Early Childhood Education, AAS

Program Code: AASEE
ASSOCIATE IN APPLIED ARTS AND SCIENCE DEGREE

Early childhood professionals act as parent substitutes and are responsible for the care, safety and personal conduct of the children in their charge. In addition to providing for children’s health, safety and basic needs, early childhood professionals foster learning in young children by planning and implementing developmentally appropriate activities and experiences. They create a homelike atmosphere by offering support and counsel, and by providing for the physical necessities of the children in their care. Child care settings include home settings, preschool or nursery school center settings, Head Start and public schools. Position titles and the amount of responsibility vary: nanny, child care or nursery school worker/attendant, classroom or recreational aide, classroom assistant or preschool teacher, or paraprofessional, owner and/or director of a child care facility.

Program Outcomes/Objectives:

When students complete this program, they will be able to:

1. Demonstrate understanding and use of early childhood characteristics required to create environments that are respectful, supportive, yet challenging for all young children.
2. Identify, evaluate, and demonstrate the use of resources needed to create safe and healthy environments for young children. This would include basic health and safety procedures which aid in preventing childhood illness and communicable diseases and reducing injuries; and understanding nutritional needs and eating practices important for promoting physical and cognitive development.
3. Demonstrate understanding and importance of the complex characteristics between children and their families, between children and their communities, which are needed to create respectful, reciprocal relationships that support and empower both groups to effectively participate in their children’s development and learning.
4. Integrate their understanding of relationships with children and families, their understanding of developmentally effective approaches to teaching and learning, and their knowledge of academic disciplines to design, implement, and evaluate activities/experiences that promote positive development and learning for all young children.
5. Know, understand and use positive relationship and supportive interaction strategies as the foundation for their work with young children and their families.
6. Identify and demonstrate the essential characteristics of members of the early childhood profession.