Early Childhood Education: Online Course Overview

Early childhood education is an exciting and rewarding career. Whether it’s by helping them tie their shoes or by teaching them how to share their toys, you get to watch children grow and learn more about themselves every single day.

If you feel like you have a gift for working with children and would like to help them grow into successful, well-rounded adults, this might be the career for you! As part of our Intro to Early Childhood Education micro-course, we’ll give you a general idea of the skills and requirements required for success in this field. If you’re unsure about whether or not this is the career path you want to follow, this self-guided online course will boost your skillset and prepare you for further post-secondary education. 

Keep reading to find out what you’ll learn and how you can benefit from this course!   

Course Information:

Everybody loves to take charge of their time. This self-directed online ECE micro-course can fit into your busy schedule, allowing you to focus on the things in your life that matter most. 

This online micro-course is: 

• 10 hours – to be completed at your own pace. 
• Only $150 dollars – so you can learn about becoming an ECE with minimum financial commitment.
• Self-guided – so you don’t have to worry about keeping up with deadlines. You study when it works best for you.
  

 

Course Highlights

An early childhood educator is crucial to helping children develop important life skills. In this course, you’ll see how big an impact you could have on a child’s learning and growth. After all, this career goes far beyond teaching fundamental skills. It involves making sure every child gets the attention and support they need to grow up to become successful members of society. 

When you’ve completed our online ECE course, you’ll be able to: 

• Discuss the historical roots of Early Childhood Education in Manitoba
• Summarize current trends and issues related to Early Learning and Child Care 
• Describe the role of Manitoba Family Services in Early Learning and Child Care
• Explain the Manitoba Child Care Association’s role as a professional organization
• Summarize advocacy and its importance in the ECE profession in Manitoba

Recognition For Credit

If you choose to continue your post-secondary education in the ECE field, you might be eligible for credit toward the Early Childhood Educator diploma program here at Robertson. Contact an Academic Advisor for more information. 

 

Careers in Early Childhood Education: 

A career in early childhood education doesn’t always mean you’ll do the same thing year after year. There are many opportunities as an ECE that you can pursue to expand your learning. Some ECE’s prefer more specialized paths like caring for children with special needs while some prefer to stick to certain age ranges like preschool or kindergarten. Regardless, being compassionate, patient, and caring will help you succeed, no matter what position you end up in.

Here are some of the career paths you might decide to pursue as an early childhood educator:     

• Preschool teacher: Working as a preschool teacher is both a rewarding and challenging job. In a preschool classroom, you’ll use games and fun educational activities to help students learn important life lessons during a critical stage of their development. Alongside traditional classroom teaching, you’ll also help students navigate social and emotional situations every day. 

• Kindergarten & elementary school teacher: Kindergarten and elementary school teachers are similar to preschool teachers in many ways. You’ll be creating lesson plans, setting up schedules for class, and tracking students’ progress. You’ll also be navigating a lot of the same social and emotional skills developed in preschool. As a kindergarten or elementary school teacher, you’ll have more responsibility than as a preschool teacher since the students are older and require more complex care. 

• Childcare worker: Preschool teachers and childcare workers share some similarities – the difference is that as a childcare worker, you’ll focus more on life skills and social development. You can expect a career as a childcare worker to be filled with many games, storytimes, after-school homework help, dances, sharing circles, and outdoor lawn games. Regardless of the fun things you choose to do, this role could be the right fit for you if you enjoy a less structured educational schedule. 

• Childcare coordinator: All childcare centers need someone running them smoothly. You’ll be responsible for hiring and interviewing employees, scheduling mealtimes, and making sure the center is safe and free of hazards. Childcare coordinators might also need CPR and First Aid training, background checks, and more – depending on the employer. 

• Special education teacher: Special education teachers are some of the best in the industry at connecting with children and helping them grow and learn despite any challenges they may face. In this career, you’ll help teachers support students with special learning needs and make sure they get the attention they need to have a well-rounded educational experience. 

What is the highest paying job in early childhood education? 

It’s always nice to be rewarded for your hard work. Early childhood educators get paid a decent salary, but one job stands out above the rest as the highest paid job in the field: a preschool childcare center director. 

Running a childcare facility comes with a lot of responsibility. The job goes beyond zipping zippers and teaching kids the alphabet. In your role as childcare center director, you’ll be responsible for most of the daily tasks involved with running the center, including scheduling, nutrition planning, hiring new or prospective employees, and making sure the facility is clean and free from hazards. 

Another job that pays well in this field is a special education teacher. If you have the skills, patience, and compassion that children with special needs require, you could be among the top-earners in the industry. 

Ready to get started? 

Learn more about becoming an ECE by registering for our Introduction to the ECE Profession online e-course. Enrolment is open to anyone, with no prerequisites, but remember that the content you’ll be covering is specific to Manitoba and its ECE requirements. Ready to jump in? Fill out the form on this page and get started today!