High school students may know that they want to go to college to become a teacher but may be unsure of what kind of teacher they want to become. They may even know that they want to teach younger children but wonder about the differences between a degree in elementary education versus a degree in early childhood education.
An early childhood education degree will prepare you to teach young children.
Courses
A student enrolled in an early childhood education degree program will take courses on child development, philosophy of education and classroom management. In addition, she will take courses on teach each subject matter that young children need to learn, such as music, pre-reading skills and basic math.
Internship
A bachelor's degree in early childhood education normally includes a student teaching internship. The student will go into a classroom with young children and take over, teaching lessons and dealing with all classroom situations.
Teaching License
After completing a degree in early childhood education from an accredited college or university, a student will be qualified to apply for a teaching license. A license is necessary to teach in a public school.
Career Options
A person with a bachelor's degree in early childhood education can run a daycare center, teach in a preschool or teach kindergarten. He may be able to teach up to the third grade in a public school. Other options include becoming a tutor or working in a private school setting.
Further Education
Beyond the bachelor's degree in early childhood education, there are master's degree programs in education, including special education, reading specialist and school administration.
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