What Classes to Take to Become a Kindergarten Teacher?
Kindergarten teachers must obtain a bachelor's degree in teacher education. Depending on state requirements, a teaching degree may take either two or four years of full-time coursework. These courses prepare teachers to help their students with the fundamentals of social, language and problem-solving skills using games, crafts, songs, storytelling and technology. Courses vary depending on the educational institution; however, the foundation of most education programs include courses on development, culture, learning and curriculum.
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Development
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Courses in development focus on helping future teachers to understand how children learn and grow best. These courses focus on the social, emotional, intellectual and physical growth of children. They bring educators a deeper understanding of how these different components work together as a child develops her personality and an understanding of the world around her. Future teachers learn about the different theories of childhood development as well.
Culture
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Courses in culture for future educators may include topics such as Foundations in Bilingual Education and Culture and Curriculum, according to Education Portal. In these courses, candidates learn about the importance of integrating knowledge about different cultures into the activities of their kindergarten students. Candidates focus on the ways that a multicultural education broadens the children's understanding of tolerance, active citizenship and peace.
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Learning
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While kindergarten children are learning all the time, whether they're singing songs, playing, imagining or using a computer, future educators must take courses focused specifically on the way children learn. The curriculum may include courses such as Childhood Learning, Childhood Language Acquisition, and Play and Learning. These classes teach candidates about the way children absorb information best, and how to work with children who have particular difficulties in acquiring an understanding of certain subjects.
Curriculum
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Kindergarten teachers must also create lesson plans to reach specific goals and learning outcomes. Curriculum planning courses teach candidates how to create a road map for their classes, making the executions of lessons simpler and more streamlined. By the end of curriculum planning courses, candidates should be able to write lesson plans that achieve the desired outcomes set forth by state standards.
Parental Involvement
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Some schools require teaching candidates to take classes about how to integrate parental involvement to support children both in and out of the classroom. These courses focus on developing the bonds between the home and the community so that a child's learning process is ongoing, both in and out of the classroom.
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References
- Photo Credit girls in kindergarten image by Pavel Losevsky from Fotolia.com
