Tips for Starting a Head Start Job

See How Sunrise Children’s Foundation’s Early Childhood Educators Make a Difference

Careers in early childhood education are growing, and there is heightened demand for experienced professionals in the field. When you work with the team at Sunrise Children’s Foundation, you’ll have the opportunity to work with experienced childhood educators who make a difference in the lives of young children every single day. Working with our team brings with it a range of benefits, including the following:

Work With Children and Families in Your Community

As a Head Start educator, you can make a direct difference in the lives of children and their families who live in your community. Your efforts go directly back into your community as you help build a sense of belonging and identity in the children you serve. 

Give Children the Strongest Start Possible

Pursuing a career in early childhood education enables you to give young children the strongest start possible, even in their early years. From critical motor skills development to speech development to critical social skills development, you can help children understand the world around them in a manner that promotes continued positive growth and development. 

Grow in Your Career

Our organization is committed to helping all individuals pursuing an early childhood career maximize their potential. Pursuing a career in Head Start can open the door to a range of career options and opportunities within the education space. From being a lead teacher to moving into higher leadership roles, a career in Head Start can be the launching pad to a brighter, more fulfilling future.

How to Start a Career in Head Start

Wherever you are in your journey to becoming an early childhood educator, the following can be helpful tips as you start your career:

Volunteer

First and foremost, you want to be sure this is the right career choice for yourself. The best way to do this is by volunteering in early childhood education classrooms, including preschool programs and specialized early childhood education programs. Plus, as you jump into the community, you’ll have the opportunity to make meaningful connections that could help sharpen your path. 

Become a Head Start Assistant

Becoming a Head Start assistant can be a great place to start your early childhood career. Assistants generally need to have an associate’s degree in early childhood education or a related field. They must also be CPR and First Aid certified and complete certifications for food handlers, blood-borne pathogens, and mandated reporting. 

Become a Lead Head Start Teacher

Lead Head Start teacher jobs require applicants to undergo more rigorous training in order to become certified by the state. In Nevada, an applicant must: 

• Complete an approved educator preparation program in early childhood education. These programs are available in most private and public universities. 
• Pass the required Praxis Exams. For Head Start, the core exam is the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators.
• Next, you’ll need to apply for your initial teaching license in Nevada. After obtaining your license, you will need to keep up with training and professional development to recertify. 

Career Switcher? There’s a Place for You

If you are a career switcher, you can also begin a career at Head Start. Career switchers will typically not need to go under rigorous training through an education program. Often, they can supplement their current knowledge with courses that satisfy an approved career switchers program.

What Qualifications Do You Need for a Career in Head Start?

First and foremost, to begin a Head Start career as a lead teacher, you must be state-certified or on your way to certification. Qualifications for Head Start teachers can vary state by state.

If you have not enrolled in a career training program, you can begin your career as a Head Start assistant. The qualifications required for assistants are much lower, giving you an opportunity to feel out the field before you begin working. 

Have These Skills? You Belong in Head Start

Some people are naturally inclined to pursue a career in Head Start. If you possess the following skills or are interested in developing them, a career in early childhood education may be for you.

• Strong communication skills: You’ll need to be able to communicate with other professionals in the field and children and families.
• Collaborative nature: Early childhood education involves a great deal of collaboration among stakeholders, including parents and other professionals. When invested minds are combined, children face rates of success both inside and outside the classroom. 
• Classroom management: Early childhood educators are taught best practices in classroom management, allowing them to create a positive and successful classroom environment.
• Creativity: You’ll need to have a sense of creativity, as Head Start requires a great deal of figuring out unique ways to solve problems and meet the needs of students.
• Organization: If you like order, structure, and routine, an education in early childhood education may be for you