It is common knowledge that being a good daycare provider requires a tremendous amount of patience, love, endurance, tenacity, an easy nature and a genuine love of children. Unfortunately, these traits are not always sufficient preparation for the conflicts and controversies that may arise from being responsible for a diverse group of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers on a daily basis. Because of this, state licensing boards require that daycare directors and teachers complete a minimum amount of extra training prior to being licensed.
All daycare providers are required to obtain and maintain national certification in first aid and safety, as well as pediatric CPR and rescue breathing. This is very important, especially for in-home caregivers who live a great distance from the hospital and may not always be able to be quickly reached by an ambulance. Their ability to react swiftly to emergency situations, in this case, may decide if the child lives or dies. Training for this certification can be obtained by individuals through the Red Cross. Class schedules are posted on their website. If the Red Cross is not a feasible option, a local hospital or fire department should be able to recommend another route and possibly even share the details of when and where classes will be. Some groups will allow those individuals attempting to obtain training for employment purposes to join in their company certification classes, although the individual will be responsible for their own course fees in such an event.
A minimum level of secondary education in child development, psychology or education is often required as well, the exact level of which being dependent on the position an individual holds and their prior programmatic experience. A daycare provider should be able to deal with all situations that arise with their students. Unfortunately, students cannot be classified as good or bad and left to their own devices. If a child is having difficulty learning or is displaying less than savory behavior patterns a good daycare teacher must then become a detective, using their training in child development, psychology and education to deduce the reason behind the problem and the most effective solution Most colleges and universities will offer both individual classes and degree programs in these subjects and will offer financial aid to qualified applicants attempting to complete a degree program.
Even after a license for a daycare has been obtained, a provider’s training is not finished. All licensed daycare providers must complete an established amount of continuing education credits annually to maintain their licensure. Continuing education credits are required for a professional to keep abreast of current developments and keep their knowledge up to date and at the forefront of their minds. These can be obtained through classes, meetings, activities, and seminars. A list of approved continuing education activities can be obtained from employers or through the licensing agency itself.
Being a daycare provider is a challenging job, without any of the absolutes that can be found in many other fields. The required training to obtain a license will allow an individual to travel to and remain at the top in their profession.
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