"Mini-Guide" to Early Childhood Education Degrees

• "This major prepares you to teach infants and children though 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."

- College Board Book of Majors, 2nd edition

• "Preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school teachers play a vital role in the development of children. What children learn and experience during their early years can shape their views of themselves and the world and can affect their later success or failure in school, work, and their personal lives. Preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school teachers introduce children to mathematics, language, science, and social studies. They use games, music, artwork, films, books, computers, and other tools to teach basic skills."

- U.S. Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition

• "As an early childhood education major, you’ll learn how to be an effective teacher of kids in preschool, kindergarten, and first through third grades. These young learners have needs markedly different from kids even a year or two older. You’ll learn how children develop and what their educational needs are at each stage of their lives. You’ll study children’s literature (remember Harold and the Purple Crayon?), how to teach mathematics and reading, and the importance—and significance—of play. You’ll study the history of early childhood education so you can recognize the unique challenges that have faced teachers in this field and how they’ve been overcome successfully. Most importantly, you’ll study children—how they operate, what they think, and how you can ensure that they reach their full potential."

- The Princeton Review Online

Think about an early childhood education degree if:

• Friends and family would describe you as warm, nurturing, caring, or responsive.
• You appreciate the wonders of childhood discovery and seek to create opportunities and environments for your own continued self-discovery.
• You are creative and energetic.
• You are interested in the various educational approaches, social policies, and prevention or intervention strategies that can influence the development of children and youth.
• You are enthusiastic about nurturing children's first steps to learning.
• You are friendly and approach new things with an open mind.
• You believe that patience is a virtue!
• You enjoy planning group activities, such as intramural sports, or art and crafts.
• You enjoy tutoring or coaching.
• You have a desire to strengthen individuals, families, and your community.
• You enjoy working with diverse kinds of people.
• You enjoyed school and have a love of learning.
• You have natural leadership skills and thrive on challenge.
• You have worked at day care facilities or volunteered with community organizations with programs or activities for children.
• You like being a mentor or liaison and helping others work through problems.
• You like working with toddlers and young children.

If an online degree in early childhood education isn't for you, you may want to consider these closely related fields of study instead:

• Adult and Higher Education:
  Have the ability to plan and organize curriculum and present classroom instruction to adult learners, how to integrate various media to engage students, and learn about adult cognitive development.
  Adult and Higher Education Online Degrees
• Curriculum and Instruction:
  Understand the importance of current media and technology and how to incorporate new applications to develop and improve existing curriculum, as well as improving the effectiveness of curriculum instruction. Enhance leadership and organizational skills while focusing on improving the teaching and learning process.
  Curriculum and Instruction Online Degrees
• Educational Leadership:
  Develop leadership abilities to advance into an administrative role, at the primary, secondary or higher education level. Learn the principles of management and the skills for institutional development.
  Educational Leadership Online Degrees
• Educational Technology:
  Interested in technology? Educational Technology seeks to improve the teaching and learning process by the creation, use, and management of appropriate technological processes and resources.
  Educational Technology Online Degrees | Educational Technology Online Certificates
• K-12 Education:
  Focus on how lesson planning and activities can be tailored for different learning styles and at different stages of development. Specialize in disciplines, such as reading or mathematics.
  K-12 Education Online Degrees | K-12 Education Online Certificates
• Special Education:
  Gain the expertise for teaching and developing specialized curriculum or programs for special needs. Have a solid understanding of how to work with student with behavior, emotional, and cognitive disabilities.
  Special Education Online Degrees | Special Education Online Certificates

Many schools will have you select a specialization – a focused area of study within the early childhood education degree.

• Child Care
  Develop the skills to provide educational instruction to toddler-aged and young children at a day care facility or within a child care environment.
• Child Study
  Learn about the social and cognitive development of children; develop leadership skills, ethics, and decision-making as a teaching professional.
• Elementary Education
  Combine teaching theory and professional training to develop the skill necessary to teach students aged 5 – 12. Improve communication skills and being able to integrate technology and hands-on activities.
• Elementary English Education
  Specialize in elementary level instruction within the field of English. Training and knowledge is focused on methods of teaching reading, spelling, vocabulary, and developing an effective curriculum.
• Elementary Mathematics Education
  Programs focus on the concepts of instruction and integration of technology and demonstrative tools within the curriculum, with material engaging to all students in the mathematics classroom.
• Elementary Science Education
  Studies are directed on elementary level instruction within the science discipline. Develop an effective science curriculum, especially in the areas of the scientific method, safety precautions when conducting science demonstrations and experiments, and developing an engaging curriculum.

While the exact curriculum requirements will vary among schools, here is a partial list of some of the courses you might take as an early childhood education major:

• Child Growth and Development
• Child Health, Safety, and Nutrition
• Children's Literature
• Classroom Management
• Counseling Theory and Early Childhood Education
• Curriculum Methods in Preschool and Elementary Education
• Differences and Diversity of Learning
• Education Technology and Instructional Resources
• Educational Games for Young Children
• Educational Psychology
• Families in Early Childhood Settings and Communities
• Foundations and Issues of Early Childhood Education
• Infant and Toddler Education
• Multicultural Educational Theory and Practice for the Young Child
• Parent and Child Relations
• Reading and Children: Teaching and Learning
• Social Development, Behavior, and Play
• Teaching Art and the Child
• Teaching Children with Special Needs
• Teaching Mathematics in Early Education
• Topics in Educational Reform

When you have completed your early childhood education degree, you will likely have gained many of the following skills and competencies:

• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously
• Ability to interact with parents and families in planning, delivering, and evaluating interventions that positively impact a child’s developmental needs
• Ability to motivate, encourage, and support children
• Alertness and keen observation skills
• Awareness and sensitivity of gender, socio-economic, and cultural differences
• Can deal calmly and effectively with high stress situations
• Can work well within a team, or leading a team
• Capable of being an active listener with patience and empathy
• Capable of maintaining a high level of energy
• Heightened sense of responsibility and integrity
• Knowledge of major learning theories and their implications for young children
• Knowledge of the historical foundations for early childhood education
• Self-confidence and self-understanding
• Sensitivity to individuals and for individual learning abilities, as well as a tolerance of cultural differences
• Strong reading comprehension and writing ability
• Understanding of the emotional, intellectual and social ways in which children develop and grow
• Well-defined personal philosophy of learning
• Well-honed speaking and presentation skills

As a career-oriented major focusing on teaching and instruction, the learning and development of children, and classroom management and ethics, early childhood education majors are needed in a variety of settings, such as:

• Adoption Agencies
• Alternative Schools
• Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts
• Camps (day camp, summer camp, etc.)
• Churches
• Colleges and Universities
• Community Recreation Centers
• Correctional Institutions
• Day Care Centers
• Educational Publishers
• Elementary, Middle, and Junior High Schools
• Family Day Homes
• Hospitals
• International Language Schools
• Libraries
• Non-profit Organizations
• Preschools and Nursery Schools
• Public and Private Schools
• Two-year and Technical Schools
• United Way Agencies
• Vocational Services
• YMCA/YWCA
• Youth Services

Possible Job Titles for Associate's or Bachelor's Early Childhood Education Online Degree Holders/Entry Level Job Titles

Here is a sampling of jobs you for which you may be qualified with a degree in early childhood education. Remember that requirements differ from state to state, and certain cities may require additional credentials as well. Use this for inspiration, remembering that this may represents some, but certainly not all, of the careers you can consider.

• Au Pair
• Child Care Administrator
• Children’s Museum Project Coordinator
• Coach/Physical Education Teacher
• Education Coordinator
• Day Care Assistant
• Kindergarten Teacher
• Nanny
• Playground Aide
• Preschool Teacher
• Substitute Teacher
• Teacher’s Aide
• Teacher’s Assistant
• Tutor

Possible Job Titles for Advanced Early Childhood Education Degree Holders

• Child Care Center Director
• Children’s Literature Author
• Daycare Teacher
• Day Care Director
• Early Childhood Special Education Teacher
• Education Consultant
• Elementary School Principal
• Lead or Master Teacher
• Librarian
• Director of Children’s Programs
• School Counselor
• Special Needs Specialist