Saskatchewan JobFutures

Nature of Work

Early childhood educators plan and organize activities for pre-school children and lead children in these

activities to encourage their intellectual, physical and emotional growth. They are employed in day-care

centres and nursery schools.

Nature of Work

Early childhood educators plan and organize activities for pre-school children and lead children in these

activities to encourage their intellectual, physical and emotional growth. They are employed in day-care

centres and nursery schools.

Duties

Educators in this field must develop daily activities for children of various ages. Their work requires them to perform a variety of activities, such as telling or reading stories, teaching songs, demonstrating the use of simple musical instruments, preparing craft materials and demonstrating their use, and taking the children to local points of interest. Their instruction is not always play-oriented; they guide and assist children in the development of proper eating, dressing and toilet habits.

Early childhood educators also observe children for signs of learning disabilities or emotional problems and discuss progress or problems of children with parents and other staff members. In order to develop and discuss new teaching methods, many in this field attend meetings and workshops on early childhood education. Some workers in this field are also responsible for supervising and co-ordinating the activities of other early childhood educators and early childhood educator assistants.

Example Titles

• day-care supervisor
• day-care worker
• early childhood educator
• early childhood supervisor
• early childhood program staff
• child-care worker, day care
• pre-school supervisor
• pre-school teacher

Training Paths

Workers in nursery and day care centres may be required to possess an Early Childhood certificate or diploma. Certificates and diplomas in Early Childhood Education are available through SIAST and regional colleges. Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT) offers certificate and diploma programs in First Nations Child Care. These programs are designed to reflect the culture of First Nations people. U of R offers a Bachelor of Education degree in elementary education with a kindergarten to grade three major. This major offers various courses in early childhood development. U of S and FNUniv offer Bachelor degree programs in Elementary Education. A Bachelor's of Elementary Education is available through Northern Teachern Education Program (NORTEP) in La Ronge.

Trends and Outlooks

The employment prospects for this occupation are: fair

Early childhood educators and assistants are not highly paid in Saskatchewan. In 2005, the average full-time income for paid employees was $18,600 per year, well below the provincial full-time average for all occupations the same year ($42,300 per year). Even the highest full-time incomes in this field are low. The highest paid educators and assistants earned an average of $30,600 per year in 2005. The lowest paid that year earned an average of $7,680 per year. Early childhood educators and assistants in Regina and Saskatoon generally earn more than their counterparts elsewhere in the province.

In 2006, 97% of all early childhood educators and assistants in the province were female. The same year, just over 50% of all employment in this field was based in Regina and Saskatoon. Few early childhood educators and assistants in Saskatchewan work full time; 59% of workers in this field in 2005 were employed on a part-time basis. Employment in this field is moderately seasonal but not very sensitive to overall economic conditions. Self-employment is common among early childhood educators and assistants.

Many of the factors that determine employment in this field are under constant review in Saskatchewan both by governments and by boards of education. Any future changes to legislation regarding levels of support for child care and educational requirements for kindergarten and pre-kinder garden teachers will impact the number of early childhood educators and assistants employed in Saskatchewan.

Professional Associations

Related Occupations

• Early Childhood Educator Assistants (6473)
• Elementary School and Kindergarten Teachers (4142)
• Teacher's aides (in 6472 Elementary and Secondary School Teacher Assistants)