Go to nashuacc.edu/programs for even more details about this and other NCC programs and certificates.
The Lead Teacher Certificate prepares you to work directly in the early childhood education environment. This certificate builds upon the associate teacher certificate. Lead teacher courses deepen your understanding and experience of developmentally and culturally appropriate curriculum, children with special needs and their families, and behavioral guidance and classroom management.
The courses in the certificate meet NH Child Care Licensing Requirements and provide knowledge in the Core Knowledge areas required for by NHDHHS, Bureau of Child Development and Head Start Collaboration Credential. The course curriculum follows the standards of the National Association of the Education of the Young Child Degree Standards for Preparing Early Childhood Professionals.
Students must complete the fingerprinting process through New Hampshire Background Record Checks for Licensed Child Care via the New Hampshire Connections Information System (NHCIS). Detailed information regarding the process and how to complete the required checks can be found on the NHCIS website: NHCIS Background Checks. Students should begin this process as soon as possible, if not already approved and employed in a NH child care program, to avoid delays in their course work and practicum placement. Students are encouraged to contact the Early Childhood Education Program Coordinator for further guidance or questions about the background check process.
Compliance:
The College reserves the right to refuse participation in field observations, placements, or program continuation for students who fail to meet the NH background records check requirements.
A student may be terminated from a course, program, or campus due to major or repeated violations of the Student Code of Conduct (NCC Student Handbook) or standards of professionalism. Students who have failed an early childhood education course because of evidence of unsafe practice involving actions or non-actions are not eligible for reapplication to the Early Childhood Education Program. The student may exercise his/her right to appeal the decision as outlined in the NCC Student Handbook.
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. 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.
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.
Program Specific Fees
Part of your experience in the early childhood program is the completion of observational hours at approved childcare centers. You must complete observational hours in all early childhood educational courses as part of your coursework.
Final requirement for completing field observations and teaching is a criminal background check and fingerprinting. There is a minimal fee required. It is your responsibility to pay the fee and complete the fingerprints and background check.
Several of our courses are NoLo courses that have minimal textbook costs.
Scholarship
Scholarships are available for our program through the T.E.A.C.H. NH Scholarship Program. The scholarship program supports the cost of tuition and books, offers paid release time from work for scholarship recipients, and a bonus upon completing 9-12 credits within 12 months. For more information and to see if you qualify, visit T.E.A.C.H. NH Scholarship.
ECE Grants may be available to off set educational expenses as you complete your early childhood education degree and/or certificates. Visit CCSNH Scholarship website to see if you qualify.