Early Childhood Education Degrees in North Carolina
North Carolina has turned to education to strengthen its future and provide residents with the opportunity to succeed. As a largely rural state, North Carolina tends to struggle in terms of income potential and job availability. Research indicates that fully funded early education can close the achievement gap caused by socioeconomic status, family status, and other factors.
This field aims to make childcare and education affordable, accessible, and tailored to each student’s needs.
Becoming an Early Childhood Teacher in North Carolina
The work you put in as an early childhood teacher can stay with North Carolina kids for the rest of their lives. Whether you see yourself nurturing infants in a daycare setting or working with kindergarten students in a local public school you can make a difference.
Get started now by contacting early childhood education North Carolina programs.
North Carolina has been aggressively increasing its funding for early childhood education programs. Research indicates that this has been a great move for the state with benefits that do not decrease over the years. A North Carolina study shows that early education spending leads to higher test scores, fewer special education placements, and less grade retention at each level (Duke University, 2016).
Are you ready to learn how to become an early childhood teacher and become licensed to work in North Carolina?
Use our list of programs to find an accredited school that can put you on the right path.
Getting Your Early Childhood Education Degree in North Carolina
Early childhood covers the ages of birth to eight years, so there are several types of licensure you may pursue.
If you want to work with infants and toddlers in a daycare setting, you may be able to get your foot in the door with an Associate’s degree in early education. With this level of training, you typically have to work as an assistant in North Carolina daycare rooms.
Further licensure and independent teaching both require a Bachelor’s degree. At a North Carolina college or university, you may earn a Bachelor’s degree in eight semesters of full-time study.
In the first year or two of your education, you may complete general academic courses and gain enough credits to qualify for acceptance to a teaching program. When you begin your teaching curriculum, you work through a strict curriculum of pedagogy and practical experience courses.
Early Childhood Teacher Courses
- Children, Family and Community
- Childhood Development
- Child Guidance
- Creative Activities in Education
- Writing and Inquiry
- Children with Exceptional Needs
- Language and Literacy Experiences
- Educational Technology
- Curriculum Planning
Not only do you need a thorough understanding of education as a whole, you must have an extensive knowledge of childhood development and learning patterns. Theory can take you a long way in this topic, but it is extremely helpful to see childhood development processes take place in real students. That’s why early childhood education schools send you into different classrooms throughout your training. This experience can help you apply your knowledge and further solidify it in your mind.
A Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree can qualify you for licensure as an early childhood teacher. In this state, this is overseen by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. They require that early childhood students pass the Pearson Test for North Carolina: Foundations of Reading and General Curriculum.
You can create a brighter future for yourself while giving students the head start they need to thrive.
Discover how you can earn an early childhood education degree by contacting local schools today.
Working as an Early Childhood Educator in North Carolina
With statewide efforts in early education ramping up, this is an excellent time to get involved in this field. The North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation aspires to make education affordable and accessible for all North Carolina students, regardless of location, income, and parental schedule.
Overall, the state’s need for teachers is growing quickly. From 2014 through 2024, O*Net expects job openings for preschool teachers to increase 12% (2016). During this time period, the demand for elementary school teachers may jump 9% (O*Net, 2016).
The salary you earn depends on which grade you teach and which district you work for. The average salary for a North Carolina preschool teacher is $27,900 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016). Elementary school teachers claim an average income of $43,200 annually (BLS, 2016).
Make a decision that can help you start a career you look forward to every day.
Use the list of North Carolina schools on our site to reach out to programs that fit your needs.
