Career Opportunities with a Major in Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education
Many jobs require a college educated individual. College graduates can use their education in a wide variety of occupations.
Upon acquiring licensure, which is required in all 50 states, individuals interested in Early Childhood, Elementary, & Secondary Education can pursue a career in public or private school districts, or in other related fields. Graduates in Early Childhood Education are prepared to work with pre-primary, as well as primary-aged children, in both public and private sectors. With additional coursework, they can become specialized in parent education, special education, bilingual / bicultural, and literacy. Licensure in Elementary Education prepares students to teach children in grades K-6. As increasing numbers of teachers retire and the school population grows, opportunities for new teachers occur. Students are encouraged to increase their marketability by minoring in an area of educational specialization such as bilingual / bicultural, early childhood, parenting, reading, and special education. The Department of Secondary Education prepares teacher candidates for teaching careers in 12 subject areas. The program requires quality, intensive field experiences in urban middle and high schools and requires the preparation of a "teacher candidate portfolio" representing professional knowledge and skills.
SKILLS RELATED TO EARLY CHILDHOOD, ELEMENTARY, & SECONDARY EDUCATION
- Comprehensive command of grammar and vocabulary
- Good listening, clarifying, questioning, and responding skills
- Ability to teach / train and explain ideas clearly
- Proficient in interpersonal, oral, and written communications
- Ability to maintain composure in stressful situations
- Relate well with people of differing personalities and backgrounds
- Understanding of educational theories and practices
- Confidence in writing and presenting information
- Sound organizational skills and lesson planning
- Ability in dealing with parents or guardians
- Ability to teach students with different learning levels
- Flexibility, creativity and ability to work in groups
The following list is a representative sample of job titles for individuals in Early Childhood, Elementary, & Secondary Education. The list represents some, but certainly not all, careers which individuals in Early Childhood, Elementary, & Secondary Education may consider.
Some of these jobs also require education beyond a bachelor's degree.
| Adult Education Teacher | Assistant Principal | Audiovisual Specialist |
| Author | Camp Counselor | Career Director |
| College Dean | Community Educator | Computer Specialist |
| Counselor | Curriculum Supervisor | Education Consultant |
| Educational Therapist | Elementary Teacher | Librarian |
| Overseas Educator | Personnel Specialist | Preschool Teacher |
| Program Director | Publisher | Resource Assistant |
| School Counselor | School Psychologist | Secondary Teacher |
| Special Education Teacher | Speech Pathologist | Substitute Teacher |
| Superintendent | Training Instructor | Tutor |
EMPLOYERS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD, ELEMENTARY, & SECONDARY EDUCATION
- Boards of Education
- Bookstores
- Colleges/Universities
- Community Organizations
- Day Care Centers
- Educationl Material Firms
- Elementary Schools
- Government Agencies
- Libraries
- Nursery Schools
- Orphanages
- Overseas Education Institutions
- Research Firms
- Secondary Schools
WEB SITES RELATED TO EARLY CHILDHOOD, ELEMENTARY, & SECONDARY EDUCATION
Metro State Teacher Education Department Website
- ABC Teaching Jobs
- AgentK-12.org
- American Federation of Teachers Survey and Analysis of Salary Trends
- American School Directory
- CASE, Colorado Association of School Executives Vacancy Notices
- Certification Requirements for all 50 States
- Education Commission of the States
- Education Jobs Page
- Education Resource Organizations Directory
- Eisenhower National Clearinghouse
- Footprints Recruiting
- GreatTeacher.net
- K-12jobs.com
- Math Forum
- Peace Corps
- Recruiting New Teachers
- school-jobs.net
- Special Educators
- Teachers-Teachers.Com
- Teachers @ Work
- Teachers Helping Teachers
- Teach In Colorado
- Teachers.net
- Teaching Overseas
- TeachNet.com
- US Dept of Education
- Yahoo: Education
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS FIELD
- American Association for Employment in Education
http://www.aaee.org - Association for Experiential Education
http://www.aee.org
- American Association of School Adminstrators
http://www.aasa.org/ - American Counseling Association
http://www.counseling.org - American Educational Research Association
http://www.aera.net/ - American Federation of Teachers
http://www.aft.org/ - American Psychological Association
http://www.apa.org - American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
http://www.asha.org - Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education
http://www.aace.org - Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
http://www.ascd.org - Council for Exceptional Children
http://www.cec.sped.org/ - Division for Early Childhood
http://www.dec-sped.org - National Association of Secondary School Principals
http://www.nassp.org/ - National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
http://www.ncate.org - National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition
http://www.ncela.gwu.edu - National Council for the Social Studies
http://www.ncss.org/ - National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
http://www.nctm.org - National Education Association
http://www.nea.org/ - National Science Teachers Association
http://www.nsta.org/
OTHER RESOURCES RELATED TO EARLY CHILDHOOD, ELEMENTARY, & SECONDARY EDUCATION
- Resume Examples for Prospective Teachers
- Teacher in Residence (TIR) Program
- Teacher Portfolios
The above information is collected from alumni surveys of numerous colleges, professional associations, and multiple print and online resources.