Early Childhood Education
As you consider your future as a teacher, it's important to think about which age group you would be most interested in teaching. If you particularly enjoy working with children under the age of 12, elementary education may be just the thing for you.
Laying the Foundation
What is Early Childhood Education? If you are interested in teaching pre-kindergarten through grade five, you should plan on earning your degree in early childhood education. That being said, making the decision to focus on early childhood education should be based on more than just a simple love of children. Early childhood education comes with its own unique set of challenges and rewards, so it's important to understand how it differs from middle grades and secondary education.
As a pre-K through fifth grade teacher, you'll be responsible for helping your young students develop the basic foundation upon which their entire future education will be built. You'll expose them to a whole new world of important social interactions, such as the fundamental concepts of cooperation and teamwork and the fundamentals of important subjects such as mathematics, science and language arts. Needless to say, the work can be difficult, but watching young students grasp ideas, gain knowledge and develop an understanding of the world around them is one of the most satisfying experiences available to any career professional.
What are the Requirements? As with all University System of Georgia Teacher Preparation Programs, a passing score on the GACE I exam or the equivalent score on either the SAT, ACT or GRE is required for admission. A 2.5 grade point average or higher is required to enter into teacher education.