Teacher (Preschool)

Career Overview

Preschool teachers educate and care for children younger than age 5 who have not yet entered kindergarten.

Education

A high school diploma or equivalent is necessary to obtain this position. Other requirements for this position vary by geographic location. Completing a two-year college program or four-year bachelor’s degree in early childhood education may be required to obtain this position in many locations.

Future Outlook

Employment of preschool teachers is projected to grow 2 percent from 2019 to 2029, slower than the average for all occupations. Early childhood education is important for a child’s intellectual and social development. Preschool teachers should be needed to meet the slowly increasing demand for early childhood education.

Work Environment

Preschool teachers typically work in public and private schools or childcare centers. Many work the traditional 10-month school year, but some work year-round.

Recommended High School Courses

Art
Writing
Communication
English
Mathematics
Child Psychology

Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Teach life skills.
Provide for basic needs of children.
Set up classroom materials or equipment.
Establish rules or policies governing student behavior.
Modify teaching methods or materials to accommodate student needs.
Discuss student progress with parents or guardians.
Discuss problems or issues with supervisors.
Monitor student behavior, social development, or health.
Plan educational activities.
Evaluate student work.
Maintain student records.
Monitor student performance.
Read to students.
Develop instructional objectives.
Apply multiple teaching methods.
Arrange childcare or educational settings to ensure physical safety of children.
Enforce rules or policies governing student behavior.
Develop strategies or programs for students with special needs.
Collaborate with other teaching professionals to develop educational programs.
Attend training sessions or professional meetings to develop or maintain professional knowledge.
Assist students with special educational needs.
Display student work.
Prepare reports detailing student activities or performance.
Plan experiential learning activities.
Supervise school or student activities.
Distribute instructional or library materials.
Evaluate performance of educational staff.
Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
Order instructional or library materials or equipment.
Supervise student research or internship work.
Administer tests to assess educational needs or progress.
Serve on institutional or departmental committees.

Schools

Adelphi University

Alabama State University

Alfred University

American International Co...

American River College

Angelo State University

Anna Maria College

Arcadia University

Arizona Western College

Arkansas Tech University

Ashworth College- Norcros...

Atlanta Technical College

Auburn University

Bakersfield College- Pano...

Barry University

Belmont University

Bethel University (indian...

Biola University

Bismarck State College

Bluefield College

Bob Jones University

Boise State University

Boston University

Bowling Green State Unive...

Brazosport College

Brescia University

Broward College

Bucknell University

California State Universi...

Cape Fear Community Colle...

Carlow University

Central Arizona College

Central Methodist Univers...

Central New Mexico Commun...

Cerritos College

Chippewa Valley Technical...

Cincinnati State Technica...

Clackamas Community Colle...

Clark State Community Col...

Clover Park Technical Col...

Coastal Carolina Universi...

Colby Community College

College Of Charleston

College Of New Jersey

College Of Saint Elizabet...

Columbia International Un...

Columbus State Community...

Community College Of Alle...

Concordia College- New Yo...

Concordia University- Neb...

Concordia University-chic...

Delaware State University

Delaware Technical And Co...

Depaul University

Desales University

Diablo Valley College

Dickinson State Universit...

Duquesne University

Durham Technical Communit...

East Carolina University

East Central University -...

East Tennessee State Univ...

Eastern Florida State Col...

Eastern Illinois Universi...

Eastern New Mexico Univer...

Eastern University

Edinboro University

Elmhurst College

Elon University

Emporia State University

Evangel University

Everett Community College

Fairleigh Dickinson Unive...

Faulkner University

Fayetteville State Univer...

Ferris State University

Florida Gulf Coast Univer...

Florida International Uni...

Florida State College At...

Florida State University

Fontbonne University

Forbes Road Career And Te...

Fort Valley State Univers...

Framingham State Universi...

Francis Tuttle Technology...

Franciscan University At...

Fresno City College

Furman University

Georgetown College

Georgia College And State...

Georgia Piedmont Technica...

Goddard College

Grand Valley State Univer...

Greenville Technical Coll...

Harrisburg Area Community...

Henderson State Universit...

Hollins University

Immaculata University

Indian Hills Community Co...

Iowa Central Community Co...

Jackson State University

Lake Washington Institute...

Lakeland University

Lanier Technical College-...

Lasalle University

Lesley University

Letourneau University

Lewis University

Lindenwood University

Lock Haven University

Louisiana State Universit...

Madonna University

Manchester Community Coll...

Manhattanville College

Mansfield University Of P...

Massachusetts Bay Communi...

Messiah University

Miami University - Oxford...

Mills College

Milwaukee Area Technical...

Minneapolis Community And...

Misericordia University

Missouri Baptist Universi...

Moraine Valley Community...

Morehead State University

Mount Holyoke College

National Louis University

New York University

North Central University

Northeast Wisconsin Techn...

Northeastern State Univer...

Northern Illinois Univers...

Northern Virginia Communi...

Ohio State University- Li...

Ohio State University- Ma...

Ohio Wesleyan University

Palm Beach State College-...

Penn Foster Career School

Pennsylvania State Univer...

Pikes Peak Community Coll...

Pitt Community College

Roane State Community Col...

Roberts Wesleyan College

Rowan University

Sacramento City College

Saint Cloud State Univers...

Santa Fe College

Siena Heights University

Sonoma State University

South Suburban College

Southwest Mississippi Com...

Southwestern Assemblies O...

Southwestern Christian Un...

Southwestern College- Mai...

Spelman College

Spring Arbor University

Stark State College- Akro...

Stark State College- Down...

Stevenson University

Suffolk County Community...

Suny Adirondack

Suny At Canton

Suny At Cobleskill

Suny At Geneseo

Suny At Morrisville

Suny Corning Community Co...

Suny Dutchess Community C...

Suny Herkimer County Comm...

Suny Jefferson Community...

Suny Niagara County Commu...

Suny Onondaga Community C...

Suny Orange County Commun...

Suny Schenectady County C...

Suny Tompkins Cortland Co...

Suny Ulster County Commun...

Suny Westchester Communit...

Texas A & M University- C...

Thomas Nelson Community C...

Toccoa Falls College

Truett Mcconnell Universi...

University Of Alabama- Hu...

University Of Alaska Fair...

University Of Hartford

University Of Houston- Do...

University Of Illinois- C...

University Of Maryland- H...

University Of Maryland- S...

University Of Massachuset...

University Of Michigan- F...

University Of Northern Co...

University Of Valley Forg...

University Of Wisconsin-...

Upper Iowa University

Ursuline College

Valdosta State University

Virginia Wesleyan Univers...

Wake Technical Community...

Walden University

Walla Walla Community Col...

Walsh University

Waubonsee Community Colle...

Wesleyan College

West Texas A & M Universi...

Western Technical College

Western Texas College

Westmoreland County Commu...

Wheaton College- Massachu...

Wittenberg University

York College Of Pennsylva...

York Technical College

Assiniboine Community...

Aurora College

Bow Valley College- Do...

Bow Valley College- Ok...

Brandon University

Canadore College- Coll...

Canadore College- Stan...

Canadore College- West...

Capilano University- K...

Capilano University- M...

Cdi College- Anjou Cam...

Cdi College- Edmonton...

Cdi College- Laval Cam...

Cdi College- Longueuil...

Cdi College- Montreal...

Cdi College- Pointe-cl...

Cdi College- Richmond...

Collège Boréal

College Of New Caledon...

College Of The North A...

Cumberland Regional Co...

Douglas College- Coqui...

Durham College- Oshawa...

Fanshawe College- Lond...

Fleming College- Suthe...

Georgian College- Oran...

Georgian College- Oril...

Georgian College- Owen...

Great Plains College-...

Herzing College- Montr...

Humber College- North...

Humber College- Orange...

Keyano College- Clearw...

Keyin College

Lakeland College- Lloy...

Lakeland College- Verm...

Lethbridge College- Cl...

Lethbridge College- Vu...

Macewan University- Ci...

Manitoba Institute Of...

New Brunswick Communit...

Niagara College- Wella...

Norquest College

North Island College-...

North West College- Ba...

Nova Scotia Community...

Portage College- Cold...

Portage College- Lac L...

Portage College- St. P...

Red River College- Int...

Red River College- Por...

Red River College- Ste...

Red River College- Win...

Saskatchewan Polytechn...

Seneca College- King C...

Seneca College- Newnha...

Sheridan College Insti...

Sprott Shaw Community...

St. Clair College

St. Claire College- Ch...

Stenberg College

Stratford Career Insti...

Tyndale University

Universite De Montreal...

Université Sainte-anne

University Of Quebec-...

University Of Sherbroo...

University Of The Fraz...

Vancouver Career Colle...

Vancouver Island Unive...

Vanier College

Yukon University

Concordia University Of...

Vancouver Island Univer...

Potential Scholarships

5 Strong Scholarship

Agnes M. Lindsay Scholars...

Approx Salary Expectation

Currency:

Low End:

$21,140.00 /yr

Avg/Med:

$30,520.00 /yr

High End:

$55,050.00 /yr

Related Careers

CTE Teachers ( Career & Technical education )

Special Education Teacher

Real Estate Broker

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.