Early Childhood Care and Development Diploma

The focus of this course is to overview the historical and theoretical foundations of Early Childhood Education (ECE) and the role of the ECE professional in creating quality care environments. An emphasis on developmentally appropriate practice is accompanied by exploration of diversity, program models and approaches, best practices, and the components of a quality program. Child care regulations vs. learning standards, accreditation entities, roles and responsibilities, professionalism and career choices are also investigated.

The focus of this course is to build a foundation for understanding both typical and atypical development across all domains in early childhood. Students will investigate the roles heredity and environment play in child development, with an emphasis on social, cultural, and economic influences. The science of early brain development, child development theories, milestones, and domains form the foundation for understanding, including the development of children with exceptionalities. The role of the teacher relating to child growth and development will be explored.

The early childhood professional's role in promoting the health, safety, and nutrition of the developing child is the focus of this course. Strategies and procedures for supporting child wellness in all three areas will be explored, with emphasis on how these practices are integrated into the operations of an early childhood program and vary by age group. Additionally, creating and maintaining a safe, healthy learning environment in accordance with governmental regulations and developmentally appropriate program standards will be investigated.

This course focuses on understanding the significant role families play in the education of their children. Students will explore topics such as supporting diversity, culturally-responsive curriculum and learning environments, ensuring anti-bias education, advancing equity and inclusion, and advocating for children and families. Specific attention will also be given to the importance of building effective communication and relationships with children and families while working collaboratively with resources in the community.

This course will focus on the acquisition of language and literacy skills in early childhood, also including an introduction to the content areas of math, science, social studies, and the creative arts. The understanding of literacy development theories will support the planning of appropriate activities for young children within the content areas. The 6 components of language arts and the reading and writing continuum will be examined. Students will evaluate quality children's literature through specific criteria and practice using that literature in planning developmentally appropriate activities for children. Informal assessment tools will also be explored.

This course is designed to assist students in identifying challenging behaviors and using positive guidance strategies to support self-regulation in young children.u00a0 Students will discuss a variety of positive guidance strategies to support children including culturally responsive strategies and techniques inclusive of children with developmental disabilities, as well as appropriate methods of guidance for each age group. Current philosophies and approaches will also be explored. Supporting children through reflection and dialogue to develop conflict-resolution skills will also be discussed.

This course is an introduction to the writing process and the formulation of appropriate workplace communication, as well as the essentials of essay writing. Instruction in effective academic and career reading strategies are introduced, along with basic information literacy skills to retrieve, evaluate, and appropriately use the ideas of others.

This course introduces students to the basic use of computer hardware and software, electronic communication, and the Internet. Students will develop and utilize their technical knowledge, skills, and abilities in working with office technology in order to efficiently perform tasks and complete projects for contemporary academic, professional, and personal use. Students will apply fundamental theoretical, analytical, and problem solving strategies to advance their understanding of computer literacy.

This course will help students learn and apply concepts relating to various workplace situations. Learners will gain a fundamental understanding of the connectivity across course disciplines that incorporate numerical calculations, ratios, proportions, percent, measurement, algebraic concepts, and the ability to visually communicate numerical information.

This course introduces students to the basic tenets of the communication process and the necessity of effective communication in order to achieve academic, professional (career), social, and personal goals. Students will consider factors which influence the achievement of those goals for academic, professional (career), social, and personal success, as well as for the creation of productive learning communities and students' transformation into agile, lifelong learners.

This course will focus on psychological, emotional, social, cognitive, linguistic, and physical development from birth through adolescence. Theoretical perspectives will be applied to understand how biological, cognitive, and socioeconomic characteristics influence development over one's lifespan.