What Makes a Great ECE Program? 5 Signs You’ve Found the Right Fit
Posted On September 1,2025
You want to be a preschool teacher. You’ve made the smart choice to enroll in a career academy so you can get the focused training you need to prepare you for your new role. You want to choose the best program, so you’re set up for success. But how do you decide which program is the best? Every school will market its strengths and hide their weaknesses, so you need to cut through the advertising lingo and look for things that really make a great early childhood education program. These five signs are great indicators that you’ve found the right place for success.
Plenty of Hands-On Training
Classes in child development, classroom management, educational philosophies, and early literacy and numeracy are essential for effective teaching. But just as important is hands-on training. Preschoolers can be unpredictable, and theoretical children can’t capture the same personalities you’ll need to deal with as a teacher. Practical experience is essential for developing a strong foundation as a preschool teacher. You need the chance to apply the content you’ve learned in your classes and translate that knowledge into real-world practice. Hands-on training allows you to observe and be observed by master teachers and implement strategies for classroom management, develop age-appropriate activities, and interact with young children. The best ECE programs will allow you to have hands-on experience in several different settings, so that you can be prepared for a variety of roles after graduation. If the Early Childhood program you are looking at doesn’t give you much real experience, it may not be the right one for you.
Supportive Faculty
A program is only as strong as its faculty. All faculty members should be well-established in their careers with plenty of experience. However, just because someone is a good preschool teacher doesn’t mean they’ll be a supportive faculty member for an ECE program. No matter how good their resume is, you need to make sure that the teachers you are learning from care about your success. A supportive faculty member is invested in your education and will encourage you throughout the program. They explain concepts clearly, provide constructive feedback, and encourage communication. Instead of just lecturing, they will adapt their teaching methods to meet the needs of all their students, setting a positive example for what you will do as a preschool teacher later in your career. While it can be difficult to assess this before you begin any classes, you can ask to observe a class. Look for how the faculty member handles questions, how they solicit feedback, and how interactive the class is.
It’s also important to choose a program that is committed to small class sizes. It’s much harder for faculty members to get to know their students if the class sizes are overwhelming. A small class allows the teacher to give attention to every student.
A Comprehensive, Accredited Curriculum
The advantage of a career academy is that your education will be streamlined. Every class you take will be relevant to your career. Before you enroll, ask to see what the program entails. You should have plenty of foundational courses in child development, early literacy and numeracy, classroom management, and best practices in lesson planning and teaching.
It’s also essential for your future success that you choose an accredited program. Future employers will want to know that you chose a program that is accredited by an early childhood association. Accreditation means that your school is committed to holding itself to high standards and continuous improvement.
Job Placement Assistance
Getting through the program is only the first step of your new career. What really demonstrates the success of a program is how many graduates are successfully working in early childhood settings. Before you commit to a school, it’s fair to ask about how the school will help you when it’s time to get a job. Do they offer job placement assistance? Will they help you develop your resume? Do they have strong relationships with local daycares and preschools? Will they help you prepare for interviews? Career academies should be dedicated to ensuring that their graduates can get jobs when they leave.
Flexible Schedule for Busy Adults
People enter early childhood education programs from various stages in life. Some students are straight out of high school but want a more career-focused option than a traditional university. Other students are currently working and are looking to make a career change. Some students may be focused on raising their families and are preparing to re-enter the workforce. A good early childhood education program will meet all students where they are and help them juggle the program with their other responsibilities. Flexible schedule options that offer day, night, and weekend classes allow students to work their class schedule around their lives. A flexible program shows that the school cares about student success.
When you are preparing for an early childhood education program, you want to make sure you make the right choice right from the start. You don’t want to waste time or money on a program that doesn’t fit, but more importantly, you want to make sure you are prepared for your first job. If you take the time to research and ask the right questions before enrolling, you can find the training program that is perfect for you.
Ready to become a confident, qualified preschool teacher? Explore how Athena Career Academy equips you with the skills and support to succeed. Contact us today to learn more.