Study early childhood education at JCC
Nurture young children in their first steps of life and education. When you earn an associate degree in Early Childhood Education at Jamestown Community College, you’ll be able to work in the education field with children from birth through grade 2. You can also pursue your bachelor’s degree and become a public school teacher.
As an education major in the Liberal Arts & Sciences programs, you will select a concentration or content (subject) area of expertise. Appropriate concentrations should be discussed with your advisor and are highly dependent upon your transfer school. Some examples of concentrations are English, modern languages, social sciences, math, math/science, general science, and specific science areas.
The A.S. degree prepares you to transfer and continue coursework in order to earn a bachelor’s degree, which is necessary to become a public school teacher. You can also apply for teaching assistant positions directly after graduation from JCC.
2023 median pay for preschool teachers: $37,130/year according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Where to study at JCC
Early childhood education skills
After you complete the program, you will be able to:
- Compose a basic personal philosophy of education using established criteria based on their combined experiences integrating course instruction, reading, reflective writing, discussion, and field placements.
- Demonstrate and practice basic applications of tenets of effective teaching through presentation projects, reading, reflective writing, discussion, and field placements. This includes, but is not limited to, principles of lesson planning, classroom management, and reflective teaching.
- Understand how young children learn and develop, and will demonstrate this by designing and implementing appropriate and meaningful learning opportunities that promote comprehensive and developmental learning outcomes for all young children.
Your career after JCC
To become a public school teacher, you will need to transfer for a bachelor’s degree in education. Once the bachelor’s degree in early childhood education is completed, you’ll be eligible for initial certification as a teacher for children from birth through grade 2.
If you do not transfer and instead move directly into the workforce, you will be eligible for positions such as director, lead teacher, or teaching assistant in childcare centers, Head Start, and similar facilities. You can also enter the public or private school setting as a teacher’s aide or after-school program teacher or director.
You can also specialize in special education, education administration, curriculum design, and student counseling. Consider roles in youth organizations, residential life, student activities, prison systems, rehabilitation centers, tutoring, and other areas in addition to teaching in public schools.