Kindergarten teacher (Kleuterleidster)
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A kindergarten teacher is a teacher, who is responsible for various activities, which have to do with the care of toddlers between the ages of three and six years. A kindergarten teacher works in primary education and will teach and care for toddlers in groups one and two. Kindergarten teachers are important for the overall development of toddlers, because kindergarten teachers contribute greatly to the first stage of development of toddlers in various areas, such as motor, linguistic, creativity, intellectual and social. It is also the kindergarten teachers who make an important contribution to the first numeracy and language skills of toddlers. In short, we can best describe the work of a kindergarten teacher as the playful teaching of toddlers, including the teaching of general social skills. Other activities include keeping track of all progress and consulting with the parents or carers of toddlers. A kindergarten teacher may also have to deal with other specialists if toddlers experience problems with their general development. As a kindergarten teacher, you are therefore also responsible for observing preschoolers, so that possible problems can be addressed at an early stage. A kindergarten teacher is responsible for accommodating toddlers, including providing appropriate play-learning activities, which focus on the overall development of toddlers. Think, for example, of reading aloud, singing songs, (language) games and creative working methods. The profession of kindergarten teacher is a beautiful profession, but it is also a profession in which you will bear great responsibilities, because you have to deal with toddlers. In general, it is mainly women who work as kindergarten teachers. There are no special kindergartens in the Netherlands. A kindergarten teacher is therefore simply working as a teacher within primary education.
A kindergarten teacher is therefore responsible for the care, guidance, teaching and social development of toddlers. The kindergarten teacher will provide education in various fields, which contribute to the general pedagogical development of toddlers. A kindergarten teacher does this by offering various play-learning activities. Think, for example, of learning to ride a tricycle, telling stories, singing together, dancing together, playing together and learning to draw. Play is important for toddlers, because play contributes to a large extent in the social development, creativity, imagination and problem-solving ability of toddlers. Within pre-primary education, there is not only attention for play, because pre-primary education is also aimed at the first language development of toddlers. Most kindergarten teachers also deal with speech therapists, who screen preschoolers speech therapy for possible speech therapy problems. Within kindergarten it is important that toddlers can develop at their own level. Preschoolers are generally not seen as pupils, because there are only pupils when the preschoolers grow into group three. From group three, toddlers are confronted for the first time with a real class where the students have to sit at a table. Within the kindergarten groups, the toddlers are in most cases in a circle arrangement.
KINDERGARTEN OR PRIMARY SCHOOL
In the Netherlands there is no longer a kindergarten. The first and second group of the primary school are intended for the toddlers, after which they move on to group three of the primary school. In earlier days, until 1984, there was also a separate training for kindergarten teacher in the Netherlands, but nowadays a kindergarten teacher will have to follow the same training as other teachers within primary education. If a teacher wants to work in special education, an additional education will have to be received.
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER:
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER TRAINING
Anyone who aspires to a career as a kindergarten teacher at a primary school will have to follow the teacher training for primary education (PABO) at hbo level. The teacher training will generally take four years, but there are also possibilities for a shortened course provided you have the right prior education. Nowadays we also know the training to become a teaching assistant at MBO level four that can be followed, but will yield limited powers as a teacher. There are also other courses at MBO level to follow, such as the specialized pedagogical employee training. These courses are aimed at taking care of toddlers in the well-known playgroups and nurseries. In addition, there are also plenty of external training institutes where you can follow a course. Accounting is also important as an entrepreneur.
COMPANIES WHERE A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER CAN BE EMPLOYED
A kindergarten teacher works in primary education. If you want to work as a kindergarten teacher at a primary school, you will have to complete the teacher training or the teaching assistant training. A teaching assistant does have fewer powers, because a teaching assistant cannot be regarded as a teacher. If you want to work for a nursery or playgroup, an MBO education at level four is sufficient.
COMPETENCES KINDERGARTEN TEACHER
The most important competence of a kindergarten teacher is that you enjoy working with toddlers. In addition, a kindergarten teacher must have a great sense of responsibility. Another important competence is your communication skills, because a kindergarten teacher has to deal with many different toddlers, parents and caregivers. In addition, you will have to be quite creative, because you are often crafting together with the toddlers. Generally important words are vigilance, energy, control, monitor, motivate, inspire, support, caring, plan and organize. Because a kindergarten teacher is a teacher, you must also have didactic skills. In other words, a kindergarten teacher is also an educationalist.
LABOUR MARKET PERSPECTIVE AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AS A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER
The labour market perspective of a kindergarten teacher is good. Most kindergarten teachers have no trouble finding work. In addition, a kindergarten teacher with a completed teacher training can work in different ways within education. The career opportunities of a kindergarten teacher are generally limited. In most cases, a teacher will have to have additional training in order to be able to grow within education.
WORKING CONDITIONS AND SALARY KINDERGARTEN TEACHER
As a kindergarten teacher, your employment conditions are well regulated and laid down in the collective labour agreement. Education has various advocates who are committed to education, such as the general education union. The salary as a kindergarten teacher is determined on the basis of fixed scales that are used in education. But experience and years of service also play an important role in determining the salary. The salary as a kindergarten teacher will usually be between 2000 and 3000 euros gross per month, depending on the type of school, diplomas, age, experience and responsibilities.
The content on this page has been automatically translated from the Dutch language. For this reason, texts and videos on this page may contain small errors.
Lesen Sie diese Informationen auf Kindergartnerin auf Deutsch.
Lea esta información sobre Maestro de jardin de infantes en español.
Lees deze informatie over Kleuterleidster in het Nederlands.
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