Why Choose a Career in Early Childhood Education?

Posted On February 28,2024

Choosing a career can be a daunting task. Every career has its benefits as well as its challenges, and it can be difficult to decide where the right fit may be. Although working as an early childhood educator can have challenges, the rewards are substantial. If you enjoy working with young children and seeing them light up with new skills, want to keep every day fun and interesting, and want to make a real difference in the lives of future generations and shape how your students will grow, early childhood education is a great career path.

Development of Young Children 

If you want a career where you can make a difference every day, early childhood education is an excellent choice. Early childhood educators have a major impact on how young children develop during their most critical educational years. How children see education during their early childhood will shape how they view education for the rest of their lives. Not only will you have the opportunity to make a real difference with your students, but you will also have the opportunity to help build strong families. 

Early childhood educators will make connections with families to help them access community and educational resources and help their children thrive at home. Early childhood educators have a unique opportunity to identify issues and make sure that all children are able to grow and thrive in their homes and at school. Early childhood educators will see a measurable difference in their students’ growth throughout their time, which is incredibly rewarding.

A Career in Early Childhood Education is Never Boring

No one ever says work has to be fun, but as an early childhood educator, your job might have challenges, but it will never be boring. Every day as an early childhood educator is unique, as young children can be unpredictable. Early childhood educators need to be able to adapt to an ever changing environment. What works one day may not work the next. While thinking on your feet can be challenging, it also prevents monotony. 

Teaching young children is always a fun environment with plenty of opportunity to make connections, play, and build community. There are few professions where play is a big part of your work day. Not only can the work itself be fun, but seeing young children make connections, master new skills, and light up with new ideas is magical. Having a unique day full of play and learning will never be boring.

A Great Place for Personal Growth

One of the most fulfilling aspects of a career in early childhood education is the ability to meet, work with, and network with those who are as passionate about the career as you are. The early childhood education community is close and supportive. There are many professional organizations to join, plenty of opportunities to mentor and be mentored by other professionals, and colleagues to go for support when needed. 

Many early childhood educators feel their strong network helps them to become better teachers. Early childhood educators often have a passion for learning themselves, and there are many professional development opportunities to continue to grow your skills and understanding of early childhood development. The more that early childhood educators work to further their own knowledge and skills, the more successful they are in their classrooms. Students, even young students, love knowing that their teachers are passionate about learning and growing as well.

Is it a Good Fit for You?

While there is plenty to enjoy as an early childhood educator, the job is not always easy and you may wonder if you are the right fit for the role. When you are deciding on a career for your future, think about some of your intrinsic traits and how they can be adapted to the career.

• Early childhood educators enjoy working with children.

The first step to knowing if you’ll be a good fit as an early childhood educator is whether or not you enjoy being around young children. If you love playing with kids in your family, babysitting, or interacting with children you see in your daily life, you are on your way to being a great teacher.

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• Early childhood educators are confident leaders.

While there are differences in leading a classroom of children rather than a classroom of adults, early childhood educators need to be the decision maker in their classrooms and lead the children with confidence. 

• Early childhood educators are patient and kind.

Young children are still learning to manage their emotions and behaviors, and early childhood educators need an abundance of patience to guide them through their feelings and actions. Even when you become frustrated, you will need to react calmly no matter what happens in your classroom.

• Early childhood educators are energetic, creative, and adaptable. 

If you are rigid in your plans, working with young children can be a challenge. Early childhood educators need to have a bag of tricks ready for when they need to pivot. If you are someone who can roll with change, you will do well in early childhood education.

Early childhood education is not without its challenges. Early childhood educators need to be able to think on their feet, handle big feelings from young children, and navigate some tough situations. But if you are someone who is passionate about making a difference, supporting families, and ready to adapt and change with your students every day, early childhood education can be a great career path. Every child deserves to have an educator who believes in them and is ready to advocate for their success, and early childhood educators get to be that person for many children. If you’ve always felt like you’d be a great teacher, now is a great time to enroll. Contact Athena Career Academy to learn more about this exciting career and what steps you need to take to get started.