Majors for someone who wants to work with kids

[Anonymous]

I have a BA in psychology with a concentration in child psychology. I have been working as a lead teacher in an Arlington preschool for 12 years and I make $40k (year round, no summer break). If I could go back and do it all over again, I would chose a completely different path. I absolutely adore the children, and I love what I do, but I will never make enough money to support myself in this area. I would recommend at least getting certified to teach elementary. They have the potential to earn more and have more time off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of great advice. Also, make sure that whatever major she chooses that it has lots of options. Majoring in Elementary Education really locks kids in and then they don't have a lot of flexibility when they want to move on. I am a veteran teacher and I cannot tell you how many young men and women get into teaching and don't even make it to the 5 year mark before they desperately make their way out. Please encourage your child, OP, to choose a major and minor that give her some flexibility.

OP here. Thanks for the advice and I will pass along to DD. Any suggestions on other majors that will still leave the door open to teaching or working with kids?

[Anonymous]

Towson has a Family & Human Services Major with Introduction to Child Life.

https://www.towson.edu/cla/departments/familystudies/undergrad/familyservices/

[Anonymous]

I am a speech and language pathologist. I spent 15 years in the schools before transitioning to private practice in 2012. I make $90K ish. I truly love my job and cannot recommend it enough!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a speech and language pathologist. I spent 15 years in the schools before transitioning to private practice in 2012. I make $90K ish. I truly love my job and cannot recommend it enough!

Adding to this- I am biased toward SLP but really, all of the allied health fields are excellent choices for someone looking for a great salary, good work life balance, and wanting to work with kids (some offer that opportunity more than others).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a speech and language pathologist. I spent 15 years in the schools before transitioning to private practice in 2012. I make $90K ish. I truly love my job and cannot recommend it enough!

Adding to this- I am biased toward SLP but really, all of the allied health fields are excellent choices for someone looking for a great salary, good work life balance, and wanting to work with kids (some offer that opportunity more than others).

NP here -- to the SLPs on this thread, your profession can make a real difference in kids' lives! My DD, now a junior in HS, benefited so much from speech therapy as a preschooler, and loved her SLP so much, that she's now interested in pursuing this field herself. My question is: should she expect to have to pursue a master's? And, if so, can she do that with a psych major, perhaps with some additional coursework after college, or does she have to major in SLP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a speech and language pathologist. I spent 15 years in the schools before transitioning to private practice in 2012. I make $90K ish. I truly love my job and cannot recommend it enough!

Adding to this- I am biased toward SLP but really, all of the allied health fields are excellent choices for someone looking for a great salary, good work life balance, and wanting to work with kids (some offer that opportunity more than others).

NP here -- to the SLPs on this thread, your profession can make a real difference in kids' lives! My DD, now a junior in HS, benefited so much from speech therapy as a preschooler, and loved her SLP so much, that she's now interested in pursuing this field herself. My question is: should she expect to have to pursue a master's? And, if so, can she do that with a psych major, perhaps with some additional coursework after college, or does she have to major in SLP?

Yep! You need a master’s to be licensed to practice. The easiest way to go about it would be to major in speech and language pathology (the major is also called communication sciences and disorders or speech, language, and hearing sciences at some schools) but you could also major in psychology, spend a year after college in a “post bac” program taking the prerequisites, and then apply to grad schools. The former would require 2 years of school after undergrrad, the latter 3.

[Anonymous]

Ot, SLP, pt are best. Social work is miserable. Or teaching at elementary school level. She could also do nursing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a speech and language pathologist. I spent 15 years in the schools before transitioning to private practice in 2012. I make $90K ish. I truly love my job and cannot recommend it enough!

Adding to this- I am biased toward SLP but really, all of the allied health fields are excellent choices for someone looking for a great salary, good work life balance, and wanting to work with kids (some offer that opportunity more than others).

NP here -- to the SLPs on this thread, your profession can make a real difference in kids' lives! My DD, now a junior in HS, benefited so much from speech therapy as a preschooler, and loved her SLP so much, that she's now interested in pursuing this field herself. My question is: should she expect to have to pursue a master's? And, if so, can she do that with a psych major, perhaps with some additional coursework after college, or does she have to major in SLP?

Best to go to a school with an undergraduate program. Most are very competitive. You cannot do much with a psych major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a BA in psychology with a concentration in child psychology. I have been working as a lead teacher in an Arlington preschool for 12 years and I make $40k (year round, no summer break). If I could go back and do it all over again, I would chose a completely different path. I absolutely adore the children, and I love what I do, but I will never make enough money to support myself in this area. I would recommend at least getting certified to teach elementary. They have the potential to earn more and have more time off.

Could you take a psychologist position with the public schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a BA in psychology with a concentration in child psychology. I have been working as a lead teacher in an Arlington preschool for 12 years and I make $40k (year round, no summer break). If I could go back and do it all over again, I would chose a completely different path. I absolutely adore the children, and I love what I do, but I will never make enough money to support myself in this area. I would recommend at least getting certified to teach elementary. They have the potential to earn more and have more time off.

Could you take a psychologist position with the public schools?

There is extensive schooling required beyond undergrad to work as a psychologist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a BA in psychology with a concentration in child psychology. I have been working as a lead teacher in an Arlington preschool for 12 years and I make $40k (year round, no summer break). If I could go back and do it all over again, I would chose a completely different path. I absolutely adore the children, and I love what I do, but I will never make enough money to support myself in this area. I would recommend at least getting certified to teach elementary. They have the potential to earn more and have more time off.

Could you take a psychologist position with the public schools?

There is extensive schooling required beyond undergrad to work as a psychologist.

Ok. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD is a junior and think she wants to get into early childhood education. She has been taking child development classes as her elective in HS and will have an internship her senior year.
She is thinking about majoring in early childhood education in college.
We would like to give her some ideas/options on other possible majors where she would still be able to able to work with young children.

If possible, maybe it would be good to suggest that she also get the credentials needed to work with older people. Small children are great, but older people need care, too, and serving older people is where the job growth will be. If she's around older people more, maybe she'll warm up to them.