Early childhood education, means the education of children who are under 8 years old. As the child develops his cognitive abilities most rapidly in this phase, special emphasis needs to be given to his education. Science says that children of this age group witness brain development unparalleled to any point in their life. This rapid development and growth must be accompanied by laying foundations of their social skills, educational faculties, self-image, and their perception of the world. In a nutshell, the foundation of what a child is going to accomplish in later life is laid here in this phase.
Therefore, good early childhood education is necessary to cope with all these rapidly changing cognitive abilities. As the world is moving towards literacy and recognition, parents are recognizing this need of providing quality education to their children. All estimates indicate that the percentage of preschool enrollment has increased sharply. Though not regulated by the state, early childhood education is important nonetheless. Since the demand for quality early childhood education is increasing so is the demand for early childhood educators is seeing a steep rise. The field offers a promising career and if you are someone interested in teaching young children and preparing them to face the world, you should have a look at it.
Requirements for an Early Childhood Educator
Teaching preschool kids is not the same as teaching school-going students. The teacher must be patient, sensitive, and communicative to deal with them. Without the right temperament, it is impossible for anyone to handle so young kids. While choosing early childhood education as your career, do introspect. If you don’t like to be around children or are impatient, or are not good with children, then you should probably consider something else.
However, if you are adaptive and creative and can step out of your mature self occasionally, you are perfect for the job. Your ability to engage and motivate children will be highly appreciated in such environments. Moreover, the career is quite good and promising.
How to become an Early Childhood Educator?
To become an early childhood teacher, you need to have the proper credentials. Though every state sets its own recruitment rules, some broad rules are universally accepted. It will be better if you have a degree in child development. An associate’s degree in early childhood education is a must to apply for any such position. However, to be on the safe side and to keep your prospects open, you should have a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. It will also qualify you to move up the ladder to teach higher classes. If you hold a master’s degree in early childhood education, your chances of career advancement multiply. For doctoral degree holders, more enlightened opportunities await.
Some positions also demand training as an educator or some experience in the field. You can get both by doing voluntary work if you don’t have any real-time experience. To apply for a national certificate from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. After certification, focus on your experience from voluntary work or as a teacher’s aide. You will be a teacher in no time.
Affordable Early Childhood Education Degree Online
So, if you are looking for a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education schools, there are plenty of the best online schools for early childhood education. Online education is the norm of the times and it gives you numerous benefits over physical schooling. Numerous schools offer early childhood education degrees online. Though they vary greatly in cost, you must choose the one that suits you best. Some of the best and most affordable schools are compiled here.
University of Washington
The University of Washington offers an affordable online early childhood education course. The course aims to prepare students for working in the early childhood education field. Moreover, special emphasis is laid to prepare them for working in various capacities like teachers, administrators et cetera.
The program has 120 credit hours. And the tuition per credit hour is around $231.
Purdue Global University
Purdue Global university located in West Lafayette, Indiana, the university offers an online bachelor’s degree in early childhood education which will enable you to work as an educator and administrator in preschool settings. The program is based on teaching students about early childhood growth with a curriculum based on developing cognitive skills in young students.
The course is a 180-credit hour program. The university charges $371 per credit hour.
Fort Hays State University
Fort Hayes State University is located in Hays, Kansas. The university offers an affordable online degree in early childhood education with a special emphasis on unified early childhood. It means that students are taught to teach special needs children along with regular children.
The degree has 126 credit hours with $237 tuition per credit hour.
Though many other universities offer early childhood education degrees online, these are some of the most affordable ones.
How much does early childhood education cost?
For those wondering about the early childhood education degree online cost, it varies from school to school. Moreover, it depends upon enrollment status along with the specific school. As everywhere else, early childhood education in public colleges is cheaper than in any private college. Kendall College in Illinois charges $524 tuition per credit hour while the University of Washington charges $231, as mentioned above.
Moreover, discounts are also offered by public institutions for in-state students. The discount is not too much but it’s something. As you are looking for an online degree, you will save on transportation and living expenses too. Overall, you will have to pay around $32000 in tuition fees.
These are all affordable options for early childhood degrees online presented to you. You will have a promising career with the opportunity to serve in multiple capacities like a preschool teacher, administrator, and kindergarten teacher.
The early childhood education career pays between $30000 to $60000 annually. It starts with preschool teachers earning about $31000 per year. Kindergarten teachers earn around $59000 per year. However, if you hold a higher degree in early childhood education, you will get higher-paying jobs.
