Early Childhood Education
Major

[ Suggested Curriculum | Fast Facts ]

The goal of early childhood education is to help young children develop intellectually, emotionally, socially, and physically. The early childhood educator works with children from birth through age eight (grades Pre-K-3), including children with a range of abilities and special needs.

• The early childhood major is designed to meet the standards established by the Ohio Department of Education and by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, which awarded Wright State University's education program full national accreditation.
• Practicum experiences are a key part of the early childhood education program, beginning early in the program and continuing in sequence each quarter. Students are required to have field-based experiences in a variety of urban and suburban or rural settings in toddler, early intervention programs, kindergarten, and primary grades.

Fast Facts:

Average starting salary of professionals in education: elementary teacher $26,162. (Source: Salary Survey Summer 2000 The National Association of Colleges and Employers)

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the following careers will have a significant increase in demand from 1998 to 2008: teachers at the secondary level, child care workers, and teachers in special education.