Early Childhood Education

Foundations of Early Childhood Education focuses on the standards set by the NAEYC for teacher preparation and on the way these standards are reflected in the workplace. Students develop a resume and create an electronic professional portfolio that can be used for interview purposes. The professional portfolio includes competency statements with supportive artifacts using the NAEYC Standards for Early Childhood Professional Preparation for associate degree programs. The course emphasizes the purpose of ongoing professional development with special attention to current trends in ECE in NH, such as Early Learning Standards and the NH ECE Professional Development System. Students observe activities in an approved early childhood setting for at least ten hours outside of class time.

Introduction to Early Intervention provides an overview of early intervention from historical, legal, and current best-practices perspectives. The course introduces ways to care for infants and toddlers who are at risk for developmental delays or disabilities or who already have such conditions. Students explore key aspects of consultation, assessment, interdisciplinary collaboration, service coordination, techniques of intervention, and family-centered services with a focus on culturally responsive practices. The course emphasizes the collaborative development, implementation, and evaluation of the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) as the framework for early intervention.

Organization and Management of Early Childhood Programs addresses the organizational and administrative practices that apply to programs serving children ages birth to 8 years old. The course emphasizes ways to plan, organize, manage, and evaluate programs and facilities for children. It covers NH licensing rules, marketing, public relations, customer service, federal and state funding, fiscal management, NAEYC accreditation, as well as hiring, motivating, and evaluating staff. It also covers the importance of community service and leadership for ECE program directors. Students study with an ECE credentialed administrator/mentor in an approved setting for fifteen hours to create a "Director Planning" section for their professional portfolio.

Sociology of Children and Families provides an overview of adverse childhood experiences (ACES) and the impact of ACES on the physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development of young children. Students learn about the effects that family culture, economic status, and current societal issues have on the development of young children, along with the types of social-emotional learning (SEL) that can mitigate negative influences. The course introduces the Social and Emotional Development domain of the NH Early Learning Standards and offers techniques to reduce biases in classrooms. Students create SEL lesson plans and activities to add to their professional portfolios. Additionally, they learn about and develop effective models for teacher/program/family partnerships that provide information and support for families.