How to be an educator?

How to be an early childhood educator, Kindergarten teacher,Preschool teacher, Early childhood educator, Educarer, Childcare

Infant and Early
Years Educator

Infant Educators work with infants aged between 2 months and 18 months old and Early Years Educators work with young children aged between 2 months and 4 years old. They are primarily responsible for creating a safe environment for the young ones to discover their potential. Besides teaching and carrying out play activities with these children, they also manage routine care.

salary rangeIndicative monthly salary range:
$2,480 – $3,800 (from Infant Educator to Senior Early Years Educator)

Preschool
Educator

Preschool Educators work with children aged 18 months to 6 years old. They enrich children’s learning by carrying out a curriculum that prioritises aesthetics and creative expression, discovery of the world, language and literacy, motor skills development, numeracy, as well as social and emotional development.

salary rangeIndicative monthly salary range:
S$2,760 – $4,470 (from Beginning Preschool Educator to Deputy Centre Leader)

Learning Support
Educator

Learning Support Educators assess, plan, deliver and review learning and in-class support for children aged 6 and below who require low levels of early intervention support. They help them develop academic, behavioural, social, motor and communication skills, and work closely with preschool educators, allied health professionals and families of children, to support the children’s needs.

salary rangeIndicative monthly salary range:
Salary information for Learning Support Educators is not yet available as this role is relatively new.

Early Intervention
Educator

Early Intervention Educators assess, plan, deliver and review interventions for children aged 6 and below who require medium to high levels of early intervention support through an integrated range of developmentally appropriate teaching and learning approaches. They conduct transdisciplinary meetings and partner families, allied health professionals and preschool educators to ensure that children with developmental needs receive appropriate support.

salary rangeIndicative monthly salary range:
Refer to FY21 Salary Guideline for Social Service Sector here

You can work at Childcare Centre or a Kindergarten.

Childcare centre

clock icon Age group of children:
Typically 2 months to 6 years old
clock icon Operating hours:
7am – 7pm, with educators taking shifts
clock icon School term:
Throughout the year with 6 centre closure days in a year
This is a general guide. Timetables differ from centre to centre.
Health check-up and breakfast
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7 – 9am:
Health checks and breakfast

Ensure all children who enter childcare are healthy, and proceed to feed them breakfast to get them energised for the day.

Outdoor play, Lessons
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9 – 11.30am:
Outdoor play / Lessons

Bring children outdoors to develop their gross-motor and social skills. Teach the children about numeracy, literacy, and creative expression.

Shower
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11.30am – 12pm:
Shower

Shower the children and diaper toddlers. Keep an eye out for their health and safety.

Lunch time
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12 – 1pm:
Lunch time

Provide children with a nutritious lunch and teach them the importance of a balanced diet.

Nap time
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1 – 3pm:
Nap time

Prepare children for naps so that they can recharge for the day ahead. This could mean playing soothing music to them or preparing milk for younger children.

Play time, Lessons
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3 – 7pm:
Play time / Lessons

Engage children in free play to enable creative expression and social development, or conduct story-telling sessions to enhance language appreciation.

Your work day ends at 7pm, when their parents arrive to pick the children up.

Kindergarten

clock icon Age group of children:
Typically 3 to 6 years old
clock icon Operating hours:
8am – 3pm, which includes 2 separate sessions
clock icon School term:
10 weeks per term for 4 terms, with Mar, Jun, Sep and Dec holidays.
This is a general guide. Timetables differ from centre to centre.
Health checks and breakfast
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8 – 8.30am:
Health checks and breakfast (1st session)

Check that all children who enter are healthy. Nourish them with breakfast to get them energised for the day.

Learning corners
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8.30 – 9.30am:
Learning corners

Set up learning corners which allows children to select the activities they would like to engage in, observe how they learn and guide them along.

Outdoor play
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9.30 – 10am:
Outdoor play

Bring children outdoors to develop their gross-motor and social skills. Have fun with the children, but keep an eye out for their safety too.

Lessons
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10 – 11am:
Lessons

Teach children about numeracy, literacy, and creative expression.

Prepare for dismissal
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11 – 11.30am:
Prepare for dismissal

Prepare children from the 1st session for dismissal, and receive children from the 2nd session.

Lunch time
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11.30am – 2:30pm:
2nd session

The next session begins with lunch. Provide children with a nutritious lunch and conduct similar activities as session 1.

No matter where your career is, we all have to start somewhere.

As long as you have the right qualifications and demonstrate strong competencies, you will find that there are many options opened to you.

Aside from career progression within a preschool centre (as shown in the chart), you can also expect opportunities outside of this environment.

You could also be a:

  • cluster supervisor

  • quality assurance specialist

  • curriculum specialist at a preschool headquarter

  • lecturer at institutes of higher learning,

  • and many more!

HOW WILL YOU PROGRESS AS AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR?

Career paths in early childhood
Career paths in early childhood




Courses to build your career in early childhood education

To view early childhood courses that match your qualification, select your highest academic qualification below:

Additional support available

For Singaporeans who are unsure about whether they are a good fit for the early childhood sector, you may wish to consider signing up for Career Trial

  • Undergo a short-term trial before considering formal employment
  • Receive a training allowance of $7.50-$15/hour during the trial period
  • Receive a retention incentive of $500 if you are employed for at least three consecutive months after the trial
  • For more information and registration, please click here

For Singaporeans who are switching to the early childhood sector, you may apply for the Career Conversion Programme

  • Be employed at a preschool before enrolling for a course
  • Receive industry-recognised training to equip yourself with the necessary knowledge and skills to work as a certified Infant & Early Years/Preschool Educator
  • Course fee sponsorship is available as you train to become a qualified educator through the programme
  • For more information, you can contact National Institute of Early Childhood Development (https://www.niec.edu.sg/) or KLC International Institute (https://klc.edu.sg/)