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whats the best school to get my teaching education

i want to become like a kindergarten teacher or a pre school teacher, but i just don't know what school i want to go to. All i know is i want to go to one of the best, and i want some advice.
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Janet’s Answer

Makayla,
Yay for you! There's nothing more important than making a difference in the lives of others, and you will be starting on the ground floor with the little ones.
The great thing about education is that every state has multiple public universities offering education degrees. Remember that there are many aspects to the college you choose, and it's important to find a good fit for you.
My advice is to start close to home - in a community or junior college, maybe even living at home if that situation works for you. Education is expensive, and you will save SO much money. You can get started on your core curriculum and get a feel for what college is like, while researching where you want to study. Your college advisor will be a great resource - they will be able to tell you which colleges in your state are the best for your major, and help you take the right courses your first year.
AND, I really encourage EVERYONE to visit the campus they think they would like to attend. Start on their website and view their virtual tour, but go there IN PERSON if at all possible. There's a vibe or atmosphere that you can't get until you actually visit. Then visit other colleges too - the ones that are easy to get to, and your 2nd and 3rd choices too. Then you will really understand about the atmosphere. The place where you feel like you "fit" is probably the place for you! Good Luck!
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Angela D.’s Answer

Great question! It depends on your definition of “best”. Honestly, the program that you choose needs to be the best for YOU! Some educational programs have a certain reputation or ranking, others are more applied or “hands on”, have higher acceptance and graduation rates, smaller class sizes, more extensive partnerships in the local schools, etc. Also, some colleges/universities are more well known by concentration, such as elementary or secondary level, special education, and teaching English as a second language (TESOL) as well. As was mentioned by Janet, you can save money by completing your first two years of lower division coursework at a community college and then transfer into a teacher education program. You will want to consider attending a college/university in the state that you hope to teach in as teaching certification requirements can vary. However, there are agreements between certain states so that they will accept out-of-state credentials, but that can be regional. You also want to be careful about the program that you choose as some are non-traditional, online, etc. and not necessarily accredited by Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), which is the accepted governing national organization. I’ve included informative websites below, with a school search in the third one. Wishing you the best in your endeavors, Dr. B

Alabama State Department of Education - https://www.alsde.edu/
CAEP/NCATE - http://www.ncate.org/
CAEP School Search - http://caepnet.org/provider-search
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Mary’s Answer

Some great feedback from others here! I agree with Janet - if possible, start locally at a community college or two-year school that offers a 2+2 transfer program (2 years at the community college with ability to transfer all your credits into a 4-year program.) Most of the first two years are your prerequisites and core classes - no need to pay top dollar to get those out of the way first.

If you know what subject area you'd like to teach, you can do some internet searching for the top performers in that field of study. If you're unsure, talk to your career counselor at school about taking some assessments that might point you in the right direction. I've linked a free career information site below (CIS) which provides an online tool for researching schools and careers. You can also compare schools side by side once you narrow your selections.

I also agree with the campus tour idea - especially if you are moving away from your home town. It's important to feel comfortable and connected. Virtual tours are better than no tours!

Good luck with finding the right school to pursue your education degree.

Mary recommends the following next steps:

Article on top universities for education: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/best-universities/best-universities-education-degrees
Access Career Information Systems to find information on colleges and careers: https://oregoncis.uoregon.edu/Portal.aspx
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Valerie’s Answer

Hi there!
My mom was a Kindergarten teacher, and now she teaches second grade for over 20 years!! Her advice was to go to a state school, because they typically have the best programs for the best price. I have attached a link of the best schools ranked in Alabama https://www.niche.com/colleges/search/best-colleges-for-education/s/alabama/.
Best of luck !!
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Bryce’s Answer

Hi Makayla,

A lot of schools have great programs for people trying to pursue a career in education. My recommendation is to go to a school and a program that will 100% have you certified upon graduation. A lot of state's schools have teacher prep programs where you complete all the required coursework and required tests prior to graduation. I definitely recommend finding a group of schools that you like then further researching their education program.
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Estelle’s Answer

I went to UT in Austin and knew many education majors. They received outstanding training at a bargain price.
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