What it’s about:

This major prepares you to teach infants and children through age eight, in all subjects through grade 3.You receive practicum/internship experience with small children in a variety of settings such as day care, before and after –school programs, pre-k (kindergarten) programs, early start, and k through grade 3 classrooms.

What the study of this major is like:

Most early childhood education programs require a broad general background in education; a core of professional courses that include education basics, knowledge of curriculum, and teaching methods; and opportunities to observe and student-teach in a variety of settings and at a variety of age and grade levels.

Because the early childhood curriculum focuses on a variety of subjects, you should take general education courses similar to those required in colleges of liberal arts and sciences. Your goal is to learn communication, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills while you study the humanities, math biological and physical sciences, social sciences, history, health, and physical education. You may be expected to complete a minor, or concentration, in one of the general education areas. If so, general education courses would make up between two-thirds and three-fourth of your undergraduate course work.

In professional education courses, you study the history and philosophy of early childhood education as well as early childhood growth and development. You also explore curriculum and classroom organization, by planning, putting into practice, and evaluating a program appropriate for young children. Since pre-schoolers learn through play, you learn how to introduce language arts, social skills, and basic math and activities. In addition, you learn how to introduce academics at the kindergarten and early primary grade levels. You may also take courses on teaching special-needs children in the regular classroom.

Your professional education fieldwork, called practicums, in which you observe and participate in programs for young children in settings such as elementary schools, child care centers, and Head start programs. You conclude with student teaching or an internship, as you take on increasing responsibility for a class. Most programs require you to do grade 3 settings, or perhaps several student-teaching assignments at different age or grade levels.

As an early childhood education major, you will probably be taught in lectures, small-group interactive projects, discussions, demonstrations, and presentations. You may take part in distance-learning through video segments and hear expert speakers. In your third and fourth years, you will spend a great deal of (unpaid) time working with children in schools; keep that point in mind if you plan to hold a job during college. While you are student-teaching (also unpaid), you will have no time for a job, so plan to save money for that final semester.

Early childhood programs may emphasize different teaching philosophies. Many programs include all teaching and theories, and let you pick the approach that best suits you. Others may focus on one model such as the Bank street or the Montessori approach. In general, most quality programs follow standards set by the National Association for the national association for the Education of Young children (ANEYC).

In all states, to be licensed to teach pre-k-3, you must have a four-year degree. Some states do not offer the early childhood teaching certificate but provide instead a “kindergarten endorsement” on an elementary teaching certificate. In these states, early childhood education may be a minor offered to elementary education majors. Some institutions offer teacher certification for early childhood education only at the graduate level. Many states are moving to requiring a master’s degree or the equivalent for continued teacher certification.

Career options and trends:

Teacher assistant or aide; pre-school teacher*; kindergarten teacher*; child care administrator; family service coordinator.

An associate degree is usually required for teacher aides or teacher paraprofessionals to work in public school classroom. These persons may work with small children as well as older children with disabilities.

Center director often have a master’s degree, but it is not a requirement.

In general, the shortage of early childhood /elementary education teachers is less severe than for teachers of older students. However, the south (Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas) have a higher demand for early education teachers because of their increasing numbers of young children. Job prospects continue to be better in urban and isolated rural areas. In many regions, teachers who are willing to relocate and who hold than one license / certification, such as in early childhood and special education or ESL (English as a second language), will have an advantage.

Source: CollegeBoard 2012 Book of Majors