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Useful experience for early childhood teachers includes:

• babysitting or childcare work
• child counselling
• work with people with disabilities
• school holiday programme work
• working with children through groups such as Brownies and Scouts
• coaching sports teams.

Early childhood teachers may do some or all of the following:

• educate and care for babies and children
• help prepare meals, clean and tidy up, give medicines and change nappies
• plan daily programmes, learning experiences and routines for children
• make or adapt learning resources
• implement Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum
• assess and record the learning and development of each child
• discuss children's progress with their parents or caregivers, whānau and other education professionals
• run workshops for parents, caregivers and whānau
• attend social gatherings and hui
• prepare budgets, order supplies, and help manage the centre.

Kōhanga reo kaiako must ensure the education and care they provide benefits children's te reo Māori (language) and tikanga Māori (culture and customs) development.

Shortage of early childhood teachers

Demand for early childhood teachers is expected to continue to grow due to a shortage of qualified and experienced early childhood teachers. There are also gaps left by many early childhood teachers leaving or retiring.

According to the Census, 30,798 early childhood teachers worked in New Zealand in 2018. However, this is not enough to meet demand.

As a result, early childhood (pre-primary school) teacher appears on Immigration New Zealand's regional skill shortage list. This means the Government is actively encouraging skilled early childhood teachers from overseas to work in New Zealand. 

Strong demand for speakers of te reo Māori and Pacific languages

Demand for early childhood teachers who speak and teach te reo Māori or Pacific languages is strong. Teach NZ offer scholarships to speakers of te reo Māori and Pacific languages to encourage them to train as early childhood teachers.

Types of employers varied

Early childhood teachers may work for:

• kindergartens
• education and care centres
• teacher-led home-based care agencies
• kōhanga reo.

Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand

(04) 471 0852 - enquiries@teachingcouncil.nz - teachingcouncil.nz

TeachNZ

0800 165 225 - teachnz.admin@education.govt.nz - www.teachnz.govt.nz

Montessori Aotearoa New Zealand

027 448 5525 - ce@montessori.org.nz- www.montessori.org.nz

Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust

(04) 381 8750 - info@kohanga.ac.nz - www.kohanga.ac.nz 

Te Rito Maioha Early Childhood New Zealand

0800 244 532 - akomai@ecnz.ac.nz- www.ecnz.ac.nz

Early childhood teachers may progress into management roles such as head teacher or senior teacher/tumuaki.

They may also progress into:

• policy work
• teaching trainee teachers in universities or polytechnics
• youth or community work.

Kōhanga reo kaiako may use their knowledge of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori to move into training and policy roles.

• Policy analyst job information
• Youth worker job information

Early childhood teachers need to be:

• skilled at communicating clearly with children and adults from a range of backgrounds and cultures
• organised, and good at solving problems quickly
• enthusiastic, open-minded and able to motivate children
• creative and adaptable
• able to work well under pressure
• firm and fair, with a sense of humour
• able to work well in a team
• committed to the kōhanga reo kaupapa (Māori language nest concept), if working in kōhanga reo.