First question is figure out if you need a teacher or a caregiver based on the following:
You need a caregiver:
If you are expecting your kids to follow a school’s curriculum through virtual learning
- Needs to ensure kids are set up for their zooms and following directions/ doing their work
- Planning breaks, fun activities (sports, art etc), feeding kids, ensuring bathrooms and handwashing etc
Their qualifications would look something like:
o Could be a student either focused on education, experienced in child care and able to answer questions based on your childs age
Decide if high school or college is of interest.
o Teachers aid in a classroom (no formal education but experienced in the classroom setting)
o Extracurricular teachers (coaches, dance teachers etc) looking for work
o Could be one of the stay at home parents that may be laid off during these tough times
Where can you find a teacher? Or caregiver:
https://swingeducation.com/
Post on local FB groups such as: XXX or Next Door
Check with your local school district/ teachers to see if they know anyone (some local schools laid off teachers due to funding limitations)
You need a teacher if:
- You are looking for curriculum to be developed and work to be graded (ie homeschooling)
- Special courses or help is needed for your child’s learning needs
Next you need to know the following:
What covid standards and expectations are you going to be setting:
- Kids and teacher/caregiver will wear masks while in class
- Kids will not wear masks, only teachers
- Kids and teachers will not need to wear masks since we are a pod
What hours of school are you expecting?
- 5 days a week: 8-5:30pm (working parents dream)
- 5 days a week: 9-3pm (just like school)
- Custom:
What are you looking to pay for your child per hour? Please keep in mind teachers/caregivers are historically underfunded/ paid.
- $16- 17 (likely going to be caregiver salary)
- $17 - $20
- $21- $23
- $25+ (after having kids at home, you can’t pay someone enough to do this job J )
Questions to Ask Teacher
Location (zip code)
Where were they working previously? (school and experiences)
What ages of kids have they worked with previously?
What is your experience?
- Undergraduate teaching degree
- Masters in Teaching
- Tutoring Experience
- Nanny/ babysitting
How many years have you been a teacher/child care?
- 10+
- 5-10
- 3-5
- 1-3
Would they be comfortable with the education standards you set (ie creating activities or curriculum or following and turning on videos etc)
Are they willing to follow whichever covid standards you decide?
- Kids and teacher/caregiver will wear masks while in class
- Kids will not wear masks, only teachers
- Kids and teachers will not need to wear masks since we are a pod
Are you a specialist or previously taught in a certain area:
- Science
- Sports
- English
- Math
Based off this chart what is your quarantine ranking (you want everyone to be aligned):
What type of teacher or caregiver are they?
- Experienced and currently practicing
- Tutor/ previously teacher
- Smart caregiver who can turn on classes, ensure kids are doing their work and answer basic questions
- Smart caregiver who can do the above and will also do/ plan activities with them (hike, soccer, paint read etc) assuming parents provide the resources (books, balls, paint etc)
Are they will to working the hours that you have decided
What are they looking for per kid? Is this aligned to the budget you and your pod have decided.
Parents, you know your kids best. What is the type of educator/caregiver . For example, my son is a ball buster and he needs someone structured and firm or else he will walk all over them..
So ask the teacher which type of educator they are:
- Love and kindness
- Structure and firm
- Active and “cool”
- Most experienced teacher with multiple masters/degrees in their field
Is anyone in your home working outside the house? What’s their exposure?
Do they have any interests/ passions? (does this match with your kid?
- Art
- Music
- Hiking
- Sports
- Technology (video games count J)
- Custom: