Should you hire an educated nanny to do some teaching, or simply a babysitter nanny to watch over and spend a large portion of the day with your child? That’s a big question to ask and the answer is integral to your child’s development and happiness.
You may have already decided that you’d like to bring in a nanny to help with childcare, but now it’s time to choose the right type of nanny. In the great educated nanny vs babysitter nanny debate, which one is right for you?
Let’s look at some details to find out.
Comparing Educated Nannies and Babysitter Nannies
Both educated nannies and babysitter nannies will spend time with your child and take good care of them. They may serve meals or snacks, play games, and perhaps even take your child to the park or your local library for activities.
The duties of a babysitter nanny stop there, but for an educated nanny, we’re just getting started.
Educated nannies are well…educated! They will spend the day enriching your child’s experience and assisting in their education and development. Every game is a learning experience, a nature walk becomes a botany lesson, and they will help small children prep for school by introducing letters and numbers and other important concepts.
For most people, it makes sense to hire an educated nanny over a babysitting one. If you’re going to spend money to have someone spend time with your child, it makes sense to give your child a richer, educational experience.
How to Hire the Right Educated Nanny
What should you look for in an educated nanny? While there are no set degree requirements for nannies, you should look for a nanny with a few schooling credentials.
You might assume that most anyone who knows their letters and numbers to begin showing these concepts to your child. However, not everyone understands the best ways to teach these concepts. A nanny with a degree in early childhood education or, even better, early childhood development will be more likely to have the skills you’re looking for.
Nanny agencies will typically require their nannies to hold CPR and First Aid Certifications. Since these are important skills in an emergency, you should double-check that your potential nanny has earned them.
Beyond these basic education suggestions, nannies may come with a range of special skills or education. For example, foreign language skills are highly sought after as parents seek to give their kids an edge in an increasingly globalized world. Other examples of special skills or certifications you might look for include:
- Fitness education
- Nutrition and cooking
- Water safety
- A driver’s license and safe driving record
Types of Educated Nanny Practices
You can further divide educated nannies by the style of education they prefer. There are various overarching schools of thought on how to teach young children. One isn’t necessarily better than the other, but there may be better and worse fits that depend on the child’s style of learning. Here are the most common nanny teaching practices.
The Montessori Nanny Practice
The Montessori system of education was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician, over a century ago. The style features a child-led approach, allowing children to follow their natural curiosity and learn at their own pace.
They learn concepts through educational play and are taught to be more independent. Educated nannies who follow this methodology won’t just pick up after your child, they’ll teach your child to be responsible for picking up after themselves.
Reggio Emilia Methodology
Like Montessori nannies, Reggio Emilia nannies take a child-led approach. Concepts to teach are chosen based on the child’s interests. In-depth short or long-term projects that are presented as adventures allow the child to fully study a concept.
Documentation of the child’s development and improvements such as photos of the child during tasks and dictations of their experience is integral to this method. Parents like this as well so they can see what does and doesn’t works for their child. In Reggio Emilia schools, this information is also available to the child to help them see their own progress.
Constructivist Self-Guided Education
A passive view of education sees a child as an empty vessel, waiting to be filled with facts and information. The Constructivist approach to education assumes the child must build on prior understanding to fully understand new concepts. While information can be received passively, its understanding cannot. The learner must actively construct their own realities.
Constructivist nannies will create a collaborative problem-solving environment and guide children through a task, acting more as facilitators rather than teachers. They will offer help when needed, but slowly withdraw as the child is able to solve the problems on their own.
Waldorf Method
The arts have had a substantial role in the Waldorf method of education. Through music, dance, theater, stories, and more, children learn from artistic experiences. These experiences then go on to cultivate not only intellectual growth, but also emotional, physical, and spiritual growth.
Children who learn through this method are not expected to simply memorize facts. The focus of learning exercises instead are to develop novel critical thinking skills, including how to be flexible, creative, and understand intellectual risks. One of the primary aims of Waldorf education is to help the student enjoy learning and fall in love with life-long learning.
The Best Nanny for You
Choosing an educated nanny means choosing someone who will help your child grow and develop.
We’ve only mentioned a few of the many educational philosophies out there that educated nannies ascribe to. One nanny teaching style isn’t necessarily better than another but may be more suited to your child’s style of learning. You know your child best and can make the most educated decision about which method would be the best fit for them.
Ready to hire a nanny? We offer a selection of trustworthy educated nannies with the skills necessary to help your child develop. Contact us today to get started!
Works Cited
Care.com. “Child Care Training Courses And Certifications That Will Boost Your Career.” Care.com, Care.com, 11 Aug. 2020, www.care.com/c/stories/2680/12-nanny-training-courses-and-certifications/.
McLeod, Saul. “Saul McLeod.” Constructivism as a Theory for Teaching and Learning | Simply Psychology, www.simplypsychology.org/constructivism.html.
“The Reggio Emilia Approach.” Scholastic, www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/reggio-emilia-approach/.
Study.com, study.com/articles/How_to_Become_a_Nanny_Career_Guide.html.
Waldorf Education – Association of Waldorf Schools of North America, www.waldorfeducation.org/waldorf-education.
“What Is Montessori Education?” What Is Montessori Education, amshq.org/About-Montessori/What-Is-Mon
