How do I become a preschool teacher?

Preschool is one of the fastest growing facets of education in the United States due to the growing population of young children. Therefore, preschool teacher openings are likely to increase over the next few years. If you enjoy working with very young children and have the patience, understanding, and energy to commit to a young child's education, this is a job for you.

In the United States, most states require candidates who want to become preschool teachers to have at least an associate's degree, but some states require a bachelor's degree. Either way, you'll need to take some higher education classes, particularly in psychology, education, curriculum, child development, and classroom management. These classes and more will be instrumental in helping you understand proven methods for teaching young children to interact appropriately in social settings and begin to develop the fundamentals of learning.

Many preschool teachers begin their careers as assistant teachers, allowing them the opportunity to follow other more experienced teachers and gain their own experience working with a young population of students. Starting at the assistant teacher level, a preschool teacher can become a regular teacher or leader. In addition to experience and education, a teacher is often expected to obtain certified CPR and first aid to ensure safety in the classroom in an emergency. He or she will also be responsible for fingerprinting and submitting those fingerprints to the local school district, as well as submitting to a criminal background check.

If you are considering a career as a preschool teacher, be sure to consider several factors that will affect your performance: First, the pay scale may be somewhat low. The pay is typically less than US $ 20 per hour, which is why some people only teach part-time. Also, you must be excited to work with young children. High energy and patience are key to becoming a successful teacher, and without these attributes, you can get tired, stressed, or frustrated working with such a young population.

Several universities offer courses and degree programs to become a preschool teacher. Online schools and community colleges are also a good option to earn the college credits you will need, and these institutions will often work around your schedule to allow you flexible options for completing the course.

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