Where is the best college for teaching?

Hi, Cadee: that's great that you want to teach 1st grade! We need really good teachers and it sounds as if you are very focussed and committed. So, your question is a good one. You have lots of options if your goal is to be an elementary school teacher. You can go to most any public university and study early childhood education. Or, you can go to college and study any subject you might have an interest in, like English, Math, the sciences, History, whatever you like . . . and then go to graduate school to get a masters degree in teaching. You'll probably want to get a masters degree at some point to become a master teacher. I did that . . . I went to Harvard, studied history and philosophy, then I taught third grade and did a masters degree during the summers.

If you want to stay in Kentucky, I'm sure you can find good programs in education at the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville or nearby at Vanderbilt (in Nashville). Of course, you can go to the US News and World Report graduate school rankings and see a list of top ranked schools of education. You might decide that leaving Kentucky would provide you with a different kind of experience. However, before you get thinking too far into the future, you might want to test out your interest by getting some experience. You might try volunteering at a daycare center near you. Or, next summer, try getting a job working at a summer camp for little kids. Of course, babysitting is also a good way to get experience and you can start doing that right away. The more experience you have working with little kids, the better.

So, for now, you can continue Googling teachers colleges, looking for ways to work with little kids, thinking about next summer working at a summer program as a counselor in training, and when you get to high school, maybe try taking a course at the University of Pikeville. They have a program in early childhood education. Also, go chat with the 1st grade teachers in your school. I bet they would have some good advice for you. And, read lots of children's books . . . but I get you already do that!

Best of LUCK!!!