CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM

Purpose of the Program

A Certificate of Achievement (CA) is a coherent set of academic courses that are focused on an area of study that is practically oriented to meet special needs, competenticies or proficiencies within a limited time period. The award of a CA means the holder has completed the required courses and related work at a specific level of academic achievement.

Program Description

The Early Childhood Education (ECE) program provides an educational and practical foundation for students interested in working with children from infancy through six years of age. In addition to theoretical principles, the curriculum offers practical skills and on-site training that will prepare students to work with families in such settings as daycare, head start, family daycare homes, kindergarten and home visitor programs. Graduates are also qualified to work as a daycare instructor, teacher or director in a daycare facility.

Program Objectives

On completion of the program, the student should be able to demonstrate the following competenticies:

1. Articulate concepts of childhood development including cognitive, language acquisition, social, emotional and
     physical development.
2. Articulate the relationship between the child's home, school and community and design learning outcomes
     to distinguish each of these settings for the child.
3. Design creative learning experiences.
4. Demonstrate the ability to plan curriculum experiences, class organization for language, social studies, mathematics
     and basic sciences.
5. Demonstrate the ability to design learning environments that include facility usage, the appropriate equipment
     and materials.
6. Diagnose basic childhood problems and recommend steps to correct childhood behaviors.
7. Demonstrate a basic set of skills as a successful teacher and director.

Admission Requirements

Any person 18 years old or older, or has a high school diploma, or has passed the GED or high school proficiency test is eligible to enter the ECE program. If a student has not graduated from high school and does not have a GED, or has not passed the California High School Proficiency Test, but is 18 years old or older, a determination of that student's ability to benefit from participation in the program will be made by the program director. If the director decides to allow the student to enter the program, the student will be admitted to the program and allowed to demonstrate his/her ability to meet the program's performance standard.

Applicants for admission to the ECE program must provide the following information:

1. A completed admission application.
2. Documentation of the highest level of educational attainment.
3. International students must meet the university's International Student Entrance Requirements.
     (See catalog section International Students --- F-1 Visa Students.)
4. Pay the non-refundable application fee:
     $100.00 (US residents), or the
     $200.00 (International Students).
5. Pay the registration fee: $20.00.

Test of Ability and Capacity to Benefit from Instruction

In compliance with the California Education Code and the California Code of Regulations, all applicants to the ECE program are required to take and pass a pre-enrollment test, the Wonderlic or CPAT exam, to measure their ability to be successfully trained to perform the tasks or occupations or job titles to which the program of instruction is represented to be and whether they are qualified to practice the profession. Both tests are national standardized exams recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Graduation Requirements

To qualify for the CA in Early Childhood Education, students must satisfy the following requirements:

1. Complete the coursework requirements for the program.
2. Maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all required courses for the CA.
3. Meet the residency requirement: complete a minimum of 15 units of required courses at Stanton University.
4. File a petition for the CA in ECE in the university's Office of Admissions and Records.
5. Pay any outstanding debts owed to the University.

Curriculum Classes/Modules

ECE101 Development in Early Childhood(3 units)
ECE102 Child and Relations with Home, School and Community (3 units)
ECE103 Child Creative Experiences (3 units)
ECE104 Curriculum in Early Childhood Learning (3 units)
ECE201 Administration and Supervision (3 units)
Total: 15 units

Elective:
ECE105 Working with Infants and Toddlers (3 units)
ECE202 Practicum in Student Teaching (3 units)

Early Childhood Education - Course Descriptions

ECE101 Development in Early Childhood (3)
This course introduces students to the developmental areas of young children including cognitive, physical, lingual, social, emotional, and motor skills of developing children. This course will develop students' skills and competencies so that they will be more effective teachers.

ECE102 Child and Relations with Home,School, and Community (3)
Study of the dynamics of the social interactions of family, school, and multi-cultural community in present learning environments. This course is designed to understand the relationships between them and to increase the benefits of having those relationships.

ECE103 Child Creative Experience (3)
Study of the guidelines for designing and presenting creative learning experiences for very young children. This course also studies the many different kinds of creative expressive activities through plays, music, and arts and their effectiveness.

ECE104 Curriculums in Early Childhood Learning (3)
An introduction to the theory of how young children think, and the best way for them to learn. This knowledge will aid in the construction and use of curriculums for children in their overall development as individual and as a group in the daycare center environments.

ECE105 Working with Infants and Toddlers (3)
An introduction on how to determine the special needs of infants and toddlers and how to respond to them.

ECE201 Administration and Supervision (3)
Review and an analysis of the state of California's laws, rules, regulation, policies and procedures relating to the operation of day care centers, headstart programs, family day care homes, and home visitor programs.

ECE202 Practicum in Student Teaching (3)
This course provides students teaching experience in early childhood classrooms. Students plan and lead activities for children, set up classroom projects and meet regularly with their supervising teacher. Included in this course is a seminar that provides students with opportunities to learn about skills for working effectively with young children in a classroom setting.