Early Childhood Education Degrees in Pennsylvania
There are some career paths that empower you to completely change your community, individuals’ lives, and your own future. Those who work in social services, healthcare, and education find themselves in this group.
Being a teacher means solving problems creatively, adjusting your techniques to fit the needs of specific students, and being part of a team that includes parents and caregivers. An early childhood education degree can put you on the path to a teaching career.
Becoming an Early Childhood Teacher in Pennsylvania
At early childhood education programs, you can explore child development, educational psychology, and other important fields that make you an effective and compassionate teacher.
Explore your options now by contacting Pennsylvania teacher education programs.
In Pennsylvania, legislators and educational leaders are starting to realize the importance of early education funding. State leaders are calling on legislators for increased early education funding (The Times and Tribune, 2016).
Nearby states have seen impressive results from their ramped up early education efforts, leading states like Pennsylvania to concentrate their efforts in this area. With these changes, this may be an excellent time for you to get your degree and start building your career.
Becoming an early childhood teacher can tap into your altruism, your natural creativity, and your passion for doing what’s right.
Discover which degree program fits your needs now by getting in touch with teacher licensure programs in Pennsylvania.
Getting Your Early Childhood Education Degree in Pennsylvania
While choosing a new career path and degree, there are lots of questions that arise. How much education do you need? How long does it take? How much does it cost?
Luckily, the state of Pennsylvania has many schools with early education teaching programs that aim to turn you into a great teacher.
While some students can pursue their license through an alternative certification program or a Master’s degree program, most begin their journey with a Bachelor’s degree in education. By the time you finish your four to five years of education, you should have between 120 and 130 credits.
Once you have been accepted into a Pennsylvania teaching program, you can apply for scholarships that are reserved for teaching students. The Pennsylvania T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarship Program hopes to meet the workforce needs of Pennsylvania school districts and childcare centers.
Early Childhood Teacher Courses
- Instructional Methods in Early Childhood Education
- Play as an Educative Process
- Involvement in Home, Center, and Classroom Instruction
- Approaches to Contemporary Early Childhood Education Programs
- Issues and Trends in Early Childhood Education
- Curriculum Development
- Educational Role of the Family
Some of your courses may be completed online, but in general, this person requires a lot of in-person work. Each semester, you may complete one or more rotations at a local school. By spreading out your experience this way, you can test your skills with students of all ages within your licensure range. Along with your final semester of student teaching, your work experience may total close to 1,000 hours.
Teacher licensure is regulated by each state, and in Pennsylvania, the responsible agency is the Pennsylvania Department of Education. They use the Praxis test series to ensure that graduates meet the standards of Pennsylvania schools.
Don’t wait any longer to earn your degree in early childhood education. Pennsylvania schools are listed below, making it easy.
Just request information to determine the degree program that fits your needs.
Working as an Early Childhood Educator in Pennsylvania
When you are ready to start your career, you should already have a well-developed network of contacts and references that you can use to explore your career options. However, don’t let this fall to the side when you start working.
Education is one of the fastest changing fields in the United States, and you need to stay up-to-date on changing standards and techniques. You may want to join the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children.
Across the board, the field of education is extremely stable in Pennsylvania. Through the year 2024, job openings for preschool teachers are expected to increase 7% in Pennsylvania (O*Net, 2016). A 1% boost in job openings for elementary school teachers is anticipated during this time (O*Net, 2016).
You may boost your income potential by gaining experience and working in high-need areas. The statewide average income for a preschool teacher is $28,330 annually (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016). Elementary school teachers report an average income of $61,730 per year (BLS, 2016).
Make a choice today that can improve your future.
Request information from early childhood education programs near you to get started.
