Discover Early Childhood - Arizona - Become an Early Childhood Teacher

Requirements for ECE Teacher Certification in Arizona

Being an educator is a very important position. Choosing to follow a career working with young children will give you an opportunity to play a major role in the development of those children's feelings and outlook on education. Someone seeking a teacher's position in early childhood education would be involved with children that range from infancy through about 9 years old.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), "employment of preschool teachers is projected to grow 10 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations. Growth is expected due to a continued focus on the importance of early childhood education."

Arizona Steps to Follow for Teachers

When very young children enter school for the first time, it will play a critical role in their development and socialization with others as well as the development of their love of education. The job will be rewarding while also being challenging. It requires a person to be adaptable, dependable, and it demands integrity. There are many opportunities for someone considering this career path to earn their degree, which could include earning one online at your own pace.

Here we will look at some steps you can follow to become a preschool or early childhood educator in Arizona.

Step 1. Get a Degree

Becoming a preschool teacher will require obtaining a high school diploma or its equivalent; you can then choose to go to a community college where you will earn your associate’s degree then transfer to a four-year college, or you can go directly to a four-year university to earn your bachelor's degree. You will want to pursue a degree in early childhood education.

It is recommended that you look for opportunities to gain some experience. There may be chances while you are a high school student or while you are attending college to work as a teacher's assistant. If this opportunity is available, you should take advantage of it. Getting hands-on experience in real-world situations will greatly enhance your opportunities after completing your degree.

Step 2. Complete a Early Childhood Education Program with State Approval

The Arizona State Board of Education offers an approved teacher preparation program, and this is considered the most direct route to becoming an early education or preschool teacher in Arizona. This program is offered to undergraduate and graduate level participants. Although this is the most direct route it is not the only one. It is also possible to earn the certification from a regionally accredited university. It will typically require that you have at least 37 semester hours in childhood education and another eight practicum semester hours. Additionally, you will need 4 semester hours of supervised field experience.

For all practical purposes, if someone is genuinely seeking a career as a preschool teacher in Arizona it will be necessary to obtain a four-year bachelor's degree. There are some jobs available at Childcare centers that would allow someone with a high school diploma or an associate's degree to work those positions, but they would be more basic jobs and lower pay. The jobs that would be available without a bachelor's degree will have fewer benefits and less long-term job stability.

If you would eventually want to move into higher positions as your career progresses, then you may even want to consider earning a master's degree. Postgraduate degrees are not an absolute requirement for this career path and are only necessary for certain higher positions such as administration.

Common coursework that you will want to take when earning your degree as a preschool teacher in early childhood development includes classroom management and behavior, instructional design, parent-child relations, instructional resources and technology, and child development. You’ll also often need to complete a student-teaching assignment to graduate. Working with an experienced teacher will give you valuable insights on how to help children learn to cooperate, areas to be concerned about with child safety, and how to best interact with parents.

Step 3. Complete the Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessment (AEPA)

The AEPA is required and you must achieve a passing score. There is a possible exception to this when you can demonstrate that you have at least three years of full-time teaching in early education with infants up to grade 3. You can then take an exam which will test your knowledge on early education and you must get a passing score. You will also need to show proof that you're qualified with Structured English Immersion (SEI).

Step 4. Obtain Your Provisional Certification

This certification will need to be applied for and once obtained it will be good for three years. It is specifically for birth to grade 3 or birth to age 8. You will be required to submit to fingerprinting.

Step 5. Complete Necessary Qualifications to Convert Provisional Certification to Standard and Beyond

This will require you to have at least two years of full-time teaching experience as well as approved SEI training. You will have to apply to have the provisional certification upgraded to a standard one. Once you are approved for a standard certificate it's good for 6 years in the state of Arizona. When it is time to renew that certification, you will have to show that you have 180 hours of professional development and 12 semester hours of additional education. It is common for teachers in Arizona to go for their master's degree to meet their requirements for professional development.

A bachelor's degree is usually enough to work as an early education or preschool teacher. You may, however, want to work in senior teacher positions or as a principle or in another administrative position. These elevated responsibilities very often require a postgraduate degree in order to be considered a serious candidate for those positions. There are traditional opportunities for earning a postgraduate degree and there are also online degree programs available when pursuing a master's degree.

Some universities may require you to be a teacher in order to be accepted into a postgraduate program. This would usually mean that you've earned your bachelor's degree and have met other qualifications to be a teacher and that you have worked in some setting with children as an educator. Meeting these qualifications increases the likelihood that you can successfully complete your postgraduate degree.

Popular Career Choices

Preschool Teacher
Kindergarten Teacher
Elementary School Teacher
Special Education Teacher

Accredited Arizona Programs

Some key skills that you will need in this profession include the ability to help children learn to cooperate in social settings. You will also need to gain the skills of supervising and teaching very young children. Being able to communicate with parents is another skill that is of paramount importance if you're going to pursue this career.

When working with the youngest children a preschool teacher will help students learn through interactive activities and through play. These activities help children to develop their potential and improve language skills. Preschool teachers will engage children through various games that help them grow their social skills and some of these games can also begin to introduce mathematical concepts and even some ideas on science.

Storytelling is something that the children will enjoy, and it can often introduce ideas that help the children grow. As a preschool teacher, you will work with the children in small groups as well as one-on-one situations. Activities such as dance, music, art, and other creative activities will all be a part of daily lessons. The teacher will work with the children and engage them in discussions as well as collaborative problem-solving.

Accredited Preparation Programs

When looking for an accredited program in Arizona, you will have over 20 schools with education programs to choose from. Some of these focus on associates and bachelors, while others offer higher level degrees such as masters and doctoral programs. Depending on what you plan to teach, you will need to carefully select your program and make sure that it provides you with an education acceptable to Arizona’s Board of Education, who will be granting you your licensure.

Here are some of the best colleges and universities in Arizona that offer accreditation from a US Department of Education-backed agency: