What’s the Fastest Way To Become A Kindergarten Teacher?

A career as a kindergarten teacher is not easy; neither is the traditional route of becoming a kindergarten teacher. With the process taking five to seven years on average to complete, it leaves many to wonder: “is there a faster way to become a kindergarten teacher?”

The fastest way to become a kindergarten teacher is to land a job at a private school or fill in as an emergency-status teacher in an area that is critically low on teachers. These teaching positions sometimes forego requirements like a Bachelor’s degree in education and a teaching license.

One can take other routes to start teaching kindergarten faster than the traditional route. They include a few years of study but are certainly shorter than the five to seven-year average. In addition, many colleges and universities offer teacher certification programs or equivalents that can be completed in a fraction of the time of the conventional qualification routes.

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Two Ways To Become A Kindergarten Teacher Fast

The conventional method of becoming a kindergarten teacher in the US is getting a Bachelor’s degree and the additional certification and teaching license. However, this process can take four years or longer, depending on the state, existing qualifications, and study pace.

Yet, there are ways to become a kindergarten teacher without a degree.

Teach Kindergarten At A Private School

Private and religious schools are allowed to determine the criteria surrounding staff qualifications and minimum teacher standards. This means some schools allow teachers to teach without an education degree or license.

Finding a kindergarten teacher job at a private school could help a person get a teaching qualification later. Then, for example, they can use their teaching experience to meet state requirements when they apply for a teaching certification.

While teaching kindergarten at a private school, a person could consider obtaining a Bachelor’s degree and the relevant teaching certification and license for their state. A recognized teaching qualification would open doors to teaching at public schools and likely result in earning a better salary.

Teach Kindergarten Where There Is A Severe Teacher Shortage

Some areas across the US are struggling with a severe teacher shortage. This is especially evident after the COVID pandemic that hit the world in 2019.

So, many states have initiatives where aspiring teachers can get a temporary license to teach at a public school in a high-need area. The high-need regions could be an entire state, inner-city, or rural area with a severe teacher shortage.

Alternatively, prospective kindergarten teachers could sign up for a program that helps schools in “problem” areas with a high drop-out rate. An example of such a program is Teach For America (TFA). At TFA, they train people from different backgrounds to teach in underserved schools.

A person should check their state’s requirements for qualifying for an emergency status teaching job. Usually, the minimum requirement is a Bachelor’s degree (e.g., in English, Math, Science, or History). An additional background check would also be necessary.

Not all states require emergency status teachers, so moving to one would increase the chances of finding a kindergarten job faster. The prospective teacher might also get a temporary teaching license to be a full-time primary classroom teacher or a substitute teacher.

However, the state will expect the emergency status teacher to complete their certification at some stage and take two exams. One exam will be the state licensing exam, and the other is the PRAXIS exam. PRAXIS assesses basic skills in math, reading, and writing.

It is essential to check that the licensing course is compatible with the state’s requirements before enrolling, as each state differs in these expectations.

In addition, many establishments offer online courses one can complete within a year. One such example is American Board’s Teacher Certification Program.

Different Study Routes For Becoming A Kindergarten Teacher

Studying to get a Bachelor’s degree is the most time-consuming part of becoming a kindergarten teacher. However, depending on their qualifications and the state where they teach, people can take a few study routes.

The most common routes to becoming a kindergarten teacher are the following:

The prospective teacher studies a Bachelor of Science in Education, followed by a master’s degree program. The master’s degree program includes a licensure track to become a certified kindergarten teacher. This whole process can take between five to seven years.

The type of master’s degree a kindergarten teacher would usually pursue is a Master of Education (Ed) in Elementary Education or a Master of Arts (MA) in Education.

Those who don’t have an undergraduate education degree but a degree in another subject can do a teacher certification program. These programs can be done through a college or university.

The person should check to see if their degree qualifies them to enroll in such a teacher certification program.

For prospective teachers who don’t have a Bachelor’s degree, there’s the option of doing an integrated Bachelor’s degree program. With these programs, students can earn a Bachelor’s degree in education while completing a teacher preparation program in as little as four years.

Lastly, prospective teachers can enroll in an alternative teacher qualification program. Depending on the person’s educational qualifications, these alternative teacher certification programs are at least a year long.

All the options listed here require studying before teaching, so they aren’t the fastest ways to become a kindergarten teacher. However, as mentioned, the two fastest options include teaching at a private school or as an emergency status teacher.

Conclusion

The fastest way to become a kindergarten teacher is to teach at a private or underserved school.

Private schools set their own minimum standards for teachers and do not always require a teacher’s license.

Teaching at a school with a teacher shortage will provide a temporary license to teach but require obtaining a qualification at a later stage.

Before you commit to a career as a kindergarten teacher, click here to find out if kindergarten teachers are happy with their profession.

Sources

Indeed: How Long Does It Take to Become a Kindergarten Teacher?