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Early childhood special educator vs infant and toddler teacher

The differences between early childhood special educators and infant and toddler teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an early childhood special educator and an infant and toddler teacher. Additionally, an early childhood special educator has an average salary of $36,798, which is higher than the $29,606 average annual salary of an infant and toddler teacher.

The top three skills for an early childhood special educator include autism, classroom management and CPR. The most important skills for an infant and toddler teacher are CPR, child care, and child development.

Early childhood special educator vs infant and toddler teacher overview

Early Childhood Special EducatorInfant And Toddler Teacher
Yearly salary$36,798$29,606
Hourly rate$17.69$14.23
Growth rate4%15%
Number of jobs62,48763,094
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Average age4340
Years of experience22

What does an early childhood special educator do?

Early childhood special educators are professionals who provide direct services for infants and young children that are experiencing delays in their development. These educators are required to collaborate with parents to provide a program of activities that can encourage the growth of the children's skills. By incorporating the advice of other professionals, early childhood special educators must create individual education plans that address the specific learning challenges of children. They must also identify signs of child abuse and neglect so that they can take the necessary actions to remediate the situation.

What does an infant and toddler teacher do?

An infant and toddler teacher is an individual who aids in the cognitive and social development of preschool children by teaching them the most basic skills that focus on play-centered learning and creativity. Infant and toddler teachers must help children develop positive self-images and encourage them to explore their interests and develop social skills. They must plan and carry out a curriculum that teaches children basic skills such as color, shape, and letter recognition. Infant and toddler teachers must also meet the children's parents to discuss concerns.

Early childhood special educator vs infant and toddler teacher salary

Early childhood special educators and infant and toddler teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Early Childhood Special EducatorInfant And Toddler Teacher
Average salary$36,798$29,606
Salary rangeBetween $23,000 And $58,000Between $23,000 And $37,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYSeattle, WA
Highest paying stateNew JerseyVermont
Best paying companyBaltimore City Public SchoolsUniversity of California, Berkeley
Best paying industryEducationFinance

Differences between early childhood special educator and infant and toddler teacher education

There are a few differences between an early childhood special educator and an infant and toddler teacher in terms of educational background:

Early Childhood Special EducatorInfant And Toddler Teacher
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Most common majorEarly Childhood EducationEarly Childhood Education
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversitySan Diego State University

Early childhood special educator vs infant and toddler teacher demographics

Here are the differences between early childhood special educators' and infant and toddler teachers' demographics:

Early Childhood Special EducatorInfant And Toddler Teacher
Average age4340
Gender ratioMale, 7.1% Female, 92.9%Male, 4.7% Female, 95.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 3.7% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 5.9% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage8%5%

Differences between early childhood special educator and infant and toddler teacher duties and responsibilities

Early childhood special educator example responsibilities.

  • Target at risk and high achieving students using levele readers and DRA strategies.
  • Collaborate with other Pre-K teachers to plan and team-teach with a multicultural focus.
  • Develop IFSP's design to promote students' educational, physical, or social needs.
  • Assist in other classrooms as needed, from infants to pre-k, to help gain knowledge of children of all ages.
  • Adapted/Individualize curriculum base on individual student needs, including all need self-help skills.
  • Develop IEP objectives consistent with daily instruction as provided, base on developmentally appropriate activities.
  • Show more

Infant and toddler teacher example responsibilities.

  • Lead team meetings with therapists and clinicians pertaining to quarterlies, annual reports, IEP goals, and parent teacher conferences.
  • Plan and develop curriculum, manage mathematics department.
  • Receive current CPR training as well.
  • Develop and implement individual student's IEP in conjunction with a mental health worker, classroom aide, and clinical team.
  • Complete ongoing documentation for NAEYC accreditation.
  • Develop and publish developmentally appropriate curriculum for infants/toddlers, in accordance with NAEYC guidelines.
  • Show more

Early childhood special educator vs infant and toddler teacher skills

Common early childhood special educator skills
  • Autism, 9%
  • Classroom Management, 9%
  • CPR, 8%
  • Child Development, 6%
  • IEP, 5%
  • Child Care, 5%
Common infant and toddler teacher skills
  • CPR, 23%
  • Child Care, 20%
  • Child Development, 14%
  • Professional Development, 7%
  • Classroom Environment, 6%
  • Classroom Management, 4%

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