AboutPam Koons Expertise Early Childhood Education For Prospective, New and Existing Teachers, and also Pre-School Owners/Directors. I can offer Teaching advice and also School Business advice. I owned a private Pre-school that I started over 22 years ago. I have degrees in Early Childhood Education, Business Management and Children's Theater. Can answer a variety of questions on anything having to do with Early Childhood Education, both teaching and business aspects.
Currently I am an Editor and Regional Correspondent for Seattle PreschoolRock.com, an on-line network of over 32 websites dedicated solely to parents and teachers of preschoolers. Please see me at: http://Seattle.PreschoolRock.com/ and www.preschoolmentor.com and www.myspace.com/thebusinessofeducation
Experience Success in many areas. President of the local Chamber of Commerce. My school was voted #1 best private Pre-School in my county. 26 newspaper articles were written about my school and a half page news article about myself. Published Author in a Children's Anthology now on Amazon. Guest lecturer at the local College.
Expert: Pam Koons Date: 7/11/2008 Subject: enrolling in early childhood education
Question QUESTION: Hi pam!
I am a full time student right now interested in pursuing a career dealing with children. I am looking to enroll in early childhood education program that my college offers. Its a 2 year program and will graduate with a degree. My question is..... After successfully completing the 2 year program in ECE, if I decide later on that I would like to obtain a degree in education to teach elementary public schools... Would anything in the ECE program be transferable? Or would I have to take an additional 4 years of schooling to obtain an educations degree?
Also.. If I do decide to go for the ECE program, can you tell me on average what is the income of a fulltime early childhood educator?
Any advice and suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Looking to hear from you soon! :)
Tammy P.
ANSWER: Hi Tammy,
Thanks for your question- I'll try my very best to answer it as well as I can.
First, you have picked a great profession! Congrats on that! Most private schools are very happy to have a teacher with an ECE degree- not all require a BA. As far as what will be transferable, that depends a lot on the school you would be transferring to. You might check ahead to see what that would be. I would think all your undergrad basic subjects would transfer over. Some Elem. programs included ECE courses and might take the ones you would have already done. College programs are all very different, as not all Elem. programs are the same now. I really doubt you would have to start all over- not by any means, but please check ahead to get a better idea for your specific state.
If you can find a full-time ECE job, it will most likely be in a program that also hosts a daycare. Full-time stand-alone preschool programs are harder to find- most are attached to a daycare. As far as salary- it depends on your region and state. Some pay as little as minimum wage while others pay very, very well- such as $15 an hour. Those are much harder to find. If you looked into Head Start, you might find better wages.
I wish you oodles of success!
Pam Koons
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks pam for answering my questions. I will definitely check with my school if the program is transferable.
I'm very surprised that after completing school for an ECE diploma, the pay is only minimum wage - 15 an hour. I was wondering what are the different possibilities of branching out and opening your own business or doing something different to earn more income? Sorry if that doesn't make sense. Because I see that you are doing a lot too and earning not only a ECE diploma.
Answer I can understand your concern. This business is not one for making a lot of money- it's more for the heart. If you can make your own preschool business grow- you can make a fair amount of money, but you'll also have all the usual headaches associated with that.
You could also think about teaching Kindergarten in a public school- that requires a 4 or 5 year degree, but it does make more money.
I have a 4 year degree in Business and also ECE. If you ever want to start your own school, I help people to accomplish that at: www.PreschoolMentor.com
I'm afraid at the teaching level, most private schools just do not pay that well. $15 an hour is not bad, and well above minimum wage (at least in my state!) :)
