Early Childhood Education Online Degrees - Helping the Preschool
Teacher Shape Our Future
by Fran Walker
fran.walker@careerschoolguide.com
Career School Guide Columnist
School teachers are often undervalued, especially preschool teachers. I have never understood why. Preschool education is the foundation upon which our whole society is built. An early childhood education online degree can help preschool teachers reinforce this message.
Preschool Education - Learning Through Play
Depending when their birthday falls, children can spend between one and three years in preschool education. For many of these three or four year-olds, preschool education via nurseries and kindergarten can be their first adventure away from Mom or Dad.
Preschool education focuses on learning through play. Games, toys, and activities teach children confidence, language, and socials skills. Preschool teachers also help students learn the basics of numbers, art, dance, and music in an informal setting.
Once the child is five or six, they have already learned foundational skills. In the case of my own children, they swapped preschool education for the first grade without looking back.
Do You Want to Be a Preschool Teacher?
There were 424,000 preschool teachers in 2002 and168, 000 kindergarten teachers. Over the next ten years, prospects in this area vary from good to excellent (BLS).
Preschool teachers at public school kindergarten level require a bachelor's degree, a teaching certificate, and a license. Preschool teachers at private nurseries may not hold a degree, but will have undergone formal training.
Preschool teachers might get to play at work, but this is a tiring job, requiring a lot of patience and understanding. Early childhood education online degrees recognize and reinforce these skills, and can help preschool teachers improve their knowledge and teaching abilities.
Early Childhood Education Online Degrees
Depending on their level of formal education, preschool teachers can pursue a range of early childhood education online programs, including degrees. Early childhood education online degrees range from associate to doctoral level, which gives some indication of how important preschool education is.
In my case, seeing one of my children emerge from nursery chattering, smiling and brandishing a picture told me all I needed to know.
About the Author
Fran Walker is a freelance writer, editor and researcher specializing in educational, health, safety and domestic issues. Previously, she spent five years in marketing in the self-help, health and health and safety sectors before leaving to start a family. She now edits and writes content for the U.K. Health and Safety Executive. Fran graduated in 1993 with an honors degree in English Literature
Source
Posted on May 17, 2005 at 07:11 PM
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