Early Childhood Care and Development, Diploma

Program: DECC

The Early Childhood Care and Development diploma curriculum provides an understanding of early childhood theory and its application to childcare and educational settings. The program prepares individuals to work with children from infancy through middle childhood in a variety of childcare/early learning environments such as, childcare centers, child development programs, public education classrooms, early intervention and recreation programs, etc. In alignment with NAEYC standards, candidates will engage in; promoting child development and learning, building family and community relationships, observing, documenting, and supporting young children, using developmentally effective approaches, effectively implementing curriculum, and demonstrating the knowledge, skills and dispositions of an early childhood professional.

Graduates of this diploma plan will achieve the following program and institutional outcomes:

• Implement developmentally-appropriate daily activities designed to foster the social, emotional, physical, intellectual and creative growth of every child.
• Integrate health, safety and nutrition practices according to local, state and national standards.
• Create respectful, reciprocal relationships with children’s families and communities to foster involvement and support children’s development and learning.
• Observe, document and evaluate to support young children and families teaching and learning.
• Incorporate developmentally-appropriate guidance strategies to positively impact child behavior and social-emotional development.
• Organize work effectively to create a purposeful, responsive program, including preparation of written plans, progress records, parent communication and various reports.
• Utilize current technology and resources to locate and evaluate information needed to accomplish a goal, and then communicate findings in visual, written and/or oral formats.
• Transfer knowledge, skills, and behaviors acquired through formal and informal learning and life experiences to new situations.
• Employ strategies for reflection on learning and practice in order to adjust learning processes for continual improvement.
• Follow established methods of inquiry and mathematical reasoning to form conclusions and make decisions.
• Participate in social, academic, and professional communities for individual growth and to function as a citizen of a multicultural world.
• Demonstrate knowledge and skills employers expect of new hires entering the career field.