Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education Jody Carson.

When Jody Carson was nine, the budding educator taught preschool to her two younger siblings. Today, this NECC professor teaches others to teach preschool.

“Teaching was a natural fit for me,” says the Early Childhood Education professor. “I spent many hours teaching (my siblings) letters, numbers, shapes, and colors.”

In addition to having eager and patient siblings, the Hampton, NH, resident clearly had a strong sense of personal direction.

“I started babysitting early. By high school, I was already taking courses in early childhood education,” she says.

After high school, Carson enrolled in the very program she has taught in for the past eight years.

“It was a life-changing decision…I made amazing connections …I knew from the time I was a student here that I wanted to come back and teach,” she says.

After graduating with her associate degree from Northern Essex, Carson earned a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development from Lesley University and a Master’s of Education in Child Development from Southern New Hampshire University.

Before teaching at NECC, Carson taught preschool for eight years.

As a mother of two and preschool teacher to dozens, she knows that as much as children will be children, working with children is always changing.

“This field is filled with wonder, excitement, creativity, play, and learning,” she says. “No two days are ever the same. Early learning experiences lay the foundation for future learning.”

As federal and state governments place more of an emphasis on early childhood education and as the population of 3 to 5 year-olds grows, Carson notes that employment of preschool teachers is projected to grow 17% through 2022 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This is good news for those who want to pursue teaching young children.

“The ability to inspire others has always motivated me – teaching young children allowed me to do this every day,” she says. “As a teacher of future teachers, I have the ability to reach so many more children through their teachers.”

Northern Essex offers three associate degrees in the education field: Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, and Liberal Arts Middle/High School Teaching.