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Requirements For Early Childhood Teachers – What can you do with an early education degree? There are more options in this exceptionally important line of work than one might think. Sure, there’s teaching in a traditional school setting—those with early childhood education are usually well-suited for anything between preschool and third grade—but that’s certainly not all. The field of early childhood education is vast, with professionals working in the classroom, in shops, in private nurseries and learning centres, and even in the child’s home.
A degree in early childhood education gives you many different marketable skills – an understanding of the educational, cognitive and emotional development of children, the ability to create age-appropriate learning materials and lessons to best help children develop, leadership skills, collaboration. skills (with both parents and other teachers), and so much more. As such, a degree in Early Childhood Education is attractive to any employer who works with children, schools, parents and teachers. With that in mind, let’s explore some of the employment opportunities for someone with an early education degree, both inside and outside of the traditional classroom.
Requirements For Early Childhood Teachers
Preschool is a critical time in a child’s development, and as such, preschool teachers are hugely important to the development of children before they reach kindergarten. Preschool teachers help their students develop motor and social skills, as well as basic educational skills such as reading, writing and counting. Preschool is a child’s first experience of organized schooling, and therefore the role of a preschool teacher is also one of creating an educational experience that will facilitate the transition to the classroom and initiate a life of excitement for learning.
Early Childhood Education
Preschool teachers with a degree in early childhood education are highly sought after, and preschool teachers can expect to earn an average salary of around $27,000, with top salaries reaching over $50,000 a year.
Kindergarten teachers act as bridge teachers, transferring students from pre-school to primary school. Like preschool teachers, kindergarten teachers likely have a classroom with many students who are experiencing the classroom for the first time and need to prepare accordingly. Like primary school teachers, kindergarten teachers must also have a well-rounded educational background, since they have to teach everything (reading, mathematics, etc.) in their own classroom.
Kindergarten teachers also typically keep an eye on their students’ academic and emotional status to set goals for both the class and individual students as they prepare for first grade and beyond. Kindergarten teachers typically earn an average of $50,000 per year, although this number can vary depending on location and educational background, anywhere from $30,000 to $60,000.
Primary school teachers are usually expected to have a broad knowledge base, as they are responsible for teaching most of the subjects in the classroom. Whether it’s math, literature, science or art, a primary school teacher needs to be able to cover it with their students. As such, a solid general education is recommended, and a bachelor’s degree (with appropriate certification) is required to become an elementary school teacher.
Earn Your Early Childhood Teacher Certificate
Early childhood education majors who go the elementary school teacher route can expect to earn a median salary of around $50,000, although some can earn up to $80,000 depending on location and experience. Oh, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects job growth in the field to be around 12% over the next decade, which is higher than average, so a degree in Early Childhood Education can translate to many teaching opportunities going forward.
Teaching assistants (or paraeducators/paraprofessionals) assist lead teachers in the classroom. While the median salary is much lower than a head teacher’s salary would be, responsibility is also reduced, with teaching assistants expected to work with individual students or small groups while the head teacher manages the classroom as a whole. The role of the teaching assistant is usually to help reinforce the new material that the head teacher has taught. Teaching assistants also help prepare materials for lessons, keep track of student attendance, reinforce classroom rules and generally help the head teacher supervise the children during the school day .
Teaching assistants are usually only required to have a high school diploma, making the position a perfect fit for an early childhood education major who is still in school. It allows students in the program to get used to working with young children in the classroom environment without having to commit to the full workload that comes with being a lead teacher. Teaching assistants earn around $24,000 per year, making this a great side job while earning an early education degree.
Perhaps more commonly known as a nanny, a home-based nanny is responsible for the health, education and safety of the children in their care. Between offering structured activities, ensuring educational, nutritional and emotional development, and communicating with parents about the child’s needs and growth, the home-based babysitter is more than just a babysitter – they may well be the most important figure in a child’s life outside of the parents themselves.
Why We Need More Early Childhood Special Education Professionals
Salary and requirements can vary widely for home-based childcare workers. The requirements are largely up to the individual family, and often a student in an early childhood education program will be a perfect fit for both the family and the student – so that the student can get practical training with young children at the same time as he gets a degree. Home-based nannies earn between $14,000 and $35,000 per year, largely depending on the number of children in their care.
Let’s take a step away from practical work with children, as an early childhood education qualifies you for so much more than just life in a classroom. A bachelor’s degree in early childhood education—plus some experience in business or marketing—can set you up for a career as a sales representative for all kinds of products aimed at children. Sellers are responsible for selling products such as toys, children’s literature and food and drink – basically anything marketed to children, parents and/or teachers.
Sales representatives can earn between $40,000-$60,000, depending on experience, promoting products to retail buyers, at conferences and online. And who better to help create, market and sell these products than someone with an education and background with young children? Sales is an excellent choice for early education degree holders looking for something different from the traditional classroom track.
While jumping straight from an Early Childhood Education degree to pursuing research studies can be a bit of a stretch, getting into research can be a career goal for ECE degree holders who want to further their education by getting a master’s degree or to and with a doctorate. By carrying out studies about children and educational practices with regard to their development, researchers are also expected to receive funding for the research through grant writing.
Early Childhood Educators Of Bc (ecebc)
While the education requirements are higher than some of the other careers on this list, the average salary — upwards of $75,000 — is also significantly better. Researchers are also not limited to academia, as public, non-profit and for-profit organizations are all potential employers of well-educated and prepared researchers.
Consultants are skilled education professionals who are brought into schools, daycare centers, and other public and private institutions to help develop curriculum, create programs, set regulations, and determine learning outcomes for the organization’s children. Consulting work can range from helping to adjust standards and expectations to helping to create an entirely new program for an organization not yet involved in child care and education.
Because early childhood education majors teach a variety of skills—understanding and encouraging child development, interacting and collaborating with parents and administrators, communicating and leading, and so on—those with a degree in ECE are well suited to consult and can expect earning an average salary ranging from $48,000 up to $80,000.
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If you are interested in the development and enrichment of early childhood students, but are more interested in setting up the curriculum than actually teaching it, a career in administration may be the right path for you. Kindergartens, learning centers, and other similar institutions all require an administrative staff to create and implement the curriculum, and ensure that students are taught to the center’s standards. There are a variety of different types of centers, from federally funded schools and Head Start programs, to independently owned and operated centers, to national chains such as Kumon or Montessori. These centers can also vary in the age of their students, from preschoolers to college students, but since we’re focusing on early childhood education, let’s look at early childhood education.
Online Master’s In Early Childhoold Education
Early childhood education administrators establish the educational standards of the center, as well as observe and adjust lessons and provide professional development opportunities for their staff. Preschool administrators can earn between $40,000-$50,000 per year, and generally only a high school diploma (along with necessary certification) is required. However, with the practical experience that one will gain within
