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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>How Many Providers Are Currently Taking College Courses While Doing Daycare?
broncomom1973 08:08 AM 05-27-2011
I am supposed to start online college courses for a non-childcare degree this summer. I am a nurse, but would like to take courses for an HIT degree and possibly do medical coding after my youngest starts kindergarten in a few years. I worry about how difficult it will be while doing daycare and raising my own 3 kids. Anyone want to share their "school" experience while doing daycare with me and share how you balanced it all? TIA.
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cillybean83 08:11 AM 05-27-2011
i'm getting an education degree through online courses right now, and when i'm done I'll be getting my masters degree as well. I'm moving to Florida in a couple years so instead of doing home daycare, I'm going to try and get a job with headstart
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thecrazyisout 08:20 AM 05-27-2011
Originally Posted by cillybean83:
i'm getting an education degree through online courses right now, and when i'm done I'll be getting my masters degree as well. I'm moving to Florida in a couple years so instead of doing home daycare, I'm going to try and get a job with headstart
Out of curiosity, who are you getting your degree with?
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Crystal 08:21 AM 05-27-2011
I do. I have been doing it for a few years now. I also have three kids of my own and 14 daycare kids.

I do homework during naptime. Occasionaly I have to do some in the evening, but for the most part I handle it during naptime.

I am now working on my Master's Degree. When I am done, I will continue daycare for a couple of years and then will teach college level.

I say GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Blackcat31 08:23 AM 05-27-2011
Originally Posted by cillybean83:
i'm getting an education degree through online courses right now, and when i'm done I'll be getting my masters degree as well. I'm moving to Florida in a couple years so instead of doing home daycare, I'm going to try and get a job with headstart
LOL! that is funny because I opened my childcare business because I worked for Head Start for 5 years and couldn't run away fast enough!!
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cillybean83 08:23 AM 05-27-2011
Ashworth College, but if you're looking for an education degree be very careful, as Ashworth is DETC accredited, not regionally accredited and very few states accept DETC for teaching certification, and of the ones that do, half of them require a masters degree not just a bachelors. I live in Tennessee and they don't accept my degree for certification, but luckily Florida does
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cillybean83 08:24 AM 05-27-2011
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
LOL! that is funny because I opened my childcare business because I worked for Head Start for 5 years and couldn't run away fast enough!!
LOL, the grass is always greener, huh?? I like what I do, I don't like staying at home all the time!
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cillybean83 08:26 AM 05-27-2011
what was it about Head Start that you didn't like? In a perfect world I would love to be a Kindergarten teacher but I was told that with a Master's Degree, I would make more $$ working for Head Start...
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daycare 08:30 AM 05-27-2011
I have been going to school what seems like forever!! lol

I take online classes as well as weekend classes. They are my fav as I get to get out of the house and actually talk with adults... No offense to anyone on here...YKIM...lol
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Blackcat31 08:40 AM 05-27-2011
Originally Posted by cillybean83:
what was it about Head Start that you didn't like? In a perfect world I would love to be a Kindergarten teacher but I was told that with a Master's Degree, I would make more $$ working for Head Start...
I don't like how they "dumb down" all the families and make them all out to be uneducated parents who do not know how to raise or care for their children. I was actually told by my Supervisor " Treat all families as if they have no more than an 8th grade education." So basically, poor=dumb?!?!

I also hated the whole, "Gotta keep them in the system" mentality because it is a government funded program and the grants they recieve each year are only increased if the need is there so the more money they can spend, the better. I was written up once for purchasing a Candyland game at Wal-mart for $4 vs buying it from a Head Start approved catalog that offered the same game for $14!!

I personally think the concept is great but the whole thing has gotten so out of hand that it is nothing more than a creative way to keep people in the system so the system can keep supporting itself. They didn't teach any of the families to be self supportive, only more creative ways to get more welfare benefits.

As, teachers and center directors, we were friendly, helpful and supportive to every parent and child in the program and the minute the door shut the family was talked about in the rudest, most disrespectful manner. Rumors spread through the offices and area centers. Teachers and staff members knew far more than they should ever been legally privy to. I honestly think it has outgrown it's usefulness and the funding for this could be used in a much more helpful and beneficial way.

I could tell you much much more but basically, I feel as though Head Start has become a hand-out and not a hand-up as it was intended to do.

Now, before I get flamed or jumped on by others who have had good experinces with Head Start, I just want to say that this was MY personal experience with the program. I have never worked for Head Start anywhere else. I only know why I quit and what it was like where I worked.
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newtodaycare22 10:10 AM 05-27-2011
I'm getting my Masters of Education through Walden University (done in November-yay!)

I do a lot of my homework during nap time as well. For me, it's very doable and way better than commuting to college. I also have no children of my own thought, so I know that makes it easier!
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snbauser 10:19 AM 05-27-2011
I have been taking classes for what seems like forever. I have 3 boys of my own and have 12 daycare kids and 3 employees. I take 2 classes a semester, mostly online. I sometimes do work during naptime but usually do most of it after my kids are in bed for the night.
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cillybean83 10:21 AM 05-27-2011
i'm looking for a place to get my masters from...I was looking at Ashford but they seem sketchy, and they are super expensive!

How is Walden?
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mrs.meg 10:25 AM 05-27-2011
I have been taking 2 online classes/semester since 2009. I usually do homework during naptime, too. I also do homework late at night, if I need to.

It was very easy the first few semesters. This past semester, I had 2 very hard classes, and it seemed much more difficult because I needed more time to study and just couldn't find the time. I managed but it was very stressful. I am taking the summer off. Starting in August, I will take one class on campus and one online. I am studying nursing and there are only so many courses/prerequisites I can take online.

I found a job part-time but it doesn't start until August, so hopefully summer will be my last full-time child care job. I will have 4 kids plus my 5, my oldest is 16 and I am going to pay her to be my assistant. I may keep 2 of the kids part-time while I work part-time (just AS), but I am not sure yet. I have been doing this for 6 years and I have always known that it couldn't be permanent. My husband and I argue at least once a week about this job, he says it is just like any other job, but it is just not for me. I commend those of you who do this and love it, I hope I can find someone to keep my youngest who is like that!
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cheerfuldom 10:41 AM 05-27-2011
I am doing my degree online but the actual college is not far from my house (same town) and the programs are legit. Plus I have the option for in-seat classes in the future as well.
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newtodaycare22 10:48 AM 05-27-2011
Originally Posted by cillybean83:
i'm looking for a place to get my masters from...I was looking at Ashford but they seem sketchy, and they are super expensive!

How is Walden?
I really like Walden. I had a coworker who went through Ashford for her Bachelors and I think she was pleased but kept saying how strict her professors were. Obviously there are all different professors

For my Education program, it takes 18 months and you take 1 class every 8 weeks. (Sometimes you have a week break in between, most of the time they are back to back). Basically, you only have assignments due on Wednesday and Sunday. I like a set schedule because I always know when I have to have things accomplished! It's also ALL writing-no quizzes or tests.
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Sunshine44 10:57 AM 05-27-2011
I'm doing it right now. I take night classes. I find some days are more challenging than others, but overall it is very doable (for me).
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cillybean83 11:07 AM 05-27-2011
I'm leaning towards Grand Canyon University as they are the only online masters program that offers student teaching and schedules your standardized tests... they are pretty expensive though, $1980 per class
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childcarebytori 12:34 PM 05-27-2011
I am currently going to school online through Rasmussen College. Out of the many schools I looked into, the enrollment staff at Rasmussen had to be the most awesome, friendly bunch I had ever "met". I had initially inquiried and I didn't get back to them for another few weeks as I checked out other programs, and not once did I ever get an annoying phone call from them like I did the other schools. So frustrating! I still get calls from University of Phoenix I'm obtaining my degree in ECE.

How it works: I make an inital "discussion" post every Wednesday about the topic for that week, and a reply posting to a classmate every Saturday. Sunday I do my actual schoolwork which may be quizzes, observations, essays about certain subjects, ect. You start out with two or three courses a semester, but you have the option of adding more if the load is too light. I'm at four classes a semester and you definitely need to schedule time to study and get your work completed for this to work smoothly. I chose to pay out of pocket as I didn't want an additional loan out on top of the inital amount financial aid qualified me for, so I usually end up paying between $150 - $200 month. No bad at all.

Also, with the program you have the option of optaining your CDA. The classes you are required to take are suitable for your CDA profile and even though I'm not pursing that right now, I will have all my paperwork when I do get to it.

It can become overwhelming if you don't follow to a schedule of times where you devote enough time to get your discussions in on time and your course work done. I've had many times where I've fallen off the schedule and it is difficult to pick back up when you have another week of work following right after another. In the beginning I was much more relaxed about it and I ended up staying up until after midnight trying to get my work done, which made me cranky the next day. I also cannot focus worth anything during the day when I have my daycare children present, even at naptime. It's aways at night and on the weekends.

Good luck! I was only out of school for two years before going back and it was tough for me to get into a routine like that.
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Unregistered 06:57 AM 07-13-2011
I started in community college in Jan. 2008, I was 18, married, and working as a nanny. Three and a half years later I'm still married, I had my own daughter, opened my own home daycare, and still going to school. I am in my last semester of school, I will be graduating with my AA in Education. Next semester I am transfering to the University of South Florida where I plan on getting my PHD in child psychology. I opened my home daycare in April, I take care of my 19 month old and 5 other daycare babies. I go to school fulltime at night on two different campuses and online. It is tough, but worth it in the end. The thought of one day becoming a doctor and knowing that my daughter has a great mom to look up to keeps me going.
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