Kindergarten school teachers carry out an enormous role in the growth and development of young children. What they discover, learn, and experience during this time can have a great impact on their future success both in school and their everyday lives. If you are someone that loves children and has knack for teaching and education, a Kindergarten teaching career is definitely something you should explore. In the remainder of this article I will discuss some of the requirements to become a kindergarten teacher.
In most cases, to become a Kindergarten teacher you will have to follow the traditional route of enrolling in an education program at a college or university and obtaining a license to teach in the state you reside. In particular, if you are just starting out in your career and want to teach in a public school setting, this is the way you will want to proceed. However, if you already have a bachelor's degree, many states also offer alternative methods to obtaining a teaching license. Private school teachers are not required to be licensed at all.
Assuming you are just starting out, you will want to start researching education programs at colleges and universities. These programs are designed specifically for students preparing for their first teaching job and will include courses on the philosophy of education, teaching methodologies, learning psychology, and other education related courses. Of course this will be in additional to traditional core college subjects such as mathematics, science, economics, art, literature, and so on.
All U.S. States require that teachers, in addition to having a bachelor’s degree, be licensed or certified to teach in a public school setting. Specific requirements will vary by state, but all States require Kindergarten teachers to have a bachelor’s degree, obtain a degree in education, and successfully complete supervised or student teaching. If you already have a bachelor’s degree but lack the education courses and student teaching, some States may offer alternatives where you can be hired as a teacher under a provisional license. In this scenario, you would complete your education courses part-time outside of regular school hours while you teach in an actual classroom setting under the supervision of experienced teachers and educators.
As a kindergarten teacher, you will be required to mix play and hands-on activities with academic subjects such as mathematics, language, science, and social studies as you prepare the students for the first grade. In addition to the specific requirements outlined above, Kindergarten teachers must also have great communication skills, the ability to inspire, be motivating, understanding, patient, loving and more. If this sounds like you, then don't waste any more time researching your next steps. You'll never regret the decision to become a teacher!