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What types of things can I start doing to work toward college. Another question I have is what majors work with young children. Lastly, is there are certain things that I need to work toward to work with kids or in certain fields such as being an educator or a social worker for children and more?
I am in 9th grade in a high school located in California. As of right now I am 14 years old. I am willing to do things such as volunteering, researching, taking classes and more
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Dave’s Answer
Start taking advanced placement classes. If you take enough of these classes, you will already have completed one year of college before you finish high School.
While in high school, you could work with a Parks department to understand your role as a leader of young children. They have classes all through the year not just during the summer. And, if they see your potential, they will pay you for your work!
There are so many opportunities later on to be working with young children, not just as a teacher, although that is a highly respected and well-paying position. You could be a psychologist, a psychiatrist, a recreation program specialist, a music therapist, a program director at a recreation facility just to name a few. Not everybody has the patience to work with children. But once you find that special job, you'll love going to work every single day! Their enthusiasm is contagious!
While in high school, you could work with a Parks department to understand your role as a leader of young children. They have classes all through the year not just during the summer. And, if they see your potential, they will pay you for your work!
There are so many opportunities later on to be working with young children, not just as a teacher, although that is a highly respected and well-paying position. You could be a psychologist, a psychiatrist, a recreation program specialist, a music therapist, a program director at a recreation facility just to name a few. Not everybody has the patience to work with children. But once you find that special job, you'll love going to work every single day! Their enthusiasm is contagious!
Thank you , I'll make sure to look into those types of classes and programs.
Kathy
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Rebecca’s Answer
Hey Kathy,
Thanks for submitting your question to CareerVillage! I think it's so admirable that you're already considering your options for college and wanting to "get your feet wet" in the workforce. To answer your question, here's what I would say. For starters, since you are still relatively young (14 years old) you're options are still relatively limited in terms of what job you can do to go to work. Most jobs start employing teens at 16 years old. However, I will say that if you wanted to start building experience now, your best bet would be through volunteer work and other short term side hustles like babysitting. This could be something to consider if you do have younger siblings or other adults whom you have built trusting relationships with to babysit in short-intervals like a couple hours or few days. This is a good job opportunity to use and develop proper caretaking skills.
In addition, you can start by asking your school's guidance counselor for classes that teach you about childcare education. Here you will earn your Childcare Developmental Association Certification (CDA) where you will learn the fundamentals of childcare education (birth, feeding, signals, developmental stages, etc.), I believe if you continue the program into Year 2, you will also have the opportunity to earn your credentials for Department of Children and Families which gives you access to working with infants and younger children up to 4 years (if I'm not mistaken). You can experiment with real childcare simulation where you are given a "doll" to care for over the course of a semester/school year. You can choose to do AP courses while still in high school to jumpstart your degree program (advanced placement).
Looking to your future college experience, you can take courses as it relates to your desired major choice. As a college student, you can start taking courses in childcare psychology such as Developmental Psychology and Childhood Developmental Psychology. For a major in Social Work, you can select classes as it relates to family violence, child welfare, and social work with vulnerable children. If you wanted to work in a school based setting, you can opt for studying a role in a teaching program. They have many variations through Student Teaching, Elementary Education, School Psychology, School Social worker, Special Education with different modalities. There are a million options to choose from. Those not limited to, but including a pediatrician, children's entomologist (children's eyes).
Although I'm not super fond of the person's response, if you decided you didn't want to directly work with children, but wanted to still work in a child-friendly environment, here are your options:
- recreation worker (summer camp counselor)
- program director (plan activities)
- guidance counselor/interventionalist
Most of the work that comes from working with kids is very hard; it requires a very large amount of passion and dedication to sustain you in your career. While you may not be paid as well as other respected occupations, it's important that you remember that money will not carry you. Truthfully, it depends on what you want for your life; what's important to you. Nobody can answer that for you.
To close, I want to leave you with a few websites, organizations that you can look at to help in your search.
Volunteer Match https://www.volunteermatch.org/
Handshake (for college students, AP courses could give you access to this site)
Best Buddies Inc.
Boys & Girls Club
Library Volunteer (read to kids, no sure about age requirement)
wide spread google search for organizations in your area
I hope I helped.
Good luck,
Rebecca
Thanks for submitting your question to CareerVillage! I think it's so admirable that you're already considering your options for college and wanting to "get your feet wet" in the workforce. To answer your question, here's what I would say. For starters, since you are still relatively young (14 years old) you're options are still relatively limited in terms of what job you can do to go to work. Most jobs start employing teens at 16 years old. However, I will say that if you wanted to start building experience now, your best bet would be through volunteer work and other short term side hustles like babysitting. This could be something to consider if you do have younger siblings or other adults whom you have built trusting relationships with to babysit in short-intervals like a couple hours or few days. This is a good job opportunity to use and develop proper caretaking skills.
In addition, you can start by asking your school's guidance counselor for classes that teach you about childcare education. Here you will earn your Childcare Developmental Association Certification (CDA) where you will learn the fundamentals of childcare education (birth, feeding, signals, developmental stages, etc.), I believe if you continue the program into Year 2, you will also have the opportunity to earn your credentials for Department of Children and Families which gives you access to working with infants and younger children up to 4 years (if I'm not mistaken). You can experiment with real childcare simulation where you are given a "doll" to care for over the course of a semester/school year. You can choose to do AP courses while still in high school to jumpstart your degree program (advanced placement).
Looking to your future college experience, you can take courses as it relates to your desired major choice. As a college student, you can start taking courses in childcare psychology such as Developmental Psychology and Childhood Developmental Psychology. For a major in Social Work, you can select classes as it relates to family violence, child welfare, and social work with vulnerable children. If you wanted to work in a school based setting, you can opt for studying a role in a teaching program. They have many variations through Student Teaching, Elementary Education, School Psychology, School Social worker, Special Education with different modalities. There are a million options to choose from. Those not limited to, but including a pediatrician, children's entomologist (children's eyes).
Although I'm not super fond of the person's response, if you decided you didn't want to directly work with children, but wanted to still work in a child-friendly environment, here are your options:
- recreation worker (summer camp counselor)
- program director (plan activities)
- guidance counselor/interventionalist
Most of the work that comes from working with kids is very hard; it requires a very large amount of passion and dedication to sustain you in your career. While you may not be paid as well as other respected occupations, it's important that you remember that money will not carry you. Truthfully, it depends on what you want for your life; what's important to you. Nobody can answer that for you.
To close, I want to leave you with a few websites, organizations that you can look at to help in your search.
Volunteer Match https://www.volunteermatch.org/
Handshake (for college students, AP courses could give you access to this site)
Best Buddies Inc.
Boys & Girls Club
Library Volunteer (read to kids, no sure about age requirement)
wide spread google search for organizations in your area
I hope I helped.
Good luck,
Rebecca