Childhood Education

What is Childhood Education?

Childhood education is a career field focused on creating and utilizing the most effective teaching methods for the general education of children and adolescents, to accommodate developmental stages and educational needs.

What should I look for in an online childhood education school?

The best online childhood education schools should possess either regional or national accreditation from an accrediting body that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

In addition, you can often recognize top online childhood education schools based on:

• The school's name and status
• The school's history
• Teacher credentials
• Alumni network

In choosing the best online childhood education school for you, you should consider the following factors:

• Admission requirements
• Residency requirements
• Class and teaching style
• Testing methods used
• Course content and presentation
• Program length
• Class size
• Student-teacher interaction
• Technology use
• Tuition and financial aid
• Transferability of credits
• Availability of a dedicated administration team and resources

What levels of online childhood education programs are available?

The following levels of childhood education degree online programs are available:

• Online Childhood Education Certificate Programs
• Online Associates in Childhood Education
• Online Bachelor in Childhood Education
• Online Masters in Childhood Education
• Online PhD in Childhood Education

How long does it take to get an online childhood education degree?

The amount of time it takes a student to earn an accredited online childhood education degree depends on the level of childhood education degree being pursued and the pace of the student.

Typically, the breakdown is as follows:

• Online Childhood Education Certification Programs - 6 months to 1 year
• Online Childhood Education Associates Degree - 2 years
• Online Childhood Education Bachelor Degree - 4 years
• Online Childhood Education Masters - 2 years
• Online Childhood Education PhD - 2 to 5 years

What are some examples of online childhood education courses?

Courses from accredited online childhood education schools concentrate on stages of development, classroom management and teaching strategies for children in the best online childhood education courses like:

• Foundations in Education
  This overview course looks at the development of the U.S. education system, how elementary and secondary education standards are determined and what issues teachers face in today's diverse educational environments.
• Growing and Learning Theories
  This class allows teachers to investigate various possible learning styles for children of different ages, personalities and stages of life in order to create engaging and effective curriculum.
• Classroom Management
  Teachers need to learn to lead with effective strategies to order the physical, emotional, social, and educational atmosphere of a classroom to promote maximum learning among students.
• Teaching Elementary Reading Methods
  This course prepares teachers for curriculum development in literacy and reading skills, including vocabulary, recall and reading comprehension for elementary-age students.
• Special Education Teaching Methods
  With a focus on children with special needs, this methods course investigates creative ways of teaching basic life and education skills for emotionally, developmentally or physically disabled students.

What areas of childhood education specialization are available?

Good online childhood education programs can be focused on various ages, methods or teaching strategies. Specializations in online childhood education degree programs include:

• Special Education/Special Needs
• Literacy Programming
• Curriculum Design
• Elementary Education/K-12
• Preschool/Early Childhood Education
• Secondary Education
• Educational Administration
• English Language Learners/English as a Second Language(ELL/ESL)

What can I do with a childhood education degree?

Online accredited childhood education degrees prepare graduates for childhood education jobs either directly working with children or working with educational program development that aid children's learning. Jobs in childhood education include:

• Elementary School Educator
• Preschool Director
• Primary or Elementary School Principal
• University/College Professor of Childhood Education
• English Language Learner Program Director
• Education Curriculum Reviewer
• Textbook/Instructional Materials Developer

What is a childhood educator?

The profession of childhood education blends the process of studying effective learning strategies for children that can be practically applied to the classroom. A career in childhood education combines a love of children, practical communication skills, and the ability to design educational environments for maximum learning effectiveness.

What does a childhood educator do?

Childhood educators prepare classroom lessons in general education topics such as language arts, science, math, reading, and social studies and teach a weekly rotation of these subjects to children between ages five and twelve, while managing the overall classroom atmosphere to promote the best learning. Childhood educators in administration oversee one or more schools, the programs and classroom teachers, while ensuring the schools have sufficient resources to meet the educational goals of a district, region or state.

How much do childhood educators earn?

On average, as elementary or early childhood educators with top online childhood education degrees earn annual salaries between $50,380 and $56,420, depending on the specialization, location and size of school district. The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates an average growth rate of 13% over the next eight to ten years. More childhood education positions will become available as older educators and administrators retire. The highest rates of employment are in inner city, urban, rural, and bilingual school settings rather than suburban schools.

How do I become childhood educator?

Individuals interested in how to become a childhood educator should start with a popular online degree program in childhood education, such as an online bachelor's degree program. After completing a good childhood education online degree, individuals may opt to apply to the State Board of Education for a certified teaching license or an alternative teaching license, which certifies you as an approved educator. Each state requires this licensing for public school teachers, though some private schools allow certified but non-licensed teachers. Advanced degrees in masters and doctoral programs in childhood education may ensure advancement opportunities, as well as allow your resume to become more appealing to future employers.