Teaching Jobs: Types of teachers in child field

 

 A Head Start on Your Career: The Top Early Childhood Education Jobs in 2022

 

The field of early childhood education has several jobs that are expected to grow in the coming years, especially when it comes to specific job titles like elementary school teachers, preschool teachers, and certified school counselors. 

These careers offer the opportunity to make an impact on children’s lives and help them start off their school years on the right foot. 

If you’re interested in one of these jobs or are just wondering what opportunities will be available to you down the road, read on to learn more about the top early childhood education jobs in 2022 and beyond.

 

Childcare teachers

According to Child Care Aware of America, a nonprofit organization that advocates for child care, there are currently more than 3.1 million children under age five being cared for by someone other than a parent. 

To fill this need, many states require early childhood educators to obtain an associate degree or higher before allowing them to teach preschool.

 Due to these requirements and high demand, childcare teachers are expected to be among some of the fastest-growing careers through 2022.

 

Special education teachers

Even as schools put a greater emphasis on reading, writing, and math, they need to remember that their youngest students may be struggling with basic skills.

 As a result, there will be an increase in jobs for special education teachers who work with kids from birth through age five. 

Graduates with an early childhood degree and training in autism, cognitive disabilities, or speech pathology should see promising job prospects.

 On average, special education teachers earn about $44,000 per year—but if you’re willing to relocate to another state or even another country, you can earn significantly more.

 

Preschool teachers

Across all fields, teachers play a vital role in our children’s lives. But for preschool teachers, that role is even more important.

 At such a young age, children are still learning how to socialize and function within society; as such, preschool teachers help create an environment where children can form healthy habits early on. 

From creating lesson plans to interacting with students and their families, there’s no shortage of responsibility when it comes to being a preschool teacher. And while it may seem like an easy job—after all, they’re just kids!

It requires years of training and patience to be successful. Preschool teachers work with children between the ages 3-5 years old. 

They must have at least a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or child development. They must also be CPR certified and pass background checks.

 

Kindergarten teachers

It’s predicted that there will be over 1.1 million openings for kindergarten teachers by 2022, as a result of an aging teaching workforce and an increasingly diverse student population.

 If you have early childhood education experience and enjoy working with children, consider being a kindergarten teacher.

 As a kindergarten teacher, you’ll generally work 40 hours per week in a local elementary school and may even be asked to teach some special-needs students who require additional attention. Most kindergarten teachers earn between $40,000 and $55,000 annually.

 

Daycare workers

With American children spending more time in daycare than ever before, it’s a good bet that daycare workers will be in high demand. 

However, experts warn that these jobs may soon become less popular as child-centered preschools become more common. 

In addition to learning how to properly change a diaper, aspiring daycare workers should also learn how to spot signs of child abuse and neglect, which can mean anywhere from two to nine years of jail time for offenders. 

While most states require only an associate degree to work in daycare, future early childhood education teachers must earn at least a bachelor’s degree; postsecondary courses such as those focused on infant and toddler development are especially helpful. (Salary: $18,720/year)

 

Camp counselors

Think camps and you probably envision happy children playing sports, singing songs, and swimming at their summer camp. But camps aren’t just for kids—they’re for adults, too. Camp counselors work with groups of children over a long period of time (usually about six weeks) to bring lessons outside of school into a fun, exciting environment. 

They might lead nature hikes or take kids on field trips to museums or parks. They also help plan activities like arts and crafts projects, group games, and special events like talent shows or scavenger hunts. 

Camp counselors are generally responsible for supervising activities, helping out with discipline issues as needed, and keeping track of who’s there when they need to be.

 

Child psychologists

As parents become more aware of development issues and seek out professional assistance for their children, child psychologists will see a steady stream of business. 

They’ll also have an influx of new jobs from Baby Boomers looking to reconnect with their children or grandchildren as they seek retirement activities to fill their free time. 

Child psychologists specialize in helping young people with emotional, social, behavioral, and mental health problems. Salaries are projected to increase by approximately 18 percent by 2022.

 

Behavior therapists

These professionals help children with physical and psychological problems, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, autism, and speech delays. 

These may be a good career for you if you want to work with young children and enjoy research or working with a team. To be successful in these careers, you will need at least a master’s degree in education. 

Most jobs are located in larger cities where there are more children who need therapy services. Job growth is expected to be above average from 2012-to 2022.

 

Cultural anthropologists

In many ways, these roles haven’t changed much since your college roommate took an ethnography class—anthropologists still study people, culture, and society. But with cultural anthropology exploding in popularity as an academic discipline over the past decade, new career opportunities are also cropping up. 

As a cultural anthropologist, you might work for a museum or university doing research or development work; you could be a consultant to corporations looking to better understand their customers, or you could even go into government service. 

Cultural anthropologists can expect job growth of 15% from 2012-to 2022 (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics), which is more than twice that of all other occupations combined (6%).