Early Childhood Education

Essentials of Early Childhood Education

A degree in Early Childhood Education prepares the student to teach children from ages 0 to 5 through a combination of theories and practical approaches. In essence, early childhood education is centered on providing the right foundation for the child’s development while in daycare, pre-school or kindergarten. Early Childhood Education also promotes the involvement of families and encourages adoption of a nurturing and caring learning environment in both home and school.

Degree programs usually include core courses related to child care and development, child psychology as well as basic instruction methodologies. Language, literacy and mathematics instruction are also important components. In addition, the student also learns how to conduct learning needs assessment and approaches to educating children with exceptional learning needs

A family-focused approach is also included in the program to stress the importance of involving parents and families in the learning process and development of the child. A family-focused approach, as applied in a school or child care service setting, may include a broad-range of training and support programs geared towards parents and family members.

Practical application is important in the process towards earning your degree in early childhood education. The program should provide opportunities for students to intern with a private or public child care or educational institution.

Career Outlook

If you genuinely enjoy working with children and have the necessary patience and creative skills, a career in Early Childhood Education may be right for you. Graduates of Early Childhood Education may find employment in child day care services and public and private educational institutions offering pre-school or kindergarten classes. If additional credits in special education have been acquired, a graduate can be employed as an early childhood special education teacher. An advanced degree may open doors for higher positions in educational research and administration.

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) reported in 2008 that around 78 percent of the wage and salary jobs in that year fall under the category of child care services. These include professionals working as pre-school teachers, teacher assistants, and child care/day care workers.

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the need for pre-school teachers is projected to increase by 19 percent until the year 2018. For early childhood special education teachers, the projection is even higher because many school districts are in urgent need of qualified licensed teachers.