Starting a Career in the Field of Early Childhood Education

Working with children allows you to significantly contribute to their growth and wellbeing. Many early childhood educators will claim that every day is a unique source of satisfaction and value because children have vivid imagination and sharp perceptions. Educators remarkably influence the ideals and perspectives that each child develops to bring into the world. Although a greater degree of responsibility is involved, the return is worthwhile. Since teaching younger children requires a specific set of skills, most people start by earning a reputable qualification such as a diploma or a bachelors. Let’s dive deeper and explore a bit –   Diploma in Early Childhood Education. 

Diploma in Early Childhood Education (DECE) is a one year diploma program. Candidates who have completed their higher secondary (10+2) or equivalent exams with a minimum of 50% can apply to this full-time diploma course. Early childhood refers to the period of time from the newborn stage up to the age of eight.  DECE provides an in-depth understanding of the theoretical and practical knowledge about the requirement of skills and aptitude needed to foster a young child’s development. 

What is DECE all about?

Diploma in Early Childhood Education provides knowledge and skills required to manage the education and development of young children below the age of eight. The course is specifically designed for individuals who are looking to work in pre-primary schools, nursery schools, anganwadis or childcare centers. Throughout the course, the students are provided knowledge about common childhood illnesses, equip them in taking care of the children and also educating them about the preventive measures. Students are also trained on how to attend to children with special needs. It covers topics such as child development and psychology, child nutrition, life skills, pedagogy and planning, and organization of pre-schools and day care centers. 

Course Advantages

There is a great demand for skilled educators who are equipped with knowledge and awareness around elementary education and child care. DECE prepares the candidates to work in varied elementary education fields. They can work in government or private sectors, or become entrepreneurs by starting their own day care facilities. The candidates also have an option of pursuing higher studies in the same education field and can become specialized, proficient teachers, creating a new, innovative curriculum for childhood education. Some of the top employment profiles for this course include primary school teacher, daycare coordinator or a preschool director with an average pay scale from INR 3,00,000 to 5,00,000. 

DECE: Top Colleges

The top colleges and universities that offer Diploma in Early Childhood Education are listed below. 

• Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
• Bombay Teachers’ Training College, Mumbai
• Jaipur National University, Jaipur
• PK Roy Memorial College for Women, Dhanbad
• Amity University, Noida
• Maharani Teacher Training College, Tiruppur
• Manav Bharati Nursery Teacher Training Institute, New Delhi
• Maharishi University of Management and Technology, Bilaspur
• Tamil Nadu Open University, Chennai
• SIES Institute of Comprehensive Education

DECE: Recommended Books

Some of the recommended books for the DECE course are:

• The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel J. Seigel and Tina Payne Bryson
• How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
• The Exceptional Child: Inclusion in Early Childhood Education by K. Eileen Allen and Glynnis E. Cowdery
• Effective Practices in Early childhood Education: Building A Foundation (3rd Edition) by Dr. Sue Bredekamp
• Anti-Bias Education in the Early Childhood Classroom: Hand in Hand, Step by Step by Katie Kissinger
• Fundamentals of Early Childhood Education (8th Edition) by George S. Morrison

A career in early childhood education entails not just a profitable job in the government but also a job in a private company that deals with the education and welfare of children. It also implies that you make a positive contribution to society by assisting young children in learning the fundamentals and developing into decent adults as they get older.