Getting a Child Care Diploma

Question:
I would like to take online courses in child care. I am a preprimary teacher with 24 years' experience, but would like to learn new skills. I'm not sure where to begin. What are other options in the field?

Answer:
With 24 years' experience, your child care skills must feel completely ingrained, but much has changed in teaching philosophy during the last two decades. Online child care classes will teach you about current approaches to teaching younger children.

To enroll in child day care courses, you can start here. If you plan to take one class at a time, choose a course that specifically addresses the skills you'd most like to learn and feels least daunting. By completing a certificate or associate's degree, you might advance to higher-level positions at a daycare or preschool.

Another option includes taking teacher assistant classes. You can complete a teacher assistant program in a year or two through a diploma or associate's program. Getting certified as a teaching assistant can land you a job in a public school, working under the guidance of a certified teacher, often assisting students with special needs. Public schools typically offer better benefits than daycares and preschools. Today, teachers' assistants are often hired in public schools to help with special ed classes.

If you're willing to earn a bachelor's degree (or higher), you could become a certified teacher. Doing so will require at least one semester of unpaid student-teaching, so you'll need to be committed. But certified teachers enjoy higher salaries, better benefits and, after a number of years of service, the protection of tenure.