Being a kindergarten teacher can be one of the most rewarding jobs and challenging jobs in the entire school building. However, one of the more curious aspects of teaching, at least in the public school system, is the fact that the training and path to success as a teacher is quite similar to the rest. There is not much different between a kindergarten teacher and a homeroom teacher for high school seniors. At the end of the day, the key is continuing education. For the teacher, it may be possible to “over-qualify” through getting a Ph.D., but having a Master’s degree never hurt any teacher trying to advance in the pay grade.
Getting There
If you are still in college or just getting out of high school, the first thing you need to keep in mind is that a teacher, is a teacher, is a teacher. In saying this, whether you want to teach high school students that are 18 years old, or you would like to help a 5 year old draw her shapes, you are still going to need those teaching credits and a major in the subject.
So, be prepared to take all those necessary general education and teacher education courses. These courses are likely to be rather challenging, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The better your college is, the better chance you have of getting into a desirable school with a higher salary and standard of living.
However, one thing you should keep in mind is this: if you plan on teaching in a private school, then be prepared to pay for a private university or college outright. If you are in a position that you have to take out student loans, your kindergarten teacher salary will not be sufficient enough in a private school to cover the cost. You will, however, be likely to afford the cost of a community or state college or university, if you wish to teach at a private school. Do keep in mind that the average kindergarten teacher salary of a private school will be roughly $10,000 less then that of a public school.
Difference In Styles
For teachers, one of the biggest differences between private and public schools is the kindergarten teacher salary. Now, having said that, sometimes that difference is worth it.
For instance, if you are a kindergarten teacher that has come from a religious background, then you might have an overall happier experience in a religious school with corresponding beliefs. However, the misconception only for the kindergarten level is that students will behave better in a private school. This is not the case for the simple fact that the kids are too young to see the difference.
Comparing between the two is like comparing apples and oranges, and it truly depends on your personality as a teacher and what kind of environment you are comfortable with. But, you should keep in mind, that the kindergarten teacher salary and benefit package for public school would be noticeably better. Keep this in your calculations when you decide which college to go to.
Understanding the Job
While, you might be trained to teach just about any age, any grade, and almost any subject, your focus will obviously be directed towards ages 4-6. While there will not be a massive amount of advanced learning of science, history, mathematics, and other higher level courses, that is not to say the job will be much easier. In fact, to some, the kindergarten level is harder. It requires a certain type of personality.
This is perhaps why the average kindergarten teacher salary is right up at $50,000 with any other teaching staff in the building. While you may not have to deal with correcting Calculus homework, you will have to invest in the lives of little bundles of pure and excited energy, and that’s not to mention their parents.
As you start out a rookie, 1st-year kindergarten teacher salary will be about $32,000 to $35,000 per year. However, when you advance through the years, your pay grade could double by retirement age.
One way to speed up this process is to make sure that you are continuing your education every single summer off. The benefit of being a teacher is that you are only technically working for 180 days per year. This is often seen as a vacation, but to the more ambitions, this is a way to advance your kindergarten teacher salary to the max levels. If you take the summer months to go back and continue education, not only should you be compensated by the school district, but you will also be able to move up in your salary. This is a great way to make sure that you remain active as a kindergarten teacher, and getting paid more to do what you love.