Do you use the term "teacher" and "caregiver"...?

Question

... in a child care center for infants and toddlers to refer to, respectively, trained and non-trained teachers? If not, how do you differentiate the two types?

Answer 1

Personal opinion:  Teacher...for all...trained or not trained.  Though it is completely up to you.  However, I have found that even though there is a "lead teacher" we work as a team and the families' need to see us as a team.  I also have found that "aides/caregivers" ...when are referred to as teachers, tend to live up to it a bit more.   They have just as much influence on the children as the lead teacher.  They also feel more included-important and this influences their job ethics and desire to do better and many are encouraged to continue their education/training.

Answer 2

When I worked at a day care we were caregivers or teachers or head teachers (the one in charge of the room) - the teachers had an early childhood learning certificate, the caregivers did not.

Answer 3

In my center we are all called teachers. To work in a childcare center ( atleast in ohio) you are required to be trained in cpr, first, aide, and recognition of child abuse. Additional classes can also be required by your employer. Generally to be a lead teacher most centers require that you have a degree in early child education or child development.  I personally believe that there is nothing wrong with being called a caregiver. Dealing with toddlers, I am both a caregiver and teacher. Even I do not have a degree I am called a teacher. I do just as much as the lead teachers do. We do equal amount of work and have the same responsibilities. My resume states that I am a Toddler Teacher/ Caregiver.

Answer 4

Semantics don't matter, if you are a teacher, untrained or not, then you are a teacher by definition: one who teaches. You could call them a day-care teacher, like you would call someone a high school teacher or an elementary school teacher. I don't see why you would need to differentiate.

Answer 5

Caregiver around here are only titles used for caring for the elderly or young infants at home.

They use Head Teacher, Lead Teacher, Teacher, Teacher's Aide.

Answer 6

You don't need to differentiate if you are working in an early years team. I am a trained,qualified early years practitioner - my job title is Nursery Nurse and my training involved the care AND education of children from 0 to 8. I work alongside another qualified N.N. and 2 qualified Teachers who have specialised in early years. The children (3 to 4 years old) make no distinction between all the adults, but if a child asks, I will tell them my job title. We also invite every parent / home carer into the Nursery 4 days a week and we expect the children to give them same respect as they give us. (They sign up to come on a specific day) The parents are aware of the distinctions between practitioners, but do not treat us any differently. We ALL contribute to planning, observation, and assessment, care and education in our respective roles. The teachers physically write the planning, and co ordinate the results of observation and assessment. The Nursery Nurses have the main responsibility for health, hygiene and care within the nursery, as the teachers do not cover this in depth, in their training.