Kindergarten Teacher Certification
For most children, their first experience in organized education begins in kindergarten. Kindergarten teachers have the opportunity to engage the minds of young children in the world of learning. Kindergarten teacher certification standards are designed to ensure that new teachers have the opportunity to develop all of the professional skills necessary to help young children become life long learners.
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Approved Program
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Each state has developed certification procedures and standards which require potential teachers to attend an approved teacher preparation program. Candidates considering teacher certification should check with their state's department of education for specific educational requirements before beginning an educational program. If the institution a student chooses to attend does not provide an approved teacher preparation program, the student will be required to follow an alternative certification route to become a kindergarten teacher.
Alternative Education
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Approved teacher preparation programs are conducted at educational institutions that are regionally accredited. If you plan to attend a school that does not have regional accreditation, you should check with your state's department of education before starting the program to insure your degree will be accepted for teacher certification. The United States Department of Education maintains a list of institutions that are accredited by other accepted accrediting agencies.
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Background Check
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At the beginning of each state's approved teacher preparation program there is a requirement for candidates to submit to a criminal background check. Educational leadership has the responsibility to ensure that people who ultimately are certified have not been involved in activities that would cause them to pose a risk of harm to the children they are charged to teach. Young people contemplating entering the teaching field should guard against being pulled into activities that would earn them a negative criminal record.
Basic Skills
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Early in teacher preparation programs, students are required to pass the Pre-Professional Skills Test. This test measures a student's readiness to enter into the academic rigors of the education profession. Potential teachers following an alternative route to certification are also required to complete this test series in many states. Test results are posted on the college transcript of students enrolled in an approved teacher preparation program. Students will not be allowed to move forward toward completion of their educational program until this test is passed.
Early Childhood
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Several states require that kindergarten teachers complete a program in Early Childhood Education before being certified to work in a classroom with small children. Early Childhood Education programs provide academic training and practical classroom experience in the special needs of small children. Specific areas covered are growth and development, literacy development, and health and safety. Kindergarten teachers help students to develop the basic skills and academic foundation they will use throughout their entire life.
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References
- Colorado Department of Education: Educator Preparation Program
- Florida Department of Education: Educator Certification
- U.S. Department of Education: Accredited Postsecondary Institutions
- University of Nebraska Omaha: Admission to Teacher Preparation Progam
- The Praxis Series: Pre-Professional Skills Test
- Arizona Department of Education: Early Childhood Education Certificate
Resources
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