Those With A Bachelor's Degree In Education...

[Beach Baby]

What made you decide to have a daycare instead of teaching in a school? I'm nearing the completion of my degree and am considering all of my options. There are so many pros to having my own daycare, that it's hard to consider otherwise, but the job security and awesome schedule of a teacher is really tempting as well!

[bice99]

I have a Masters in Teaching. I taught for 11 years. Once we had our girls, my neighbor watched them. I taught half time after having our 2nd DD. Then my neighbor moved back to Iowa, I went back to FT teaching and we had to find a "real" daycare (our neighbor was just a wonderful mama). After 6 months of that, we decided that I was going to stay home and start a DC. I wanted my girls raised in a home, not a daycare, and that's how I run my daycare. I also love times like this week, when my 7 y/o DD has been home all week with a fever/cold and I don't have to call in a sub, leave plans or anything. I'm right here with her anytime she needs me. Parents love that I have my degree and have a houseful of all of my classroom tubs/scales/games/puzzles/books.

[Blackcat31]

I already had been in the daycare business for many years before I decided to go back to school. I only went back so I could have the knowledge (not necessarily the degree/license).

I have no plans to teach in the public school system. I like what I do now.

[DBug]

I have a B. Ed, but didn't get a chance to have my own classroom. We got pregnant with our first, and the deal was always that I would be a SAHM. I did that for about 8 years with a p/t job for a few years in there. Another mom watched my kids during that time. Then DD arrived and I quit working to stay home again, until the bills started piling up . I had to make money somehow, but with 3 kids needing daycare, any job outside of the home (including teaching) would be cost-prohibitive. So ... I opened my daycare.

It all comes down to dollars and cents for me . And of course, I would do just about anything to continue to stay home with my own kids, even if it just means seeing them off to school and being here when they get home.

My parents love that I have an education, and even though I don't have any requirements to do any training (legally unlicensed), I do pick up CARE courses here and there to stay somewhat current.

[bunnyslippers]

I have a Bachelors in Elementary and a Master's in Sped. I taught for 11 years in a public school system, and ending up running the autism department for the district. I had my first son, and my best friend took care of him for the first 6 months I was back to work after maternity leave. She moved away, and I couldn't stomach the idea of leaving my baby in a daycare. That prompted me to open my own.

My daycare is strictly for teacher's kids, and I am only open when school is open (so I still keep that great teacher schedule). I am only open fromm 7:30-4:00 each day.

There are pros and cons to both. I loved teaching in a public school. The retirement benefit is awesome, and it is fun to work with other teachers in a communityt atmosphere. I also love running my own business, and having my own rules and regulations to follow. I love being home with my two boys during their early years.

The cons to having a daycare are the constant flow of people into my home, the annoying habits of some families, and feeling lonely every now and then. But for me, right now, the pros outweigh the cons.

I am planning to return to teaching as soon as my youngest goes to preschool (1-2 more school years). I like this life for now, but want my old one back later!

Hope that helps!

[beachgrl]

I got my Bachelor's degree in B-K with the intent to do early intervention but that program became so riddled with red tape that no one was really getting to spend time with the kids, they were so busy documenting eveything for medicaid so I went into teaching when I hadn't even planned to, at least not at the public school level.

I taught ec prek, reg prek, inclusive prek, reg prek again and i loved working with the kids and had a couple great ta's to work with and a cpl not so great. I was switched schools twice, classrooms three times and had to move all my stuff ( I have a lot of my own personal items) and add in the stress/pointless trainings outside of school time, them taking away more and more benefits, not really having job security and axing the prek program in our area and I just felt like I needed to do something else for awhile. I really like working with the prek/k kids and had no guarantee as to what grade or even school I would be in and I didn't like that, thye move teachers around like crazy and most likely I would have been put at a ec prek (love the kids, don't want to deal with the papework and lack of support from that department) anyway even after having to get K-6 certified or "they couldn't guarantee me a job"!

I just had enough my last year and took ed leave, been working on my master's in early childhood since I was already about half way through it which will have given me a little less than a year to see if my business is going to float or not and I have the option to ask for another year of leave but Idk if they will give it to me or not.

I did the pros and cons and the cons to staying waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy outweighted the pros of the schedule. I wish I could get all teachers kids and have the same schedule but I think the benefits of being at home will be the ultimate winner on that one in the end. If I need time off, I can take it as long as I give my families notice and then I don't have to save up $ all year long to make it through the summer months.

I am loving being home and out of the fray of the school system so far, there are people I miss and miss being around other adults some but not enough to torture myself going back...that being said, if you get the right school and right co-workers it can be great!

[Springdaze]

Im about to get my degree and I think Im going to close. When I went back to school 2 years ago, the first ?? I was asked by a parent was "when you finish, your not going to raise rates, are you?" My kids are just about 6 and 9 so I dont need the daycare anymore. thats not the reason I started, but it helped when I had kids. Now, i have 3 kids going to kindergarten in sept and it seems like a good time to stop. besides the kids i have here right now are going to be the reason I quit! :: (sorta kidding)

[newtodaycare22]

I have a Masters in Education and taught kindergarten for 2 years before opening my daycare. The school system drove me crazy for many reasons. For instance, disconnect between curriculum mandates and actually meeting the needs of the kids in your care (a MAJOR problem in so many areas). For me, I was bounced around 3 times in 2 years because of restricting/class sizes. My second year, they took my out of my school a month into the school year and moved me to another place. It was such a hard thing to do but I landed up loving the school. Well, at the end of that year, they were going to move me to another school ( I don't know how I could ever get seniority in a building when they kept doing that!) I decided that was enough of that. I'd teach prek and be my own boss...and thats exactly what I'm doing. happyface

[jojosmommy]

I got my degree thinking I would work half time in an early childhood family education program after having my kids. I couldn't stand to be away from my son and I decided this was a logical way to provide for my family and stay home.

I still teach for the District now in ECFE, evenings and weekends. Our district doesn't provide insurance to ECFE employees no matter how much they work:confused: so it is cost prohibitive to work and pay for daycare and insurance. This way I pay for insurance and NOT daycare and can still stay employed by the district (very PT but seniority still).

[DCBlessings27]

Teaching Degree

I have a Bachelor's degree in Secondary Education. I taught high school for 3 years --one year in an inner city school and the other 2 in a suburb. Kids are NOT the same as they were when I was in school nor do they care, so I quit after I had my daughter. I couldn't stomach the thought of putting her in daycare--even though I had planned to send her to my sis-in-law's daycare. (This was a wise decision though because I've learned that my sis-in-law doesn't care to follow our state's regulations. [Newborns sleep on couches, etc])

With all of the budget cuts, I don't think I'd ever go back to teaching. They aren't giving raises anymore nor as many benefits. The schools in my district can't even afford paper, so the teachers are having to buy it and other supplies. My license is up for teaching at the beginning of 2014, and I don't think I want to take classes to renew. My husband always thinks that daycare is just a phase though--that I'd go back to teaching or working outside the house as soon as my daughter turns 3. She's almost 3, and I'm not planning on going back!happyface

My dcps are happy that I am educated, but I don't think it was the sole reason they placed their children with me. I miss the summers off, but the kids I watch are great! I could do the teacher's schedule daycare, but my husband would have to earn more money for that to happen.

[melissadee45]

I too have taught high school for 6 years now. I LOVE educating, but I cannot educate students anymore. Between making sure I have the correct paperwork filled out for failing students (who I am required to give a 69 to regardless of whether or not they made up any work and deserve the 23 they originally had for the grading term), ensuring I have the proper posters on my wall (my county cares more about posters than anything else it seems like), gathering artifacts for my evaluations, and dealing with kids who just do not care and are disrespectful (as are their parents. I will say, there is a small handful that are great kids and parents and that helps somewhat), I've had enough. My MIL is opening a daycare soon and I will be moving there. I want to be able to educate and to watch the wonder in children's eyes as they learn new things.

[icaredaycare]

I graduated and couldn't find a job... I did some research and found out that I could open a daycare in my home. Everything just kinda came together perfectly. I'm a religious person...so I have to give God all the credit for putting my life on track.

[Sunchimes]

I have a BS in Home Economics Ed and an El Ed endorsement. I taught one year at a reform school (that's what they called them in those days) and 2 in a small rural town. That's it.

In Texas, we had to "teach to the test" and I didn't like it. I always said that if you would give me a class full of kids and leave me alone, I'll give you the top kids in the school at year's end. Miraculously, I got that chance one year and I did it. Then, my funding was cut and they started bossing me around again.

I opened a day care when I had to close down my business and couldn't find a job. I love my kids, but I get pretty bored sometimes. I may have a chance to re-open my business next year, and husband and I have been pondering whether I would do it, if I was offered the chance. He says yes, because of the money. I'd like the financial part, but I'm honestly not sure I could give up my kids. They make me happy and I feel like I'm contributing something good to the world. If I could triple-maybe even double, my dc income, I wouldn't even consider leaving. Unfortunately, that is never going to happen unless we sell our house and get a more modern one.

[Heidi]

Wow Ladies! I am impressed by how many of you here have bachelors degrees and more!

I have a lot of continuing ed, and 2 years worth of "core" college classes, but I am just working on my associates degree in early childhood.

[Zoe]

I wanted to be a 3rd grade teacher my whole life. I got the education, started subbing, tried to get a job...nothing. It was hard to get a job at that time and the jobs I did get I really didn't like. The disdain for new teachers by the more experienced teachers was not easy to deal with, the kids had serious behavioral issues, etc. Granted this isn't every school district, just the ones I was working in. I tried several and some were great but those of course weren't hiring.

I went back to school and got my license in special education learning disabilities. Same thing. I just didn't like it. But while I was going back to school I had my own two little ones and watched a friend's baby and I loved it! I found more passion for what I did working with younger kids than I ever did teaching. So that September when I didn't get a full-time job teaching, I started daycare and never looked back. My license actually expires in June of this year and I really don't see the point in renewing it. Love my daycare!!!