Am I Doing The Right Thing- Chidren Center Teacher Job

[Guest]

Hi everyone

I have an interview next week for a children's centre teacher post and I am finding it difficult to really get my head around what an average week for a teacher in a CC looks like.

I am currently a foundation stage coordinator in a 2 form entry reception unit at a primary school. This new post would be a vast change but I am not unhappy in my job just feel like I would like to try something new?

Am I doing the right thing, the jobs are on teachers pay and conditions how does that work when everyone else works all year round. How do experienced staff feel about a teacher coming in to 'advise'

The job description says 50% teaching

 

Help!!

 

Bex

[AnonyMouse_73]

Hi Bex, you are obviously interested in the role otherwise you wouldn't have applied for it. If you are ready for a challenge that will probabaly be unlike anyhting you have ever done before, then Id say go for it. I was very lucky to be seconded first so i got the best of both worlds, but I was also so ready to come out of school, I needed a change. Mine was a new CC so I was one of the first staff to be appointed, yes being teachers pay can cause problems but I wasnt the only person who worked term time. I did find myself pulled in all sorts of directions though, and that was for me, one of the frustrations, you do have a to wear a different hat every few minutes that you do wonder if you need a telephone box in the corner to change in.

 

Having said that, the change was what I liked about it too, it wasnt predictable, every day was different, and I got to work mroe cloesley with other professionals I wouldnt have if Id stayed in school.

 

So if that sounds like you, go for it, if not, then maybe think a little longer before you decide.

 

Good luck

[AnonyMouse_3735]

cannot help with a lot of this but as a setting with a advisor..

it really depends on the way that we are approached and perceived as to how well an advisor are welcomed..

most we have had have been very aware that we are professionals. often very skilled in early years and discuss things in this way.. so value our skills..

in our case they often take our ideas and pass them on.. or ask us to help when we have particular skills which can help others.. they tend to look to peoples strengths and help with areas which would benefit from development.. some settings need more than others depending on experience..

skill is in advising and allowing them realise they are skilled and building upon skills they already have.. well hopefully..

 

Inge

[Guest]

Hi Mundia

Thanks for reply it does sound like my sort of thing and i do need to move on to something different, but change is scary. I am going off to do lots of research on children's centers so I am a bit more informed. Any idea of what questions they might ask??

 

Thanks again

 

Bex

[Guest]

Hi Inge

 

Thanks for post, I hope I would be able to be of use to settings and I do value peoples early years experience (18 years as a nursery nurse before I trained as a teacher does help!)

 

Thanks again

 

Bex

[Guest]

Well I think I would like to know what an average week for a cc teacher looks like - probably not the same any week. If there is a full day care nursery you will need to know how much time you will need to spend in there - different centres have different ideas - you may be included in the numbers - is this expected or not and what age are the children? As for questions not too sure - maybe something along the lines of how would you create or help offering quality stay and play sessions and how would you monitor this. Think about whether you might want to link this in to your areas/schools FSP points - what might make that difference and how would you manage it. Most centres are up for increases in their PSED and CLL points - how will you work alongside other agencies, will you plan for the FDC nursery. Really there are hundreds of questions that could be asked - depends on how your authority wants to use your expertise - and they are all different so its difficult to know. Are you part of a school or separate, do you signpost to other centres for FDC, how will you share best practice with childminders? How would you plan for children bearing in mind you might not see them regularly. How will you work with the other CC workers - what expereince do they have and do they need more attention or is it running ok. Hundreds of questions but I bet none of them will come. Check out if there is an advisory board, will you be on it - all those sort of things

Nikki

[AnonyMouse_73]

As Nicola said loads of things they could ask, but one could well be who are the hard to reach families and how will you reach them?

[Guest]

Hi. I've been a CC teacher for the past three years and it is the mos t rewarding and yet chalenging thing that I have done in my 32 years as a teacher. You will work very closely with all professional from health, social services and education. It is wonderful working with very young children from 3 months to 5 years and you get a real broad understanding of child development, care standards and education.In the classroom you are really not aware of the broad picture regarding early childhood, it has really opened my eyes . I would not like to go back to classroon teaching, this is far more interesting!!

Sunshine

[Guest Wolfie]

will you plan for the FDC nursery.

 

Ok, I've stared at this for 5 minutes and I still can't work out what the initials stand for...and I'm a teacher in a Children's Centre!

 

I agree with what everyone else has said regarding the position. If you like having your own group of children and your own space then this job is NOT for you. But if you enjoy learning from other professionals in different disciplines, understand and respect the philosophy behind a truly multi-disciplinary approach to meeting the needs of children and families and enjoy having new challenges and experiences every day, then you will LOVE it! As I do!

 

I've just moved from one centre where I was term-time only to one where I'm all year round - term time only CAN cause problems if not handled carefully and if you don't take time to build up effective and trusting relationships with the other staff but it was never a big stumbling block for me. Presumably you might be ably to work your contracted weeks and hours flexibly, i.e. coming in during the holidays sometimes and, in turn, taking holidays during term time- that was certainly how I worked it.

[AnonyMouse_64]

Ok, I've stared at this for 5 minutes and I still can't work out what the initials stand for...and I'm a teacher in a Children's Centre!

 

The only thing I can think of is Full Day Care - would this make sense?

[Guest Wolfie]

The only thing I can think of is Full Day Care - would this make sense?

 

Oh yes, of course it would - I must be totally brain dead! Thanks Beau for putting me out of my misery!

[AnonyMouse_8466]

Thanks Beau for putting me out of my misery!

Personally, I'd have saved that one for Children in Need night... But then Beau is much kinder than me!

[Guest]

Thanks for replies everyone, I am feeling more clear about what the role might be, sounds so different to being full time in a foundation stage class but i really feel it is time for a new challenge so i am quite excited but very nervous not had an interview for 8 years!

 

 

 

Who are the most hard to reach familes and how would i reach them????? Help!

 

Interview on Monday i will let you know the results, what a helpful forum xx

[Guest Wolfie]

If you get time, download this and have a good look through, to give you some idea of the Children's Centre remit and the groups that you will be targetting and working with. "Hard to reach" groups will be individual to the community in which the Centre is located but the guidance might give you some ideas and strategies...

 

http://www.surestart.gov.uk/publications/?Document=1854

Edited October 23, 2008 by Wolfie

[Guest]

Sorry getting really lazy - yes FDC is full day care.

You might also want to check out the Together for Children website - thats the children;s centre bible - holds nearly all the information you need on just about anything from governance to hard to reach to toolkits etc but as Wolfie has said the Practice Guidance is a good place to start as you don't want to get too bogged down but if you do there's more than enough infomration here to keep you going for a long while.

Nikki

[AnonyMouse_8466]

Who are the most hard to reach familes and how would i reach them????? Help!

Just to throw a spanner in the works, I'm sure I read somewhere/was told that 'hard to reach' families were now referred to as 'most excluded' to denote that families themselves are not hard to reach, but rather that systems exclude some parts of the community more than others?

 

Or is this just that our Borough has gone a bit 'politically correct'?

 

Good luck with the interview, Bex - looking forward to hearing how you got on!

 

Maz

[Guest Wolfie]

Just to throw a spanner in the works, I'm sure I read somewhere/was told that 'hard to reach' families were now referred to as 'most excluded' to denote that families themselves are not hard to reach, but rather that systems exclude some parts of the community more than others?

 

Or is this just that our Borough has gone a bit 'politically correct'?

 

No, you're right - I went on a Pascal/Bertram course and they said exactly the same....

[Guest]

Hi all thanks for support got the call tonight and have got the job!!! I am really pleased i feel i am ready for a change and a new challenge and i feel this job will give me both. I am sure i will be a regular on this forum picking the brains of all you experinced childrens centre workers

 

Thanks again

 

Bex

[AnonyMouse_8466]

Hi all thanks for support got the call tonight and have got the job!!!

Many congratulations, Bex: well done!

 

Maz

[AnonyMouse_73]

well done Bex, really pleased for you. When do you start?

[Guest Wolfie]

Fantastic news - well done! You'll find no end of support with you role on here.....

[Guest]

Hi i am a new mwmber and still finding my feet. Please bear with me! I have been in post as a Children's Centre teacher since Easter'08 and am finding it very challenging. I have found that all are different, with mine being a very large and busy setting. All other staff work shifts and on a rota, with holidays throughout the year. This in itself is very difficult to work around. When do we all get together to plan and share experieces for assessment etc? I would love to hear from other teachers in such a setting to hear their experiences.

Hi everyone

I have an interview next week for a children's centre teacher post and I am finding it difficult to really get my head around what an average week for a teacher in a CC looks like.

I am currently a foundation stage coordinator in a 2 form entry reception unit at a primary school. This new post would be a vast change but I am not unhappy in my job just feel like I would like to try something new?

Am I doing the right thing, the jobs are on teachers pay and conditions how does that work when everyone else works all year round. How do experienced staff feel about a teacher coming in to 'advise'

The job description says 50% teaching

 

Help!!

 

Bex

[AnonyMouse_8466]

Welcome to the Forum, kitten!

 

Sounds like you have a lot to offer us here on the Forum when we discuss Children's Centres (and I'm sure about anything else). Looking forward to hearing more about you and your work.

 

Maz

[Guest Wolfie]

Welcome to the forum Kitten!

[Guest]

I start in the new year so just going to really enjoy my last half term with my class. I will really miss the team here we have so much fun. I will be on a steep learning curve in January but I am ready for a challenge I know I will be expected to do the EYPS within the first year, but from what I have read it sounds interesting

 

BEX