A governess is .... The meaning of the word "governess". What is the job of a governess?

When you read or hear the word "governess", then each person has quite definite associations. I do not know who has what, but for me the governess is first and foremost the literary images of Mary Poppins and Lady Freken Bock, created by the wonderful writers Pamela Travers and Astrid Lindgren.

These two images determine what should and should not be a governess for the child. I will be objected that Freken Bock is a housekeeper. I will not argue. But her relationship with the Kid is a very vivid and figurative example of how a hired worker, however he is called, should not communicate with the child!

The meaning of the word "governess", or what the governess should do

Quite often, parents who are thinking about hiring a governess do not know what the difference is between a nanny, a housekeeper and a governess. In the presentation of such parents, all employees of these specialties must deal with the child, go shopping with a list of stores, clean up the apartment, prepare dinner and feed the baby.

This idea of the governess's work is incorrect. A governess or governess is a specialist involved in the development and upbringing of a child, in contrast to a nanny, whose task is to look after and care for the child, to ensure his safety. But let's look at the dictionaries and see how they interpret the meaning of the word "governess".

What do dictionaries and encyclopedias write?

So, according to the Small Academic Dictionary, a governess is a teacher in bourgeois and noble families, usually a foreigner who is hired for the upbringing and home education of children.

In the Great Soviet Encyclopedia the following definition is given: "The governess, the tutor (the French gouvernante, gouverneur, from gouverner -" to manage, manage ") - home educators, mentors of children in noble or bourgeois families. In Russia they were widely used in the 18th and 19th centuries. "

Considering how the word "governess" is explained in the dictionaries, the meaning of the term could be explained like this: it is a person exercising control and education of children on the requirements of parents.

This approach was quite appropriate in the 18-19 centuries. Then the nurse took care of the health and upbringing of children, the governess acted as a teacher-coach, teaching the pupil the rules of etiquette, the norms of behavior in society and foreign languages.

To date, when young mothers are building a career, and young grandmothers successfully continue it, most families are ready to hire a specialist who will deal with both upbringing and development of the child. But before you start the search, you should determine what will be the governess's job with your child and what qualities such an employee should have.

We formulate requirements for the governess. A governess for a child of preschool age

First of all, think about the age of your child. If the kid is from 3 to 5 years old, then you need an expert who will not only educate and train, but will be able to provide care for your student. That is, the work of the governess will consist not only in various developmental games and classes with your child, but also in changing and washing, warming up food and feeding your child. Such a governess is a specialist who knows the peculiarities of the age psychology and physiology of children and is able to give the child the necessary knowledge in a playful and entertaining way.

It is also important for what time you plan to hire a specialist. So, if your child goes to preschool, and the governess will take him and engage in the development of the child and his preparation for school - then you need a governess with a special, preferably pre-school pedagogical education.

If the main job of a governess with your child is to transport him from a kindergarten or a mug to home and a dull expectation of parents from work, it does not matter whether the governess has a higher education or not. The most important thing in this case is that the governess had experience and skills of working with and caring for children, was positive and the child had good and trustful relations with her. A specialist is invited to a specific number of hours each day, in most cases in the afternoon.

When for some reason a child can not attend a pre-school, it is necessary to look for a specialist for 6-8 hours, that is for the whole day. The work of a governess on such a working day will consist in observing the child's day-to-day regime, organizing his meals, keeping clean and keeping order in everything that concerns him.

The work of a governess with school-age children

If the governess is engaged with a child-pupil, its main tasks will be to prepare lessons, "pull-up" subjects for which difficulties arise, as well as joint with the pupil performing various household duties that are set for him in the family.

In addition, the duties of a governess are included, if it is prescribed in the contract and it is necessary, to accompany and meet the child from school, sections, circles or afterwards with classes with a tutor.

Great importance in the work of a governess is played by her ability to teach the child to think, work with information, in the development of his desire to learn new knowledge.

Not the main, but very useful skills of a governess

In the event that the governess has any additional specialization, for example, she owns several foreign languages, acts as an actor or plays a musical instrument, then at the request of the parents and an arrangement with a specialist, additional lessons are possible with the child in the field of specialization of a tutor or governess .

In addition to responsibilities for the upbringing and education of the child, it is important that the governess is compatible with you, your ideas about the educational and educational process.

It is important that the person you intend to hire causes only positive emotions and trust. Usually a governess is invited to a child aged 3 years and over. Your child can quite express his opinion about a specialist, especially if you ask him about it!

What is the work of a governess?

1. First of all, she cares about the physical and mental well-being of your child, watching the observance of the regime of the day and nutrition, the alternation of periods of activity and rest, the peculiarities of relationships with peers and teachers.

2. Engaged in the comprehensive development of the child, including his intellectual, physical and emotional development.

3. Controls and corrects intellectual or physical development, knowledge and skills in various subjects at school or in pre-school institutions.

4. Communicates with teachers, educators, heads of studios and circles, monitoring the progress and level of achievement of their pupil.

4. He takes the child to classes in circles, sections or additional educational institutions, responsible for his life, health and safety.

5. If it is stipulated in the contract, the governess can conduct special classes in this or that area, for example, teach the child to foreign languages or drawing.

This, of course, is a very general outline of what constitutes the governess's job. In each case and a particular family will have its own characteristics and nuances.

We wish you that the governess you found is not only your assistant, but also a loyal friend, a sensitive teacher and a favorite teacher of the child throughout his childhood!