Do you have to go to college for 4 + years to be a pre-k teacher?

Question

Or can you just take some classes?

Answer 1

Not in California.  All you need is 12 units of early child education......

Answer 2

In VA. they prefer you have some colleges classes but  I think you can get away w/ taking some CDA classes. The more education you have the better pay you have.  Warning pre-k teacher  really do not make that much get certified.

Answer 3

These kinds of questions always bother me.  Are you asking because you're interested in what's best for you?  Or are you asking because you're interested in what's best for the kids?

No one makes a lot of money in the Early Childhood field.  Hopefully, someday, that will be corrected, but for now folks who are successful in the EC field are the ones who love teaching and working with little kids.  That's their reward - not a large salary.

Let's sum it up this way - No, you don't HAVE to go to college to be a pre-K  teacher in most places.  You can get by with whatever the minimum requirements are in your state.  BUT - you should get as much education in the field as you can - it's the best thing for the kids!  And that's what counts!

Answer 4

if you are in florida all you need is to take your 40 hours class which you can test out off and then you need to take your  cda class which is 9 months class once a week,and you need your CPR and first aide too. and if you want to be a director you can take a 5 week class on line and your are done.

Answer 5

If you have Pre-k in your school district, call the district offices and ask them what their requirements are. In my district, a major in early childhood development was required to be a teacher, but only a few classes for an assistant.  That is not the case in the next district over as the curriculum is determined at the district offices, so only a few classes are required.

I'm not certain why our districts are so different other than perhaps our county has a higher rate of children needing special assistance (they attend pre-K for free). We are a last rung suburban district and several cities in our own right, so a large population.  After our county, it is rural. I don't suppose a rural district can employ too many advanced trained personnel.

Answer 6

There are programs out there for a CDA ... associates degree.  If you wish to work in federally or state funded pre-k program you will need a Bachelor's w/ a ZA endorsement.  Of course this is what is required in our state.  May be different for yours.

Answer 7

if you are in the US, yes in most cases.  Some private schools may be more lenient and some inner city schools may also be more lenient.  But generally, to teach in public schools and be certified, you need a degree and in some states, you also have to pass a test.

One more thing, there are federal programs that will pay for your education if you agree to teach in certain "difficult" school systems for a while.

Answer 8

Trust me. If you plan to spend four years in college skip teaching preK. The pay stinks. You get in many states far less than a public school teacher makes.

Answer 9

No, you can get an Associates (2 year) degree at a community college, and a lot of places don't require any type of degree.  They might pay you more if you have one though.

Answer 10

NY  teaching college, early childhood education. Then student teaching and next your Masters.  Nothing is easy.