How to Become a Kindergarten Teacher in 5 Steps

Kindergarten Teacher Requirements

Kindergarten teachers help teach young students in a variety of subjects to prepare them for further schooling. Students wondering 'how to become a kindergarten teacher' or 'what degree do you need to be a kindergarten teacher?' should know that most kindergarten teachers need formal education, hands-on teaching experience, and a state license. Some teachers may need and/or choose to also pursue advanced education and/or career opportunities. Below, we discuss these steps in more detail.

Step 1: Bachelor's Degree

While there are many different kinds of teaching degrees available at the undergraduate and graduate level, most kindergarten teachers need at least a bachelor's degree. Some kindergarten teaching degree programs are available online, but will still require in-person teaching experiences.

Students can typically earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) from these online or on-campus degree programs. Usually, these degree programs are in elementary education to qualify teachers to teach K through 6, but students can pursue degrees in early childhood education from birth to K. Students in elementary education programs may participate in observation hours and hands-on experiences with teaching, as well as take coursework in subjects like:

• Classroom management
• Child development
• Instructional planning
• Assessment
• Math
• Science
• Literacy

Step 2: Student Teaching

In order to obtain licensure, students must complete a student teaching program. Typically, these programs are built in to the final year of a bachelor's degree program in education. During student teaching, students are paired with a mentor teacher and have the opportunity to teach students in a real classroom for hands-on experience.

Step 3: State Licensure

State licensure for teaching is required for all public school teachers, but private school teachers may not need a license. Each state has its own requirements, but commonly, states require teachers to have a bachelor's degree, complete student teaching, pass a background check, and pass their state's teaching certification test (and, in many cases, more than one test) to qualify them to teach students. Many licenses or certifications require professional development and continuing education to maintain or recertify.

Step 4: Master's Degree

Some states may require teachers to earn a master's degree after they begin teaching, while other teachers may pursue a master's for their own benefit. At the master's level, kindergarten teachers may commonly pursue a Master of Arts (MA) in Education or Master of Education (MEd) in Elementary Education. These programs are available in online formats and can be completed in 1 to 2 years.

Step 5: Advancement

Outside of a master's degree, many teachers may also advance their career with experience. After so many years of teaching, they may become mentor teachers for student teachers and/or lead teachers for newer teachers. Some teachers may also pursue additional education and/or certifications to pursue other school-related careers, like a school counselor or instructional coordinator.

Other Kindergarten Teacher Qualifications

Although they are not formal requirements, kindergarten and elementary teachers must be resourceful and creative with their lessons while working with young children. They must be patient and be able to communicate well with students, parents, teachers, and other school administration staff. Kindergarten teachers often need a lot of physical and emotional energy to participate with their students in the learning process.

How Long Does it Take to Become a Kindergarten Teacher?

Traditionally, it takes 4 years to complete a bachelor's degree program in elementary education that would prepare students to teach K through 6. However, some programs may allow students to finish their degree in as little as 18 months, depending on factors like transfer credits or online, self-paced formats. After graduating and obtaining their state license, kindergarten teachers could begin teaching and some may go on to pursue their master's degree, which typically takes another 1 to 2 years.