Empower young children to be curious.
Inspire a love of learning in young children. By working with children in the earliest stages of learning and development, you’ll help prepare them for a lifetime of success.
While studying in Cambridge—an epicenter of education—you’ll be guided by faculty who are at the forefront of innovation. With them you’ll learn how to integrate the arts and play into your teaching in ways that promote play and understanding. And, with our reimagined general education curriculum, you'll be prepared to teach in today's world.
You'll blaze a trail as a leader and teacher in the world of education as your grow into your career as an educator, principal, special educator, community center director, or publisher. And as a Lesley graduate, you'll join the largest network of educators in New England, with more than 4,500 Lesley education graduates in the last five years alone. Become one of our amazing education alumni, who include Teachers of the Year and MacArthur “Genius” Fellows.
As an early childhood major, you'll explore a wide range of topics, including the Reggio Emilia approach to education. It’s a globally recognized, child-centered approach that emphasizes experiential learning, including the use of documentation and encounters with the natural world. You’ll discover how to create authentic learning experiences for children in areas from literacy to science, and you’ll even have the opportunity to travel to the place where it all started—Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Work with children starting your freshman year and make connections that will launch you into your career. With four years of classroom time, you’ll have more opportunities than most to be mentored by current teachers, discover your strengths, and master skills that principals and superintendents value. With hands-on guidance and support from our expert faculty and mentoring practitioners in the schools, you’ll be immersed in diverse public and private schools in Cambridge, Boston, and surrounding towns including private schools such as the Lesley Ellis School in Arlington, and the public schools in Belmont, Watertown, and Medford.
You'll learn skills including classroom management, engaging families, and viewing diverse challenges and needs through an anti-bias lens. You can also choose from 11 different optional specializations, such as multicultural education or teaching English learners.
Gain an initial teaching license
The early childhood education major leads to initial licensure as a teacher of early childhood, grades PreK–2. When you complete the major, you’ll qualify for a variety of positions involving work with young children in nursery schools, kindergartens, and grades 1–2. Learn more about licensure.