The requirements to be a day care teacher depend on your goals in day care. Entry-level day care teaching has very few limitations, while day cares are sometimes required by law to have managers with advanced degrees. Further, the degree of competition for the jobs might mean that a position requires more experience or education than is required by the state.

Entry-level Day Care Teaching

An entry-level day care teacher, sometimes called an assistant, requires very little in the way of education or experience. In most cases, these employees assist a more qualified teacher. States usually only require a background check that's free of crimes that might endanger children, like sex offenses, drug offenses and violent crimes. Competition for these positions is rarely very strong, so this is a accessible place to start a career in day care. The only common exception is in communities that host a college with a strong early childhood education program. In those areas, there is usually a glut of highly qualified candidates--mostly students--vying for the position.

Day Care Teacher

A day care teacher is responsible for the daily safety, development and education of one class of children. In some day cares, it will be structured like a regular school classroom; in others, it might be more free-form. Though some states do require a degree for day care teachers, competition drives education in this field overall. More rigorous day care programs will pay more for more qualified teachers, while others are more interested in candidates who are warm and care about the children. For these positions, it's best to simply talk to teachers at a facility where you'd like to apply. Find out what their resumes look like and build yours to match.

Day Care Manager

Most states require education or experience in early childhood education for those who manage day cares--usually a bachelor's degree, and occasionally some graduate-level education. Also, as these are some of the few day care jobs that pay a professional salary, competition will often drive up the level of education required.

Exceptions

State requirements and the market observations above are for professional, multi-class day care programs. Many exceptions exist, including in-home day care services, church-run day schools and after-school programs for athletics or tutoring. In many cases, regulations and competition for those spots are far less rigorous. If you're interested in teaching day care but lack experience, some of these programs can often be a way to get it.

Source:

Interview with Denise Alcorn, Daycare Manager, Hillsboro, OR 2005

Interview with Jason Brick, Daycare Owner, Hillsboro, OR 2005

More Information:

Daycare.com: State Licensing Requirements