Lead Teacher
(Female, Age 26) from Independence, MO
This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Female aged 26 who works as a Lead Teacher in Independence, MO. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.
At a Glance
Current Job
Basic data on your current job
| Job Title | Lead Teacher |
|---|---|
| Salary | $17,000 |
| Other Compensation | None Set |
| Hours/Week | 40 |
| Company Size | (not answered) |
| Location | Independence, MO |
| Years Experience | 2 years |
Career Ratings
Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)
| Years in Career | 0 |
|---|---|
| Education | (not answered) |
| Income Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Interest Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Work-Life Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Fulfilment Rating | 0 / 10 |
Current job Q&A
Describe the type of organization you work for.
A small childcare center for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years. There are 12 people employed throughout the center. We are a non for profit center working with the Head Start corporation.
Describe your job role and responsibilities.
I am the infant room lead teacher, I care for the babies while their parents are away at school or work.
Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
paid holidays, vacation days and sick days.
Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
Very under compensated
Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
Yes, and I do enjoy it. Its nice to have others to talk to and to work with to make the day go by faster.
Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes
Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
I work in a home that has been totally revamped into a childcare center. I love it because it has a very homey feel and a huge yard for the kids.
Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 1
Benefits: 4
Hours: 2
Co-Workers: 3
Supervisors: 6
Job Title: 8
Level of Responsibility: 7
The Actual Work: 5
A day in the life of…
Please describe a typical workday for you in your current job:
| 5am to 6am | |
| 6am to 7am | |
| 7am to 8am | I begin work at 7 and I start to feed the infants as they come into the center. We usually just play for awhile after they eat. |
| 8am to 9am | During this time period we are still doing the same as above. Children are still coming in to the center, eating breakfast and playing. |
| 9am to 10am | During this time I usually do an art project with the kids and then we have a snack. |
| 10am to 11am | During this time I take the children outside weather permitting. |
| 11am to 12pm | Lunchtime! Very busy part of the day. Feed children lunch, clean up, have children brush teeth. |
| 12pm to 1pm | Getting children ready for naptime, changing diapers, laying out cots. |
| 1pm to 2pm | Children are sleeping, I am doing my lesson plans for the week and cleaning up the room. |
| 2pm to 3pm | Children are starting to wake up, I am preparing snack and serving it to the children. 3 pm i go home. |
| 3pm to 4pm | |
| 4pm to 5pm | |
| 5pm to 6pm | |
| 6pm to 7pm | |
| 7pm to 8pm | |
| 8pm to 9pm | |
| 9pm to 10pm | |
| 10pm to 11pm | |
| 11pm to 12am |
Table of Contents
How you got your job
How did you get your current job?
looked up in the phone book
What was the application process?
paper application
Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
I had one interview with the owner, who asked me about my background and how I would handle certain situations in a childcare center.
If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
Why do I want to work with children? What would I do if I could not get a child to stop crying? How long do I plan on working this job?
Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes, I did not really need to be prepared, I was already qualified to work with children. Had plenty experience
Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
NO
Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes, I already had experience working in childcare, so I already knew what the job entailed.
If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
N/A
If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
Call around do different childcare centers in the area, asking if they are hiring. Many places will want prior experience, but if you have children, that helps. You could also start part time to gain experience and then work your way up to full time.
What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
Empathy, very good social skills, you have to be able to communicate well with coworkers and the parents. Definatly need to know how to work with children, have the ability to stay calm in a stressful environment.
Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Yes
What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Just to stay calm when things start to heat up in the classroom. For a few weeks, things might be a little rough until you get used to the job, but then you will get the hang of it and love the job.
Long-term career plans
Is your current employment part of your overall career plan? Why or why not?
Yes, I plan on someday being the director over the center.
What are your current career goals?
Being the director of the center that i work at.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
It just a great career to have, I really enjoy my job.
Prior work history
Please list your most recent jobs prior to this current job:
| Title | Length | Salary | Description | |
| Prior Job 1 | Records Management Technician | 1 year | 14.5 | filing social security paperwork |
| Prior Job 2 | lead teacher | 4 years | 8 | taking care of children |
Educational background
Please list your educational background:
High School GPA:3.6
| GPA | School | Degree | |
| College (Undergraduate) or Technical/Vocational |
4 | Concorde Career College | Medical Assisting |
| Graduate or Professional (Masters or Doctorate) |
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