Potential career plan for pre-school teacher?

Question

My girlfriend is a Montessori-certified pre-school teacher. It is a stable job but it will not get her very far. She told me rather than working on becoming a school director, she would prefer to find jobs at companies such as leap frog or similar - to make educational toys for the children. However, when we searched on those companies' sites, most of them need people in business-related or engineering-type of background. She has never had those training or work experiences. Any suggestion on how to enter this kind of field for a teacher?

Thanks!

Answer 1

you can not go to far being a pre school teacher, she cn become a director, She needs to go back to school and major in another subject. Pre school carrer do not pay much. I was a pre school teacher for ten years as well as a montessori teacher and director. I have trained many teachers in the past. I stop teaching in december 2006, Now i am preparing for medical school, currently I work as an accountant. She really needs to look into something else. She needs to sit down and really think about her life. Good luck

Answer 2

I'm wondering something...

Montessori materials are really expensive.  And, unfortunately, the quality you get is starting to drop in many of the bigger companies.  I am horribly unimpressed with the plastic bead frames you buy now as opposed to the glass beads from before.  

Your girlfriend already knows about Montessori.  What about a business that makes quality Montessori materials at a fraction of the cost?  If she's interested in designing new educational materials, she would have some freedom to do that as well.

Granted, that means starting up a new business.  But it's just a thought that might help.

Also, now that I think of it, have her E-Mail me.   Click on my profile and click on the E-Mail there.   I don't have a contact in places like Leapfrog or other educational areas, but I have a contact I'm thinking about in a totally different field.  Maybe if she develops some ideas in that business that work out, she may be able to get the experience to know how to get into other areas.

Matt

Answer 3

Unfortunately, the "idea-generation" jobs are in high demand, and toy companies rely on people with business backgrounds for things like that because they know what sells.  They need engineers to design the mechanics of the toys. Your girlfriend could design a toy herself and try selling it to a company.  

On a more practical note, tutoring could be a career option for her!  She could use her ideas to create tutoring tools, and at a tutoring organization there could be opportunities for advancement (management, director, etc.).  Good luck!

Answer 4

Any suggestion on how to enter this kind of field for a teacher?

Thanks!

Yes try working for Mailbox magazine and books

They are all teachers developing materials for children and

other teachers

http://www.theeducationcenter.com/cgi-bi...

Answer 5

I'd say to enter those fields she must have the  qualifications they are looking for. Is getting a business degree an option? Perhaps there's someone in their human resources division she could meet with, call, or e-mail and get some advice.

Has she ever thought of selling Discovery Toys? I know sales reps. often move up in that company.