Early Childhood Education: What Is It?
Early childhood education (ECE) is a broad term that includes both official and informal education. Birth to age eight is the age range covered by early childhood education. This schooling is essential to a child’s development. It can have a big impact on how someone lives their latter years.
If you go further, you’ll find that early schooling is influenced by a number of distinct factors that work together. In the context of informal education, a child’s interaction with its parents or other primary caregivers is undoubtedly the main source of input regarding that child’s growth. To put it simply, parents serve as a child’s first instructor. Between the ages of 0 and 2, when the kid is starting to form a bond to its parents and build a sense of self, this relationship is extremely important. The type of attachment that develops throughout this period of life can have a big influence on how well a child does in school later on.
The formal education a child receives at a young age is the other factor in the equation when it comes to early childhood education. This educational phase usually encompasses the years 2 through 8 in a child’s life. Early childhood education can take many different forms, and they might differ from state to state and program to program. Programs for education can be created especially for kids of all ages. They can be offered in the following environments:
Daycare center daycare nursery school
Preschool and kindergarten
A portion of these programs are managed privately. Others are run under a nationally supported program or by the local educational system.
The Importance of Early Childhood Education in Practice
Extensive research conducted in the last few decades has reinforced the significance of early childhood education. When it comes to preparing kids for success in a post-kindergarten classroom, early childhood education (ECE) is essential. Benefits include a lower chance of social-emotional mental health issues and a higher degree of independence as kids grow up and approach adulthood.
The ability of ECE early childhood education to bridge the achievement gap between pupils from low-income and high-income families is one important benefit that has been shown. In the past, children from low socioeconomic backgrounds have historically performed significantly worse academically than those from wealthy socioeconomic backgrounds. However, research has indicated that involvement in ECE can:
Raise the percentage of high school graduates
Enhance one’s performance in standardized assessments
Decrease the amount of pupils enrolled in special education programs or had to retake a grade
One particular study yielded a number of significant findings. Children aged three and four from low-Income families in Michigan were randomly assigned to a unique program at the Perry Preschool as part of this study, known as the Perry Preschool Project. These kids had a five times lower likelihood of becoming lawbreakers by the time they were 18 compared to those who weren’t included in the study. Furthermore, these kids were making $5,500 more annually on average by the time they turned 40 than kids who hadn’t attended a good preschool program. Additionally, they had lower poverty rates and a higher likelihood of being home owners. This suggests that early childhood education has positive effects on society as a whole.
There has been a significant drive to reform early education childhood policy in the United States in the years since the Perry Preschool Project was implemented in the 1960s, particularly in the last ten years. Through the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge concept, the Obama administration attempted to start a federal education overhaul. $500 million in Race to the Top funding was given to states that had thorough early education strategies. State-by-state, prekindergarten program funding increased by 6.9% in 2012–2013, while several states established new early childhood education agencies.
ECE services are also offered by the Head Start program in addition to these efforts. Head Start is among the first ECE programs, having been established in 1965. Children from low socioeconomic families can enroll in early childhood education programs for free thanks to a federal program.
The Components of Programs for Early Childhood Education
Because early childhood education (ECE) is still a relatively new area, there has been much disagreement over the years regarding what makes a program effective. More precisely, a lot of the discussion has focused on what kind of program truly counts as an educational experience rather than just a way to give care.
The National Education Association states that a top-notch early childhood education program should have the following five crucial elements:
It ought to offer a comprehensive curriculum that promotes growth in every area.
It should be a component of an all-encompassing network of services that addresses family needs, nutrition, and child health.
In order to improve student learning and pinpoint issues, it should evaluate kids.
It ought to hire highly qualified educators at a reasonable salary.
Low teacher-to-child ratios and small class sizes should be offered.
Therefore, the foundation of any high-quality program for early childhood education should consist of these five elements. Still, other traits of a top-notch program are as follows:
Wholesome meals and snacks a solid basis for language development early literacy and math instructors Who regularly assess students’ progress
Prospects for Early Childhood Teachers’ Careers
In the US, there is a big drive to improve early education and childhood policies. What is the job prospects for ECE? Early childhood educators have a very bright future in terms of job growth. The early childhood education sector is expected to increase at an incredibly high rate of 15%, whereas the average job growth rate for the United States as a whole is projected to be around 7% until the end of the decade.
Even though there is a high rate of career growth for ECE workers overall, recent graduates of ECE schools should preferably look for employment in areas with higher rates of population increase overall or in states with more substantial financing for ECE programs. This covers states like:
Texas
Carolina
California
New Jersey
New York
Maryland
Anyone looking to start at the entry level in the ECE field today should anticipate making about $25,790 a year. Preschool instructors make an average of $30,210 a year. However, those who pursue leadership roles in daycare centers, preschools, and other comparable work environments can expect to earn up to $53,800 on average.
For individuals with a strong desire to teach and a good rapport with preschoolers, a career in early childhood education is an excellent option due to its growth rate, which is greater than average, and the potential for full-time employment. The choice to become an ECE requires meeting a number of extremely rigorous educational criteria.
To Work as an Early Childhood Education Teacher, You Must Have This Education
Usually, some kind of post-secondary degree is necessary to get hired as an early childhood education instructor. The 50 states have different criteria. Of the 53 state-funded prekindergarten education programs, as of 2013, only thirty required a bachelor’s degree for their teachers, while forty-five required some kind of specialized training in early childhood education.
Head Start, a federally supported program for early childhood education, has particular guidelines for its 1,700 childcare providers nationwide. At least 50% of preschool Head Start instructors must hold a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education (ECE) or a closely related field, while center-based teachers are required to hold at least an associate’s degree.
For those who want to become early childhood educators, they have a variety of educational options to consider:
an early childhood education bachelor’s degree an early childhood education associate’s degree
programs for certificates in early childhood education
You can finish these programs online or in a classroom.
Elementary school kindergarten instructors must hold at least a bachelor’s degree with ECE courses. They study subjects like basic academic education, cognitive and social development, and child development.
As previously said, not all programs now require a bachelor’s degree, but as more receive government funding, this requirement is expected to become increasingly commonplace. However, as of right now, completion of an online ECE certification program qualifies a person for work in a number of roles, including:
Preschool instructor
Elementary school instructor
Daycare center
After-school caregiver
Youthful camp counsellor
Even if an employee with a bachelor’s degree will probably have more opportunities in the future, there are still certain advantages to finishing a certification program. The fact that there are less restrictions for applying to certification programs is one advantage. Many programs just need applicants to have a high school diploma (GED) and be at least 18 years old. Furthermore, some certificate programs can be completed in as little as six months, as opposed to the four years required to get a bachelor’s degree. Finally, many certificate programs can be done totally online, while a bachelor degree must be completed at least partially in a regular school. This gives students who need to work while finishing the degree a great lot of freedom.
Whichever educational route is selected, it is crucial to take into account the direction that the demands on teachers are taking the educational sector. It is vital to contemplate your prospective aspirations concerning career advancement in your selected field.
It is obvious that setting the groundwork for future success in children is greatly aided by early childhood education. Based on the rapidly increasing number of jobs in this area and the growing financing for early childhood education programs, it appears that this sector is well-positioned for growth in the years to come. An early childhood education teaching job might be the best fit for people who enjoy instructing and having an impact on the lives of young people.
