Preschool Teacher Requirements:
Many people wonder about becoming an early childhood educator or preschool teacher. They feel that they have a good connection with children and enjoy kids so this may be an appropriate field for them to venture into. What are the needed skills? What can you expect? Take a look at some basic educational & personal requirements below for your consideration.
Educational & Personal Requirements for a Preschool Teacher
Your preschool teacher requirements would cover two specific areas. The first area of requirements for someone wishing to become a preschool teacher would involve the person having the education and skills necessary to become a early childhood educator while working in the field as a teacher dealing with infants, toddlers, preschoolers and school entry children.
Personal Requirements:
Teacher requirements involve one having firstly, a strong desire to work with children of different dispositions and age ranges as well as having patience to deal with children on a daily basis.
An individual desiring to become a early childhood educator must understand that children are not always on their best behavior. Educating children can be very rewarding, but some days educating toddlers and preschoolers can be very taxing and your job as a preschool teacher involves guiding the children and educating them with patience.
Educational Requirements for a Preschool Teacher:
Educational requirements for an early childhood educator involve completion of certain levels of education. Those desiring to become a preschool educator need to have first successfully completed high school. Many high school or secondary school institutions have co-op programs or placement programs for those who are looking to get into the early childhood educational field.
This is not a preschool teacher requirement, however these placement programs help high school students to see if childcare is an area which they enjoy and can deal with on a daily basis. This is a good option, but certainly not necessary.
Colleges offer many options for early childhood education courses. In Canada many colleges offer the full 2 year early childhood education course or e.c.e course.
Another option now available at many colleges in Canada is the 1 year fast track course. As you can imagine, the workload is much more intense as you are completing all pre k educator requirements in 1 year instead of the standard 2 years, however, this option may be best for some who want to complete the e.c.e course fast and get working in the preschool education field with their full diploma.
For those of you who may not have colleges or educational institutions close by, you may also search for early childhood education diploma courses online.
Some of the topics covered in an early childhood education course could include important topics or variations such as: health, safety and nutrition, creative expression, intro to programming, child development and behavior, parent teacher child relationships and communications or language.
These topics are discussed in greater detail along with many other essential topics of learning as the early childhood education course continues through the semesters.
Early Childhood Educator Requirements in the Classroom:
A preschool teacher is not a babysitter. In fact, it’s pretty insulting for people to refer to e.c.e teachers as such. Babysitters do nothing more than watch children or infants. Preschool educators have spent many hours in colleges or completing courses to receive their college diploma as an early childhood educator.
Preschool teachers provide education, structure and a nurturing environment for infants, toddlers and preschoolers to help develop their early learning skills.
Teachers provide children with a daily routine of taking care of personal needs such as wiping noses, toileting routines, good habits such as brushing teeth, covering coughs/sneezes, personal hygiene, manners etc.
Preschool teacher requirements involve a teacher providing for all areas of physical, intellectual, language, emotional and social development in a fun and appealing way the toddler and preschool children will enjoy and benefit from.