Early Childhood Education & Family Studies, AAS

Program Code: AAS.EARLYCHILDFAM

This program provides a foundation in the ten core knowledge categories: Family and Community Systems; Diversity; Health, Safety and Nutrition; Human Growth and Development; Learning Environments and Curriculum; Observation and Assessment; Personal, Professional and Leadership Development; Program Management; Special Needs; and Understanding and Guiding Behavior (The Oregon Registry, 2008).

Students must obtain a First-Aid certificate with infant-toddler CPR by the end of the first year.

For information contact Dawn Hendricks, 503-594-6158 or dawn.hendricks@clackamas.edu

Related Instruction Outcomes

Computation

1 course - MTH-050 Technical Mathematics I or MTH-065 Algebra II or MTH-098 College Math Foundations
Use appropriate mathematics to solve problems.

Communication

1 course - WR-121Z Composition I
Read actively, think critically, and write purposefully and capably for professional audiences.

Human Relations

1 course - ED-258 Culturally Responsive Teaching & Education
Engage in ethical communication processes that accomplish goals.

Physical Education/Health/Safety/First Aid

1 course - HPE-295 Health & Fitness for Life
Use effective life skills to improve and maintain mental and physical well-being.

Program Outcomes

These program learning outcomes (PLOs) were adopted from National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) early childhood teacher preparation standards and competencies. These standards represent what students should know and be able to do as a result of graduating from our program.

Child Development and Learning in Context

are grounded in an understanding of the developmental period of early childhood from birth through age 8 across developmental domains;
understand each child as an individual with unique developmental variations;
understand that children learn and develop within relationships and within multiple contexts, including families, cultures, languages, communities, and society;
use this multidimensional knowledge to make evidence-based decisions about how to carry out their responsibilities.

Family-Teacher Partnerships and Community Connections

Early childhood educators understand that successful early childhood education depends upon educators’ partnerships with the families of the young children they serve.

know about, understand, and value the diversity in family characteristics;
use this understanding to create respectful, responsive, reciprocal relationships with families and to engage with them as partners in their young children’s development and learning;
use community resources to support young children’s learning and development and to support children’s families, and they build connections between early learning settings, schools, and community organizations and agencies.

Child Observation, Documentation, and Assessment

understand that the primary purpose of assessments is to inform instruction and planning in early learning settings;
know how to use observation, documentation, and other appropriate assessment approaches and tools;
use screening and assessment tools in ways that are ethically grounded and developmentally, culturally, ability, and linguistically appropriate to document developmental progress and promote positive outcomes for each child
in partnership with families and professional colleagues, early childhood educators use assessments to document individual children’s progress and, based on the findings, to plan learning experiences.

Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching Practices

Early childhood educators understand that teaching and learning with young children is a complex enterprise, and its details vary depending on children’s ages and characteristics and on the settings in which teaching and learning occur.

understand and demonstrate positive, caring, supportive relationships and interactions as the foundation for their work with young children;
understand and use teaching skills that are responsive to the learning trajectories of young children and to the needs of each child;
use a broad repertoire of developmentally appropriate and culturally and linguistically relevant, anti-bias, and evidence-based teaching approaches that reflect the principles of universal design for learning.

Knowledge, Application, and Integration of Academic Content in the Early Childhood Curriculum

Early childhood educators have knowledge of the content of the academic disciplines (e.g., language and literacy, the arts, mathematics, social studies, science, technology and engineering, physical education) and of the pedagogical methods for teaching each discipline.

understand the central concepts, the methods and tools of inquiry, and the structures in each academic discipline;
understand pedagogy, including how young children learn and process information in each discipline, the learning trajectories for each discipline, and how teachers use this knowledge to inform their practice;
apply this knowledge using early learning standards and other resources to make decisions about spontaneous and planned learning experiences and about curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation to ensure that learning will be stimulating, challenging, and meaningful to each child.

Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator

identify and participate as members of the early childhood profession. They serve as informed advocates for young children, for the families of the children in their care, and for the early childhood profession;
know and use ethical guidelines and other early childhood professional guidelines;
have professional communication skills that effectively support their relationships and work with young children, families, and colleagues;
are continuous, collaborative learners who
develop and sustain the habit of reflective and intentional practice in their daily work with young children and as members of the early childhood profession.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall Term		Credits
ECE-150	Introduction to Early Childhood Education & Family Studies	4.00
ECE-235	Safety, Health and Nutrition	3.00
ED-216	Foundations of Teaching & Education	4.00
FYE-101	First Year Experience Level I	2.00
WR-121Z	Composition I	4.00
	Credits	17
Winter Term
ECE-121	Observation and Guidance I in ECE Settings	4.00
ECE-154	Language & Literacy Development in Young Children	4.00
HDF-225	Prenatal, Infant & Toddler Development	3.00
Select one of the following:		4.00
MTH-050	Technical Mathematics I
MTH-065	Algebra II
MTH-098	College Math Foundations
	Credits	15
Spring Term
ECE-240	Environments and Curriculum Planning	4.00
ECE-280	Early Childhood Education/CWE	3.00
ED-258	Culturally Responsive Teaching & Education	3.00
HDF-247	Preschool Through Adolescent Child Development	3.00
	Credits	13
Second Year
Fall Term
ECE-221	Observation & Guidance II in ECE Settings	4.00
ECE-241	Environments and Curriculum Planning: Infants and Toddlers	3.00
ED-114	Instructional Strategies for Math	3.00
ED-246	School, Family & Community Relations	4.00
	Credits	14
Winter Term
ECE-291	Practicum II	4.00
ED-254	Instructional Strategies for Dual Language Learners	3.00
ED-269	Overview of Special Education	3.00
Electives		4.00
	Credits	14
Spring Term
ECE-179	The Professional in Early Childhood Education and Family Studies	4.00
ECE-239	Trauma-Informed Practices in Early Care and Education	3.00
ECE-292	Practicum III	4.00
HDF-140	Contemporary American Families	3.00
HPE-295	Health & Fitness for Life	3.00
	Credits	17
	Total Credits	90

Electives

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
BA-101Z	Introduction to Business	4.00
BI-101	General Biology; Cellular Biology	4.00
COMM-111Z	Public Speaking	4.00
COMM-140	Introduction to Intercultural Communication	4.00
MTH-105Z	Math in Society	4.00
PSY-215	Introduction to Developmental Psychology	4.00
SOC-204	Introduction to Sociology	4.00
SPN-101	First-Year Spanish I	4.00
SPN-102	First-Year Spanish II	4.00
WR-122Z	Composition II	4.00

All courses must be passed with a C or better