Do You Love Children and have a Passion for Inspiring and touching lives? Explore the Prospects of a Career in Early Childhood Education
We always remember that one teacher who managed to turn every chapter into a fairy tale and every sum into apples and chocolates with her winning smile and easy charm. We also try to forget the ‘other’ teacher, always strict and frowning, who told us we were naughty when we didn’t have answers because ‘the dog ate our homework’. Teachers always leave a mark on their students and shape their future in the process. What is it that makes a teacher score, not just with curriculum but also with hearts? Youth Inc goes one step further in understanding early childhood education as a profession.
Teaching is a blend of learning, entertainment and child management, and if done well, it can provide the right setting for children to study and enjoy themselves too. Teachers educate children and even function as parttime parents. They mould lives and shape insights and beliefs that stick for years.
The positive punch of teaching lies in seeing a student learn lessons that are successfully taught. A lot of emotional satisfaction comes from passing on knowledge to children because of the personal nature and intimacy involved. These days, a teacher’s role has extended beyond the syllabus; now they are mentors, friends, guides and counsellors.
Some of the challenging aspects in pre-school teaching are that since pupils are between the ages of four to eight years, they need to be taught discipline and social skills in addition to the curriculum. Also, grading test papers, lesson planning and parent-teacher meetings are very time-consuming responsibilities. It is also difficult to mentally regress to reach pupils effectively. The pay isn’t very high; this profession is more about personal gain rather than earning high remuneration.
In India, after graduating in science (BSc), commerce (BCom) or arts (BA), one must attain a bachelor of education (BEd) degree. Students with a BA teach social studies and languages, while students with a BSc degree can teach math and science. After BEd, students can pursue a masters in education (MEd) in an Indian university. There is also a diploma in education (DEd) for teaching in nurseries in India, offered after class 12 in most teaching institutes across the country. Since 2011, qualifying in a Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) is mandatory for all school teachers.
Apart from degrees, the main qualities that you need to have comprise patience, confidence, an affinity for children and the ability to understand children. At the nursery level, children struggle to grasp concepts quickly. Thus, patience is needed to repeat yourself and to creatively develop new ways to hold students’ attention. Energy and zest are important to motivate students and push them towards performing their best. A teacher must always remember that apart from educating, they possess the power to shape a child’s character and life. That in itself is a big responsibility. With the growing literacy rate in India today, the education field is presently at its best. In early childhood education, the pay is anywhere between Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 20,000 per month depending on the school and position.
It is a very challenging profession, but it ensures that you will always be remembered fondly as a guide and mentor. You can expect many surprise knocks at your door in the future from grown-up students who never forgot how much you gave them.
Course Canvas
- American TESOL Institute (Pan-India)
- New Zealand Tertiary College, Mumbai
- KJ Somaiya Comprehensive College of Education, Training and Research, Mumbai
- Bombay Teacher’s Training College, Mumbai
- Lady Irwin College, Delhi
- Andhra University, Visakhapatanam
- SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai
- University of Bombay, Mumbai
Volume 2 Issue 2
