I want to be a teacher, what should I minor in?

Question

I am going to major in Early Childhood Education (k-4), I was wondering what a good minor to pursue would be. Is there anything any of you wish you knew more about? Or should I just minor in something I'm interested in?

Thank you :)

Answer 1

I suggest Spanish first and foremost. Fluency in a second language, especially Spanish, can prove very tempting to employers who have large ESL populations, and it could also help you feel more at ease with growing populations of Spanish-as-a-first-language students--and parents when you are in the classroom.

My own minor is in theater, and I think it has served me well, though I teach at the the high school level. Teachers are not *just* entertainers, but there are elements of the stage that are helpful to bring to the classroom, especially when you don't feel like humoring the kid who always pesters you with questions or you're about to have an observation on the day from Hades. Acting and stage work all have helped me teach better.

For employer draws reading, math, and possibly science are also likely to open doors, since these are commonly tested areas, and expertise in these fields would therefore be attractive to employers.

There is also something to be said for following your passions, because young people can absorb your love of learning from you--but you have to learn about something you love first.

I suggest you avoid the psychology minor or other such fields. I have found very little of what I did learn useful in the classroom. Sure, I could see how the theories were at work, but that didn't help me control or structure my class better.

Answer 2

Minor in a second language of some kind. More and more schools are emphasizing the learning of a second language.

Another good idea is to minor in a literacy program. So many students in K-4 need specialized literacy help, so if you have the qualifications, it might make the difference when you're looking for a teaching position.

Answer 3

One possibility would be psychiatry. Since much of the Early Childhood classes involve art, that might be a possibility. Then of course you might want to minor in something that you could fall back on just in case you realize that you were not meant to be a teacher after all. I sincerely hope that will not be the case, but it is better to be prepared with a plan b.

Answer 4

if u minor wat ur interested in, it would make the job more fun...

i would choose art cause i remember when i was in my other subjects, i was always bored.
i remembered that the whole class let out a big booo when the writing teacher walked in.
some kids fell asleep in history.

art allows the child to be creative and is more hands on...

but thats just my opinion. go for what u like the most!

Answer 5

I would minor in whatever you're interested in.

If you're interested in math and/or science at all, that would be a good choice, as so few elementary school teachers have any background in math or science.