Reflection

Melissa Bailey Childcare Worker

To be a childcare worker you need patience, creativity, organization, and flexibility. You need to be firm but fair and ready to have some fun.
One of the things about me is that I enjoy working with people. This would be good for taking care of the children, and communicating with parents. I also like expressing myself through music, art and writing. This would help keep the children occupied and amused.
I have good communications abilities. This will help me when I am talking with the parents. It will also help a lot when explaining things to the children. I also have the ability to learn quickly and catch on. This helps me to learn the different rules in different households of workplaces and put them into use immediately. Also any procedures and routines I can learn quickly.
My top five personal values are family, friendship, compassion, helping others, knowledge. If I were a childcare worker I would have lots of time for my family. Also I would have much time for my friends. I would be able to show compassion to the children and the family during emotional times. I would be helping the children and parents by taking care of the children. I would help the children learn, giving them knowledge. Then I would pass all these values on to the children.
For work values I highly value personal relationships. When being with the children I would want a relationship, or even a friendship to be there. This would help to enhance my enjoyment of work. I also value job security. I would want a job that has fairly predictable hours.
I am a visual learner. This means if you show me what to do I can copy and continue doing it. My highest intelligence is interpersonal. This means that I get along well with other people. This would help me get along with a variety of co-workers and clients.
To pursue a career in childcare I am going to continue my volunteer work with children. I volunteer as a kindergarten helper at Eastdale P.S., I am the person in the Curious George suit going around hugging and waving to the children at Family Literacy Day, I have been a lunch monitor at Eastdale P.S. helping children open snacks, eat healthy foods first, and eat in a timely fashion.
I hope to be in the middle class financially. This means I may not be the richest but I will get by with a some to spare. I hope to have a loving family with a husband and two children. I would also like a cat and a hamster for pets. I want to make sure I keep my old friends that I have currently, but continue to make new ones in the future. I want my friends to loyal and trustworthy, also honest. I want to continue a healthy lifestyle and keep running to stay fit. I hope to have a big house and an okay car. I want the kids to have toys, and each of us to have a computer, with two T.V.s to share. This is what I hope for in the future.

Childcare Worker Advantages/Disadvantages

Advantages

• Lots of variety




• Be creative




• Have alot of fun

Disadvantages:

• No benefits




• No payed sick days




• Deal with whatever moods the children have

Childcare Worker Trends

Demographics > More parents are hiring people to take care of their children rather than have family take care of them. This is projected to increase the employment of childcare workers by 18% between 2006 and 2016. It is estimated that almost 248,000 new jobs will be created.

Technology > There may new ways of accomplishing things around the house. Also new ways of communicating and new activities will arise because of new technology.

Globalization > This will mean better communication, more ways to find information and ideas, and more ways to find jobs.

Information Age > We will have to change the way we teach children as well as what we teach them, to prepare them for the outside world for the age of Brain power.

Childcare Worker Worst Characteristics

• Short temper


• Can't stay focused


• Push over


• Not creative


• Scatterbrained

Childcare Worker Best Characteristics

Patient

Firm but fair

Creative

Flexible

Organized

Childcare Worker Pre-Requisites for College/University

High School Diploma

Grade 12 College level or higher English

Childcare Worker Relevent High School Subjects

English 4
Math 4
Science 4
Social Studies 4
Creative Arts 4
Family and Consumer Sciences 4
Childcare and Development 2
Food and Nutrition 2
French 1
Physed 1
Personal and Career Development 1

Childcare Worker Salary

Pay depends on the educational attainment of the worker and the type of establishment. Although the pay generally is very low, more education usually means higher earnings. Median annual earnings of wage-and-salary child care workers were $17,630 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $14,790 and $21,930. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $12,910, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $27,050. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of child care workers in 2006 were as follows: Other residential care facilities $20,770 Elementary and secondary schools 20,220 Civic and social organizations 16,460 Child day care services 16,320 Other amusement and recreation industries 16,300

Childcare Worker Work Environment

Child care centers range from large well-equipped buildings with large inside and outside play areas to small private homes. Working with children involves extensive physical activity, mental alertness, and enthusiasm. Good general health, physical stamina and emotional stability are essential. The work is never routine, with each day marked by new activities and challenges. Child care requires bending, stooping, and lifting as workers attend to each child’s interest and problems. The environment is often noisy and workers occasionally have to contend with unpleasant odors.

Childcare Worker Job Description

Child care workers spend most of their day working with children. However, they do maintain contact with parents or guardians through informal meetings or scheduled conferences to discuss each child’s progress and needs. Child care workers in child care centers or family child care homes greet young children as they arrive, help them with their jackets, and select an activity of interest. When caring for infants, they feed and change them. To ensure a well-balanced program, child care workers prepare daily and long-term schedules of activities. Each day’s activities balance individual and group play, as well as quiet and active time. Children are given some freedom to participate in activities in which they are interested. Helping to keep children healthy is another important part of the job. Child care workers serve nutritious meals and snacks and teach good eating habits and personal hygiene. They ensure that children have proper rest periods. They identify children who may not feel well and, in some cases, may help parents locate programs that will provide basic health services. Helping children grow, learn, and gain new skills can be very rewarding. The work is sometimes routine but new activities and challenges mark each day. Child care can be physically and emotionally taxing, as workers constantly stand, walk, bend, stoop, and lift to attend to each child’s interests and problems.

Dimensions

My colour is orange. This means I like variety and change. I am independant and competative. I am generous. I am quick witted and seek new ways to do things. I like to try new things. I have good problem solving skills and am a clear direct communicator. I think well on the spot and perform well under pressure. I am flexible and adaptable. I'm easy going and entertaining. I'm good at leading and motivating others, selling and persuading, negotiating and improvising. I can respond to emergencies. I can manage multiple projects and am somewhat of a jack of all trades. I may be pushy in getting an answer. I enjoy performing. I need freedom of expression and control how I get the job done. I like dealing with problems, and being in charge (at least of myself). I like getting things done quickly.

Job Bank Work Values

My Work Style

• I want work that lets me use my creativity to think up new ways to do things.
• I enjoy work that has fixed hours and a set schedule.

My Work Motivations

• I'm motivated by work that allows me to help other people, either individually or in small groups.
• Money is not as important to me as a personal sense of satisfaction.
• I want work that leaves me leisure time for my family and friends.

How I Like to Interact with Others

• I want work where I set and meet my own personal goals.
• I like to compete and put my skills and abilities against others.

My Preferred Work Setting

• I want a calm, peaceful work setting.
• I would like to travel and experience different cultures and places.

Job Bank Methods Of Working

Directive
Directive persons like to take charge and control situations. They like to take responsibility for projects that require planning, decision making and co-ordinating the work of others. They are able to give direction and instructions easily. They enjoy organizing their own activities. They see themselves as independent and self-directing.


Social
Social persons like dealing with people. They enjoy caring for and assisting others in identifying their needs and solving their concerns. Social persons like working and co-operating with others. They prefer to be involved in work that requires interpersonal contact.

Job Bank Data/People/Things

Compiling/Computing
gathering, sorting, and organizing information/data, or figuring out calculations. I seek out work that involves Compiling/Computing.


Diverting/Persuading
amusing or influencing individuals or large groups of people. I seek out work that involves Diverting/Persuading.


Controlling/Driving - Operating
checking and regulating mechanized equipment or directing its course. I seek out work that involves Controlling/Driving - Operating.

Job Bank Abilities

Verbal Ability
Ability to understand the meaning of words and the ideas associated with them, and to use them effectively; to comprehend language, to understand relationships between words and to understand the meaning of whole sentences and paragraphs; to present information or ideas clearly.

General Learning Ability
Ability to "catch on" or understand instructions and underlying principles; to reason and make judgments.

Manual Dexterity
Ability to move the hands easily and skillfully; to work with the hands in placing and turning motions.

My Personality

You are an ENFJ (Extravert, Intuitive, Feeler, Judger)
Vivacious, warm, compassionate, and articulate, ENFJs are among the most skillful communicators. Tactful and diplomatic, they are patient listeners and have a rare gift for making personal connections. ENFJs are exceptionally attuned to others’ needs and passionate about finding creative solutions to help people in long-term ways. They are happiest when they have a plan and can work cooperatively with others to realize their goals.
Being naturally orderly, ENFJs prefer an organized world and like to have matters settled, even if someone else is making the decisions. ENFJs radiate sympathy and understanding and are nurturing and supportive of others.

Multiple Intelligences

The theory of multiple intelligences was developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University. It suggests that the traditional notion of intelligence, based on I.Q. testing, is far too limited. Instead, Dr. Gardner proposes eight different intelligences to account for a broader range of human potential in children and adults. I am interpersonal. This means I get along well with others, like belonging to clubs, have several very close friends, like helping teach other students, get asked by friends for advice, like working with others in groups, and organize the group's efforts for a presentation.

Work Values Assessment

After taking the assessment, I found out that my top value is security. Security in some form, is important for everyone. If you have a high security vlue, it suggests that you would prefer an occupation which is stable, predictable, and offers you some permanence, tather than a job which is risky and changeable. Sometimes having security in a job limits an employee as far as oppoutunities for advancement and excitement are concerned. Oppourtunities for growth advancement, and high financial rewards often require risk taking and a willignness to change or even relocate to another city, province, or country.

Personal Values

After filling out the sheet, I know that my top five values are family, friendship, compassion, helping others, and knowledge.

work values assessment

I highly value personal relationships. that means I would prefer an occupation which allows me to develop a meaningful and supportive network of friends at work. My social life might also include my colleagues.

Learning Style

I am a visual learner. Visual Learner: If you use the visual style, you prefer using images, pictures, colors, and maps to organize information and communicate with others. You can easily visualize objects, plans and outcomes in your mind’s eye. You also have a good spatial sense, which gives you a good sense of direction. You can easily find your way around using maps, and you rarely get lost. When you walk out of an elevator, you instinctively know which way to turn.

Interest Inventory

My strongest areas are working with people and working with informaition and data. This means I enjoy caring for and helping others, persuading people, working as part as a team, and leading and supervising others. It also means I like expressing my self through writing, music, or art, doing experimentsor researching, solving puzzles and problems, studying and reading.