer to somebody with the title for one profession for which they may be licensed/qualified, if they are not actually working in that capacity.