ece.chemeketa.edu

Early Childhood Education is a comprehensive program of both theory and practical experiences designed to prepare individuals to work with young children. Graduates may qualify to be childcare teachers, assistants, and aids in preschools, day care centers, kindergartens, Head Start programs, and therapeutic relief nurseries. Many of the courses may be helpful to parents of young children and to persons working with families. Students may select individual courses to meet their needs, or work toward an associate of applied science degree.

Students in the program must earn grades of “C” or better in all Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Human Development and Family Studies (HDF) courses. In order to enroll in certain courses, students will be required to enroll in the Oregon Child Care Registry, which includes a background check. A valid first aid card is required for graduation in this program. The on-site laboratory school provides students with hands-on experiences working with children. This is where students apply theory from their course work into a classroom setting. Students work side by side with teaching staff and instructors in the lab and receive ongoing coaching about their work. While in the lab, students learn how to develop curriculum, design classroom environments, and assess the development of children. Throughout the program students set goals and reflect on their practice as they work towards developing into professional teachers.

Students who are interested in transferring to a university to earn a bachelor’s degree may elect to substitute ECE/HDF courses with general education courses listed below. Program faculty will provide advising to help students better understand their options. The following institutions offer Bachelor of Arts and/ or Bachelor of Science degrees in Early Childhood Education: Oregon State University, Portland State University, and Western Oregon University. As a student, you are responsible for learning the departmental requirements of the institution to which you plan to transfer. Consult with Chemeketa Advising and First Year Programs or an Early Childhood Education faculty advisor. In addition, you should make early contact with an advisor at the institution to which you plan to transfer to learn of any possible changes in an academic area.

Program Outcomes

Students completing this degree should be able to satisfy the following outcomes:

1. Use a strong understanding of young children’s (birth to age 6) developmental characteristics, influences on development, and individual needs to create healthy, respectful, responsive, supportive, and challenging learning environments to promote development in all domains 
2. Understand appropriate uses of assessment, know about and use observation, documentation, and other assessment tools and approaches to promote positive outcomes for each child
3. Understand positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation of their work with children, know and understand effective strategies and tools for early education, and use a broad repertoire of developmentally appropriate teaching/learning practices 
4. Understand content knowledge and resources in academic disciplines, their own knowledge, appropriate early learning standards, and other resources  and use them to design, implement, and evaluate meaningful, challenging curricula for each child
5. Practice appropriate communication skills-both written and verbal-with supervisors, colleagues, and parents
6. Use a strong understanding of young children’s (birth to age 8) developmental characteristics, influences on development, and individual needs to create healthy, respectful, responsive, supportive, and challenging learning environments to promote development in all domains (This outcome mirrors #1 above except for age range)
7. Understand diverse family and community characteristics, support  and empower families and communities through respectful, reciprocal relationships and involve families and communities in their children’s development and learning 
8. Understand assessment partnerships with families and with other professionals and reflect on their own practice to promote positive outcomes for each child
9. Identify and involve oneself with the early childhood field, know about and uphold ethical standards and other professional guidelines and engage in collaborative, lifelong learning to inform practice
10. Integrate knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on early education and engage in informed advocacy for children and the profession

You may earn an associate of applied science degree by successfully completing the required 90 credit hours with a grade of “C” or better in all ECE and HDF courses.

Early Childhood Education | Early Childhood Education, Certificate  

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