Guide to Online Associate's Degrees in Early Childhood Development

When you stop and think about it, every person on this earth was once a little boy or girl. World leaders, great scientists, influential novelists, and famous artists were all kids once, and their only concerns revolved around snack time, naptime, and bedtime.

Sure, sure, you’re thinking. What’s the point? Well, the point is that if you love kids and you’re interested in pursuing an early childhood development associate degree, you’re giving yourself the chance to majorly impact the leaders and thinkers of tomorrow.

Children have three times as many neurons as we do which means they’re incredible learners, and scientists have widely realized that the first three years of a child’s life are the most important for their development. This means that as their teacher you have a pretty big influence on the person they’ll become later on down the road.

If an associate degree in early childhood development sounds interesting, then wait until you actually start your classes. You’ll be learning the latest teaching techniques, how to design and implement a curriculum, infant and toddler development, foundations of child development, creativity exercises, how to teach gifted children, children’s literature, and much, much more.

Plus, once you have graduated with your associate degree in early childhood education and are actually working in the field, your days will be filled with lots of fun, and lots of challenges. During a typical day, you might be responsible for doing some of these tasks:

Designing classroom presentations
Convert data into practical, classroom applications
Create esteem building exercises for students
Monitor the learning styles of students to ensure they’re not lagging behind
Customizing teaching styles to fit students’ needs
Organize parent/teacher conferences
Resolving behavioral problems

You also stand a pretty good chance of finding a good job in this field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the childcare and development field is expected to grow by at least 14% in the next few years. Wages are slowly on the rise as well, especially at the nicer facilities.

If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming an entrepreneur then this is a field you could make significantly more than the national average by owning your own business. Owners of day care facilities do very well, and once you got your business up and running your responsibilities would mainly include developing curriculums and running the business. The hands-on childcare would be left to your employees.

If you love kids and are interested in embarking on a career that will influence the people of tomorrow, then getting an early childhood development associate degree is a necessary first step. Many students love their experience in this field and go on to get their Bachelor’s Degree in Education, which allows them to teach elementary, middle, and high school students. Still others keep going to get their Master’s Degree in Education, which allows you to teach the teachers of tomorrow, or even get involved in research.

There’s no doubt that getting an associate degree in early childhood development can put you on a fascinating path to a great, rewarding career. Good luck, and happy teaching!

Guide to Online Associates Degree Programs

Associate degree holders generally have better job prospects than those with only a high school diploma. Earning an associate degree usually takes two years, and doing so in at an online school can be much more convenient than at a traditional campus. Below are the top accredited online schools offering associate degrees in the US.

	With one of the largest offerings of accredited online associate degrees, Post University is consistently highly rated by its students because of its flexibility and affordability. All associate degrees offered are fully accredited. Post was founded in 1890 and has been providing highly-rated degree programs to students ever since with an emphasis on practicality and application. Read full school profile » Request Information
	The University of Phoenix was one of the first accredited colleges to offer online degrees. Today, it has grown to become one of the nation's largest universities through its online division and campuses coast to coast. They remain one of the top choices for students looking for an associates degree online because of the broad array of choice and affordability they offer students. Read full school profile » Request Information
	With perhaps the largest number of online associates degrees offered, Kaplan University's degrees are fully accredited, affordable, and offer a flexibility that many other online schools cannot match. This unrivaled selection spans several industries, hundreds of specializations, and all degree levels of education, empowering students to choose their own path to a career. Read full school profile » Request Information
	One of the nation's leading Christian universities, Liberty offers a broad range of accredited associate degrees online. Their incorporation of moral and ethical considerations into study make them a popular choice for students seeking a well-rounded education built on academic integrity. Established in 1985, Liberty University has one of the longest-standing online education programs in the country. Read full school profile » Request Information
	The online associates degrees at Everest University can be completed in under 2 years, making this a great way for students to quickly works towards their life goals. An associates degree can give you a jump-start on your career and open opportunities around every corner. Many of the programs help students pursue positions in ever-growing fields. Read full school profile » Request Information
	Virginia College offers a wide range of accredited associates programs. VC takes several steps in helping students pays for college by offering financial aid to those who qualify, including textbooks in the tuition cost, and providing online programs that can be completed under two (2) years, giving students a quick way to jump start their careers. Read full school profile » Request Information
	DeVry University is a highly-regarded leader in education with campuses across the nation and several online degrees available. DeVry focuses on providing degrees centered in the technology industry or fields that require a broad understanding and need for technical skills. DeVry has several highly popular degrees like Accounting, Web Graphic Design, Health IT, and Network Systems Administration. Read full school profile » Request Information
	Strayer University has over the last decade become one of the most respected schools offering accredited online associate degrees. Their strong reputation among employers, broad course offerings, and over one hundred years in education make them consistently a top choice for students. Strayer has over 85 campuses and 60,000 students currently attending online or at one of its campuses. Read full school profile » Request Information