Education - Early Childhood Education

Overview

This Education - Early Childhood Education program from The Ohio State University is offered on the Columbus, Lima, Marion, Mansfield and Newark campuses. The early childhood education major is one of seven undergraduate programs in Ohio State's Department of Teaching and Learning that provides students the training needed to become a teacher. 

Program objectives

Through their course and field work, students will:

• Use their understanding of children’s and adolescents’ characteristics and needs and of multiple interacting influences on children’s and adolescents’ development and learning to create environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive and challenging for all children and adolescents
• Know about, understand and value the importance and complex characteristics of children’s and adolescents’ families and communities
• Know about and understand the goals, benefits and uses of assessment
• Integrate their understanding of and relationships with children/adolescents and families; their understanding of developmentally effective approaches to teaching and learning; and their knowledge of academic disciplines to design, implement and evaluate experiences that promote positive development and learning for all children and adolescents

• Identify and conduct themselves as members of the early childhood education teaching profession

Possible careers

Early childhood education graduates may seek teaching positions in grades pre-K–3 at public and private schools. Since the state of Ohio has high standards for teacher preparation, graduates could potentially be hired as teachers anywhere in the United States. Many opportunities also exist within the community and public sector.