10 Child Studies Unit 1: Careers working with young children

1. 10 Child StudiesUnit 1: Careers working with young children Describe job roles and the skills and qualities required when working with children

2. What job roles are available when working with children? • Nursery nurse • Playgroup leader • Childminder • Kindergarten teacher Activity: Brainstorm and A-Z of jobs working with children Note – Think outside the square

3. Skills and Qualities Know the difference! • Skills: Things we learn throughout life and work experience • Qualities: what we are good at, natural abilities, strengths

4. Skills required when working with children – some examples • Similar to those of other job roles. • Approachable – be able top relate to children, parents, carers and other professionals • Communication – involvement in activities such as writing reports, notes to parents, information leaflets and posters • Listening – hearing what is actually being said • Able to plan ahead – prepare activities • Practical skills – labelling pictures, organising materials for creative activities

5. Describe job roles and the skills and qualities required when working with children • Look at the skills mind map on the next slide • Working in pairs: • Copy the mind map onto a sheet of A3 paper • Give one example why a child care worker would need each skill – focus on ONE job role • Extend your mind map to include these examples

6. Describe job roles and the skills and qualities required when working with children • For example: • Social skills – the childminder needs to have good social skills because they need to be able to help children mix with other children • Note:If they are not good at mixing with others how can they help children to do the same?

7. Skills required to work in Child Care good communication and social skills accept responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of the children in their care to work as part of a team TAFE certificate as required Child Care Worker relate well to children good level of physical fitness patience keen eye for any potential behavioural concerns

8. Table 1. GENERIC DESCRIPTIONS OF STAGES OF PERFORMANCE STAGES Sourced from : http://www.innovation.gov.au/skills/CoreSkillsForWorkFramework/Documents/CSWF-Framework.pdf

9. Assessment task: Initial research • Research one of the career options brainstormed earlier in the unit. (the one that interest you the most): • What are the requirements for this job: • Strengths • Qualifications • Expectations • Skills • Use www.seek.com.au or www.careerone.com.au to search for advertisements for jobs in your chosen career area. • Save and print out any job specifications or information relating to the jobs.

10. Assessment task: Letter of applicationLearning Objectives • To know how to identify your own skills and qualities • To know how to write a professional letter of application • To know and understand the skills and qualities required for working in an early years’ setting

11. Constructing your Letter • Read through the job role description thoroughly • Then jot down the main skills and the main qualities that you have identified • Try to match these up to your own skills and qualities • You should try to give some examples of when you have used these, for example work experience placements, part time jobs, at home helping to look after younger siblings or when babysitting for family/ friends

12. Things to take extra care with • Spelling • Grammar • Hand-writing (if not using ICT) • Repetition of words • Use of vocabulary • Starting sentences