# Working with children



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Bit of a long shot, but perhaps someone can help me.
My daughter has to start making choices at school about what to study, going towards university or further education, etc etc. She's pretty sure she wants to work with children, but seems to be stuck with being a pre school teacher. I mean stuck 'cos she doesn't really know what other possible jobs there are out there. I think she'd do well in that field, but I'd like her to be aware of the other possiblities. I've found lots of info in English, but the jobs don't always "translate" well. I'm a bit out of touch with what's out there as well.
So, what I'd like is to know where she can get info about working with kids in Spain, in Spanish. We can gwet info about further education, but not about the actual JOBS that it leads to.
Off to a meeting about courses now. Hope somebody's got some ideas.
PS Ideas of jobs in English are also welcome.
Thanks!


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Bit of a long shot, but perhaps someone can help me.
> My daughter has to start making choices at school about what to study, going towards university or further education, etc etc. She's pretty sure she wants to work with children, but seems to be stuck with being a pre school teacher. I mean stuck 'cos she doesn't really know what other possible jobs there are out there. I think she'd do well in that field, but I'd like her to be aware of the other possibilities. I've found lots of info in English, but the jobs don't always "translate" well. I'm a bit out of touch with what's out there as well.
> So, what I'd like is to know where she can get info about working with kids in Spain, in Spanish. We can gwet info about further education, but not about the actual JOBS that it leads to.
> Off to a meeting about courses now. Hope somebody's got some ideas.
> ...


well, primary school teaching obviously

what about child psychologist?


when exactly do they have to decide? dd1 is in ESO 2 & has always been hellbent on sciences, but is now leaning towards law!

either way it will be uni - but exactly when does she have to decide between letras y ciencias?


----------



## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> well, primary school teaching obviously
> 
> what about child psychologist?
> 
> ...


We were having this conversation a short while ago with a cousin - ours will have to decide at 14 (so when they start ESO 3??) what route they want to take - ciencias or letras. It's seems so young to make a decision like that, but of course there are the options of taking extra classes so it's not too restricted. What was explained to us, however, was that the ciencias range wasn't as restricting vocationally as the letras route.

PW - chatting to the director at the school the other day, they're crying out for English speaking assistants in the class - unfortunately it's more a practicas thing (becarios?) so unpaid, but could provide invaluable experience and help her decide one way or another. The problem they've had in the past is that the assistants have come from South America and so the level of English wasn't the best - they really want natives if possible - or like your daughter for example, with an English parent and who has therefore grown up with it??


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Blumming meeting blumming cancelled. I've just lost 60 euros 'cos I cancelled my classes to goto said meeting. Blumming battery on the car gave up today. 80+ blumming euros to get it done. Who lost out today!!!!!!!!!???

Back to topic.
:focus:

I'm trying to get beyond the classroom ideas like working in a museum doing kids activities, organising kids activities in a sports centre, medical stuff?? I don't know


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

What about hotel work?? Holiday rep, kiddie activity club type stuff?? Sounds grim to me and I guess you're not near the costas where theres probably a need for such people ????

Just a thought

Sorry you're not having a good day PW



Jo xxx


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Helping with the education, entertainment and pastoral care of kids in hospital???

Jo xxx


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jojo said:


> Helping with the education, entertainment and pastoral care of kids in hospital???
> 
> Jo xxx


Yes, for example...
But how do you get there? I think it'd just be a teacher with loads of experience for the education bit and the other things you mention are covered by volunteers, aren't they?? or aren't they, are there jobs there?


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jojo said:


> What about hotel work?? Holiday rep, kiddie activity club type stuff?? Sounds grim to me and I guess you're not near the costas where theres probably a need for such people ????
> 
> Just a thought
> 
> ...


I think this would be a great way to get experience, but not as a long term plan. I just think it would be too exhausting and not a lot of money in it i don't think. As for not a need for this kind of thing around us... I would love her to stay near, but the world is our kids oyster more than ever, so I wouldn't bank on her staying around


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Yes, for example...
> But how do you get there? I think it'd just be a teacher with loads of experience for the education bit and the other things you mention are covered by volunteers, aren't they?? or aren't they, are there jobs there?



I dont know. In the UK I think they're covered by teachers and volunteers. The hotel kiddie club stuff is paid and they get accommodation thrown in I think?? Sometimes they're paid and employed by the hotels and sometimes its by the holiday company. But she's only a "baby" isnt she??? too young to send her off to the costas on her own??? 

I'm just throwing ideas around really as they come into my head

Jo xxx


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Tallulah said:


> We were having this conversation a short while ago with a cousin - ours will have to decide at 14 (so when they start ESO 3??) what route they want to take - ciencias or letras. It's seems so young to make a decision like that, but of course there are the options of taking extra classes so it's not too restricted. What was explained to us, however, was that the ciencias range wasn't as restricting vocationally as the letras route.
> 
> PW - chatting to the director at the school the other day, they're crying out for English speaking assistants in the class - unfortunately it's more a practicas thing (becarios?) so unpaid, but could provide invaluable experience and help her decide one way or another. The problem they've had in the past is that the assistants have come from South America and so the level of English wasn't the best - they really want natives if possible - or like your daughter for example, with an English parent and who has therefore grown up with it??


Well Inés had to choose *itinerarios* at the *end* of ESO 3 to start ESO 4; sciences, humanities, technology, arts (I think it depends on the region and the school to what's on offer) and then you've got a couple of optional classes to choose as well. 
I agree, it's far too young to have to choose, but I tend to think that nothing's written in stone and that you'll be able to change if you find you've made a mistake. Again it depends, but if you try to change in the first couple of weeks I don't think it would be too problematic. After that, with all the material that they've got to cover and the *controles* that they've got to do...
The biggie however is this year - the end of ESO 4. This is when you choose bachillerato, to leave, FP etc


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jojo said:


> I dont know. In the UK I think they're covered by teachers and volunteers. The hotel kiddie club stuff is paid and they get accommodation thrown in I think?? Sometimes they're paid and employed by the hotels and sometimes its by the holiday company. But she's only a "baby" isnt she??? too young to send her off to the costas on her own???
> 
> I'm just throwing ideas around really as they come into my head
> 
> Jo xxx


Yes, she'll be 16 in April and she's not going to the costas on her own this year, but when I was 17 (Like, next year for Inés) I was travelling around on my own...
I'm not thinking for this year. I'm trying to get an idea, not a plan, just an idea of where she's going - and any idea's good, so thanks!!


----------



## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

What about a paediatric nurse/doctor? Midwife or health visitor? Social worker? I have no idea how you go about getting qualifications for these professions in Spain, but I'm sure there must be a similar university path as there is in the UK?


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

lynn said:


> What about a paediatric nurse/doctor? Midwife or health visitor? Social worker? I have no idea how you go about getting qualifications for these professions in Spain, but I'm sure there must be a similar university path as there is in the UK?


Yes, the courses are easy enough to find out about once you know what kind of job you're going for.


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Tallulah said:


> We were having this conversation a short while ago with a cousin - ours will have to decide at 14 (so when they start ESO 3??) what route they want to take - ciencias or letras. It's seems so young to make a decision like that, but of course there are the options of taking extra classes so it's not too restricted. What was explained to us, however, was that the ciencias range wasn't as restricting vocationally as the letras route.
> 
> PW - chatting to the director at the school the other day, they're crying out for English speaking assistants in the class - unfortunately it's more a practicas thing (becarios?) so unpaid, but could provide invaluable experience and help her decide one way or another. The problem they've had in the past is that the assistants have come from South America and so the level of English wasn't the best - they really want natives if possible - or like your daughter for example, with an English parent and who has therefore grown up with it??


so dd1 will have to decide at the end of this year then it does seem awfully young

she actually said that she'll probably choose ciencias in any case, so that seems like a plan

it's hard to advise her when it is so different from our experience in the UK


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Well Inés had to choose *itinerarios* at the *end* of ESO 3 to start ESO 4; sciences, humanities, technology, arts (I think it depends on the region and the school to what's on offer) and then you've got a couple of optional classes to choose as well.
> I agree, it's far too young to have to choose, but I tend to think that nothing's written in stone and that you'll be able to change if you find you've made a mistake. Again it depends, but if you try to change in the first couple of weeks I don't think it would be too problematic. After that, with all the material that they've got to cover and the *controles* that they've got to do...
> The biggie however is this year - the end of ESO 4. This is when you choose bachillerato, to leave, FP etc


just saw this - end of ESO 3 sounds better:clap2:

do they not have 'careers advisors' in Spain?

or someone at the school with some idea of what is needed for different career paths?

I think the idea of doing some volunteer work either in a school or hospital with children might be a good starting point - at least she'd get a feel for where she is comfortable - and be able to ask around about what 'route' they took to get there


----------



## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

Do they not do work experience as part of the curriculum in state Spanish schools? In the UK all kids get to do two weeks work experience in year 11 (the year they do their GCSE's).


----------



## Caz.I (Mar 21, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Bit of a long shot, but perhaps someone can help me.
> My daughter has to start making choices at school about what to study, going towards university or further education, etc etc. She's pretty sure she wants to work with children, but seems to be stuck with being a pre school teacher. I mean stuck 'cos she doesn't really know what other possible jobs there are out there. I think she'd do well in that field, but I'd like her to be aware of the other possiblities. I've found lots of info in English, but the jobs don't always "translate" well. I'm a bit out of touch with what's out there as well.
> So, what I'd like is to know where she can get info about working with kids in Spain, in Spanish. We can gwet info about further education, but not about the actual JOBS that it leads to.
> Off to a meeting about courses now. Hope somebody's got some ideas.
> ...


Hi Pesky,
How about clown doctor? (The ones I have met have been trained in drama).
Also keep hearing about "logopedias" in Spain but had no idea what they were, just looked it up online and says, speech therapists - so that's another one to throw in. Dont know if there is much call in Spain for music and drama therapists...
probably have to study psychology and psychotherapy I would imagine.

Caz.I


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

lynn said:


> Do they not do work experience as part of the curriculum in state Spanish schools? In the UK all kids get to do two weeks work experience in year 11 (the year they do their GCSE's).


No, they don't as far as I know. 
My daughter's (ESO 4) going to be part of a pilot scheme here whereby they go into a local business for a week on a voluntary basis. This is quite a revolutionary idea here. Kids just don't work as weekend shop staff, on paper rounds etc so the idea of young people going into a work atmosphere is quite radical. It will be a bit tricky to handle as well as officially they can't work until they are 16 and in ESO 4 they are 15 - 16.
This the typical kind of thing that is different from region to region (the school thing, not the working age) Probably in Galicia they do sheep rounding practice at 14 and in Malaga they've got them waiting on tables in their breaks at the insti!!
In FP they do a lot of work practice, but that's post 16


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> do they not have 'careers advisors' in Spain?
> 
> or someone at the school with some idea of what is needed for different career paths?


I don't think so, but need to check it out. Something to do on Monday


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Caz.I said:


> Hi Pesky,
> How about clown doctor? (The ones I have met have been trained in drama).
> Also keep hearing about "logopedias" in Spain but had no idea what they were, just looked it up online and says, speech therapists - so that's another one to throw in. Don't know if there is much call in Spain for music and drama therapists...
> probably have to study psychology and psychotherapy I would imagine.
> ...


Clown doctor... I don't know. The truth is they do a great job (you mean the clowns that go around the hospitals, don't you?) and Inés actually had a visit from one when she was in hospital (2 weeks, burst appendix, not nice) so she knows what it's about, but I don't think it's her thing and I think they're volunteers...
Speech therapist sounds more like it to me, but as you say "keep hearing about logopedas" makes me think there might be a surplus???


----------



## Caz.I (Mar 21, 2009)

Yes I meant the clowns who work in hospitals trying to bring some happiness into the sick childrens wards. I know one in the Uk who worked as an actress before, I am sure she was paid for this job. And I know of a Spanish clown doctor in a similar situation. Think it would be a tough job though, trying to keep your emotions under wraps.
Anyway, re the logopedas, I dont know about a surplus, I meant I kept hearing the word without being sure of what it meant. I suppose there are not many opportunites though for speech therapists but if its some thing she is interested in, then worth investigating. Was also thinking on a similar vein about art and music therapists...?
Caz.I


----------

