What Careers Are Available With An Early Childhood Education Degree?

When people think of early childhood education they often think of teaching a classroom full of young children, but it's so much more than that. There are a number of paths you can pursue with a degree in early childhood education — you aren't limited to becoming a teacher. Here are just a few examples of the careers you can go into.

Preschool Teacher

As a preschool teacher, you'll be responsible for educating young children. This period is a very important time in a child's development, making this a challenging but rewarding experience. Preschool teachers are generally responsible for teaching all subjects including math, science, reading, writing, and art, making this job a good fit for those with varied intellectual interests and a passion for learning.

Teacher's Assistant

A teacher's assistant helps early childhood education teachers with many of the behind the scenes duties including lesson planning, preparing class materials, and grading. You may also be involved in the classroom more directly by helping to enforce class rules, providing individual attention to students or groups, and filling in for the primary teacher when they are out.

Childcare Worker

Childcare workers work in childcare centers, looking after many young children every day. This is a fast-paced job that involves a number of duties including preparing meals, overseeing recreational activities, changing diapers, and generally keeping things running according to schedule. This career offers many opportunities to move up to more senior roles such as managerial or administrative positions. Many childcare workers even go on to open their own childcare centers.

Special Education Teacher

Special education teachers work with a wide range of intellectually, emotionally, and physically disabled children. This is a career that requires a lot of patience, hard work, and most of all compassion, but it is also an extremely rewarding experience. You will need to be able to think on your feet and adapt your lesson plans to the needs of your diverse student body. You'll also develop good interpersonal skills as you work closely with the parents of these children.

English as a Second Language Teacher

English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers help young students from diverse background learn and refine their English. As an ESL teacher, you will be responsible not only for teaching your students English but also teaching them how to learn so that they can go on to succeed in their academic and professional lives as they grow up.

Nanny

Nanny is a great choice for those of an entrepreneurial persuasion. Your duties will be similar to those of a childcare worker, but instead of working with multiple children at daycare you'll be working with individual children and their families. While some nannies work for an organization many choose to strike it out on their own, essentially becoming their own bosses. You also get the benefit of forming deep bonds with the children you take care of, as you'll be spending a lot of one on one time with the children.

As you can see, an early childhood education degree opens the door to a number of potential careers. Whether you want to teach the young, take care of those with special needs, or develop a close bond with a family and their children, an early childhood education degree can open the door for you. For more information on the careers available in early childhood education, please contact us today at Athena Careers Academy.