One of the most rewarding careers you can opt for is to help young children learn and succeed. As an early childhood educator, you can facilitate their growth process and get the kids focused on a path to success from a very early age.
As you begin your career in early childhood education, you will have numerous career openings and options to choose from. You can work as a pre-school teacher, child care worker, an elementary school or kindergarten teacher, an education administrator, and the like. The kind of job you qualify for will depend upon your qualifications.
Getting a degree in Early Childhood Education
There are numerous degree options available for you if you plan to pursue this field. There are online degrees as well as on campus courses in early childhood education. The most basic qualification, however, is to obtain a high school diploma. After that, you can start out with a certification or an associate degree in early childhood education. If you intend to make a career as a public school teacher, you will have to attain a Bachelor's Degree for the same. But as you further your qualifications and study for a Master's, your options will start to increase, allowing you to focus on specific issues such as curriculum development. If you obtain a PhD in Early Childhood Development, you can even find yourself working in universities and colleges and within the arena of post-secondary education.
When searching for the right college, focus on finding out whether the school has the right credentials, accreditations and approvals. Apart from this, also find out about the kind of course contents it provides, what kind of exposure it will offer you, what educational philosophies and methodologies are you going to learn, what kind of hands-on field exposure you will be getting and so on. This kind of information will be very helpful while trying to find the course that is right for you.
Normally, the salary range for people who work in the field of Early Childhood Education ranges between USD 35,000 to USD 45,000. Apart from this, you also have the option of earning a supplemental income by leading extracurricular activities or coaching a sport. During the off months, you can also earn through a part time job.
A good beginning is the best predictor of a good ending.
The old proverb holds a lot of meaning when it comes to educating young children. All life and learning experiences are molded by what happens to the children in the early years of their lives. The influence of a teacher is extremely important and powerful and, in some ways, more powerful than any other element. For it is the quality of early childhood education that determines a child’s attitude towards formal schooling at secondary or primary level.
You can definitely make a rewarding career within the field of early childhood education. However, it is important to choose a course wisely. Take guidance from counsellors and decide accordingly. You can also seek online consultation from online ECE degree providers.