During the first year of the program, there is a lot of academic instruction that helps students acquire the knowledge base and competencies necessary to effectively respond and communicate with children. They practice and refine these skills by running a laboratory nursery school under supervision from the instructors. Class size ranges from 20 to 30 students. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, lectures and demonstration of content is presented visually and orally. During nursery school operation, students will be in the nursery for part of the day. The rest of the time is used independently by the student to complete written academic assignments. Occasional group projects are also assigned. Students must have a successful clinical experience in order to return to ECE II.

 

Second year students complete two internships in a variety of early education settings including preschool, daycare centers, elementary education and integrated special education classrooms. They also continue to study the professional field of ECE.

 

 

I. Orientation and Introduction to Early Childhood Education

Introduction of program rules, expectations and procedures. Personal qualities and responsibilities of Nursery Aides.

 

II. Child Growth and Development

Child development theory (Piaget, Vygotsky, Erikson, Maslow, Gardener) Ages and stages of cognitive, language, social, emotional, and physical development; supporting development through play, routines, and teacher directed activities. Supporting social and emotional development through positive guidance techniques.

 

III. Environment, Curriculum and Content

Content areas including literacy, math, science, social studies, the arts, technology, and process skills. Arranging physical space, creating a safe social emotional climate. Activities, routines and transitions. Writing lesson plans. Family involvement.

 

IV. Child Assessment

Purpose and procedures for assessment, writing observations, running records, checklists, analyzing children's work, documenting progress, confidentiality.

 

V. Communication

Modeling appropriate oral and written English, active listening, open ended questioning techniques, expanding children’s communication and language development, oral reading, appropriate book selecting, storytelling techniques.

 

VI. Professionalism and Leadership

Legal and regulatory mandates, professional guidelines, ethical conduct, professional code of ethics, child abuse and neglect identification and reporting procedures, maintaining a safe and healthy classroom, accepting responsibility to adhere to these guidelines to ensure the emotional and physical safety of each child, building relationships with peers, children and families, advocacy, current research in ECE.

 

Most school districts will award credit for English, Math and Science. Academics are applied and relate to ECE program goals. Examples of academic objectives include

 

• Writing daily lesson plans with instructional goals and learning objectives

• Completing a daily journal entry

• Researching a career, developing a power point and presenting orally to the class

 

• Plotting children’s heights and weights on a growth chart

• Program budget• Return on investment Science

• Child development theory and principals

• Child health including communicable disease, wellness policies, immunizations schedules and nutrition

• Children with special needs•

 

Students are assessed in four areas at 25% each

• Knowledge: quizzes, tests, vocabulary, chapter assignments

• Skill: Demonstration of skill in nursery or internship, individual and group projects

• Work Ethic: Behavior, interpersonal skills, attendance and punctuality

• Academics: English, math and science lessons, projects and activities