Early Childhood Education Degrees in Nevada
As many young families continue to move into Nevada, education becomes more important every year. To continue to grow as a state and attract new businesses, families, and populations, Nevada must offer cutting-edge educational options.
That’s why early education is an area of focus for Nevada legislators. By giving kids the early access to schooling they deserve, legislators can minimize the achievement gap that is seen as early as kindergarten.
Becoming an Early Childhood Teacher in Nevada
How could an early childhood education degree help you build a career that you love?
Find out now by getting in touch with accredited teaching programs in Nevada below.
Although education is highly regulated across the United States, it is mostly regulated on a state-by-state basis. While every state must meet federal standards, there is a lot of freedom within current legislation.
No matter which level of education you focus on in your training, it’s important to get a feel for statewide protocols, standards, and student needs.
As a student and new teacher, you can learn a lot from the resources offered by the Nevada Association for the Education of Young Children. This group may put you in touch with experienced educators and give you the chance to attend ongoing training events.
If you’re ready to explore careers in early childhood education, Nevada schools can help you get started.
Check out the list of schools on our site and contact those that interest you.
Getting Your Early Childhood Education Degree in Nevada
Before you begin planning your ideal classroom and checking out new teaching techniques, you have to build the foundation of your career by getting a degree.
If you have a Bachelor’s degree, you may start your career in about two years by earning a Master’s degree. Otherwise, you may want to get started with a Bachelor’s degree.
This undergraduate degree includes between 120 and 130 credits in general topics, teaching techniques, and childhood development. This takes, on average, eight semesters of full-time study. Few schools allow part-time study for new undergraduate students, due to the rigorous schedule requirements of teaching programs.
Early Childhood Teacher Courses
- Educational Psychology
- Curriculum in Early Childhood Education
- Teaching Communication Skills to Young Children
- Play Theory and Creativity
- Methods for Early Childhood Education
- Working with Families in Early Childhood Education
- Positive Discipline in Early Childhood Programs
- Children’s Literature
Compared to secondary education programs, early education focuses heavily on childhood development, teaching pedagogy, and educational research, versus academic subjects. However, you should still spend some of your time learning hands-on techniques for teaching different subjects.
As you study various subjects and age levels, you may test your knowledge by completing classroom rotations. Overall, you may spend over 500 hours in Nevada classrooms.
Upon getting accepted to a teaching program, you can spend some time applying for financial aid. On top of state grants and federal grants, you may look into private scholarship programs. The Nevada T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarship aims to increase the amount of educators throughout the state.
Licensure goes through the Nevada Department of Education. They require a passing score on the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators test.
Finding a school that offers the training you need is your first step to becoming a teacher.
Check out Nevada teaching schools and request information to begin.
Working as an Early Childhood Educator in Nevada
Your role as a teacher reaches far beyond the classroom, especially in the developing field of early education. Consider getting involved in legislative and advocacy groups to give your students a voice and fight for their best interests. One of the main groups in this state is the Nevada Early Childhood Advisory Council, which is comprised of teachers, legislators, and development experts.
The teacher shortage in Nevada is far more severe than it is in many other states. By the year 2024, job openings for preschool teachers may increase 32% (O*Net, 2016). At the same time, statewide demand for elementary school teachers may see a 34% boost (O*Net, 2016).
Preschool teachers in NV report an average salary of $28,530 annually (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016). The average salary for Nevada elementary school teachers is $53,960 per year (BLS, 2016).
Don’t wait any longer to find out how you can contribute to the field of teaching.