The Associate Degree and Certificate in Early Childhood Education provide the theoretical studies and practical experiences that prepare the graduate to care for and teach children from infancy through age eight in a variety of early childhood education and care settings. Graduates may be qualified for employment opportunities in child development and child care programs, preschools, nurseries, head start, after school programs, and private kindergartens. Degree graduates may also be eligible for employment as a paraprofessional in the public school setting in kindergarten through third grade. For students looking to pursue an education beyond the associate degree, the degree program is designed to provide transferability to bachelor degree programs in Early Childhood Education. Students work closely with their academic advisor for proper course selection and sequencing to prepare for transferability.
The Early Childhood Education degree and certificate course curriculum follows the standards of the National Association of the Education of the Young Child Degree Standards for Preparing Early Childhood Professionals. The degree also provides general education courses that offer the student the opportunity to develop an understanding and knowledge of concepts and skills that support the development of the educated person. Supervised practicum field experiences provide direct experience with the young child in an early childhood setting. Future early childhood teachers are encouraged to gain extended practical experience with young children by completing observation experiences offered in many of the courses.
Students in this program are advised that to participate in the practicum field experience, and to gain employment working with young children, they must be free of criminal convictions as required by the NH Bureau of Child Care Licensing and the NH Department of Education. It is now required that students complete the fingerprinting process through State Police or DMV in order to participate in the ECE practicum field experience. The student may incur fees in meeting these requirements. The College must insure that students in the program do not put themselves or children in jeopardy during the practicum field experience
TECHNICAL STANDARDS
Technical Standards have been established to provide guidance to students as to skills and abilities required to function successfully in the program and ultimately in the Early Childhood Education profession. Applicants who feel they may not be able to meet one or more of the technical standards should contact department faculty to discuss individual cases.
The Early Childhood Education Department will seriously consider all academically qualified candidates provided that the technical standards can be met with or without reasonable accommodations. No essential technical standards will be waived or modified. Information on the Technical Standards for this program is also available in the Technical Standards section of this catalog.
Students in Early Childhood Education program must have sufficient strength, stamina, motor coordination and sensory capabilities to perform the following:
- Standing for sustained periods of time, walking, running, bending, and sitting on the floor to meet children’s needs and accomplish tasks;
- Frequent lifting, moving and transferring children, especially infants and toddlers;
- Sufficient visual and hearing acuity to ensure a safe environment; and ability to respond quickly to children, colleagues, and professional partners in the event of emergency;
- Sufficient verbal ability to express and exchange information and ideas as well as to interpret important instructions to children, colleagues, professional partners, and parents;
- Sufficient skills in written expression to accurately record children’s daily progress and milestones as well as medications administered, accident and suspected child abuse/neglect reports, etc.;
- Ability to work with frequent interruptions, to respond appropriately to unexpected situations including situations requiring immediate crisis response and role responsibility exchange; to demonstrate safe and required care for children, families, colleagues and the workplace as a whole; and to cope with substantial variations in workload and stress levels;
- Ability to consistently attend and participate in classes and practice in a timely manner;
- Ability to demonstrate and maintain organizational skills and time management in classes and at the practicum site;
- Ability to respond to children’s personal needs, including changing diapers, in a manner that safeguards the health and safety of the student, children, and staff;
- Ability to work in a professional and respectful manner with a diverse range of children including children of different races, cultures, religions, and ethnicities as well as children with a wide range of disabling conditions;
- Ability to maintain proper boundaries in both the school and home environments; and
- Ability and disposition to adhere to and practice the Code of Ethical Conduct set forth by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
NCC reserves the right to amend its technical standards at anytime and impose them on all current students.
Upon the completion of the degree in Early Childhood Education, graduates will be able to:
- Promote child development and learning: understanding young children’s characteristics and needs, the multiple influences on their development and learning; and how to create healthy, respectful, supportive and challenging learning environments;
- Building family and community relationships: understanding diverse family and community characteristics through respectful, reciprocal relationship and involving them in their children’s development and learning;
- Observe, document, and assess young children to support them and their families: understanding the goals, benefits and uses of various types of and then applying the appropriate assessment tools and approaches to promote positive outcomes for each child as well as to building partnerships with families and other professionals;
- Use developmentally effective approaches: to understand positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation of their work with young children. Know and understand effective strategies and tools for early education, including appropriate uses of technology. Using a broad repertoire of developmentally appropriate teaching /learning approaches. Be able to reflect on own practice to promote positive outcomes for each child;
- Use content knowledge to build meaningful curriculum: Understand content knowledge and resources in academic disciplines: language and literacy; the arts – music, creative movement, dance, drama, visual arts; mathematics; science, physical activity, physical education, health and safety; and social studies. Know and use the central concepts, inquiry tools, and structures of content areas or academic disciplines. Use own knowledge, appropriate early learning standards, and other resources to design, implement, and evaluate developmentally meaningful and challenging curriculum for each child;
- Become a professional: Identify and involve oneself with the early childhood field. Know about and uphold ethical standards and other early childhood professional guidelines. Engage in continuous, collaborative learning to inform practice; using technology effectively with young children, with peers, and as a professional resource. Integrate knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on early education.
- Engaging in informed advocacy: for young children and the early childhood profession.
1-7 Adapted from the Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators (naeyc.org, 2020
In addition, the graduate will be able to demonstrate competency in the general education outcomes.
This degree meets requirements for State of New Hampshire DHHS Bureau of Child Development and Head Start Collaboration credential of Teacher Credential Level 5.