Early Childhood Education Program

Early Childhood Education

“A career in early childhood education has proven to be a rewarding and fulfilling profession. What a privilege it is to teach and nurture young children while working closely with their families through the most important period of their life!�

Early Childhood Education Working with young children is one of the most rewarding, yet challenging, career choices you can make. A significant challenge within the early childhood education profession is the preparation and training of those who care for and teach young children. Young children benefit from having a nurturing caregiver, developmentally appropriate materials and activities, positive peer interactions and a safe learning environment in which they take an active role in the learning process. The Early Childhood Education (ECE) program is committed to preparing you to enter the field of early care and education with the skills needed to help children succeed not only in school, but in life. The program addresses all aspects of early childhood education including: child growth and development, language and literacy, creative expression, health and safety, positive guidance, program management, family involvement and curriculum development. As a graduate of the ECE program you will be skilled in historical, philosophical, political and theoretical best practices to ensure you have the tools to support childrens’ emotional, physical, language, and cognitive development in practice.

Job Outlook

Application Process

If you are interested in working with young children, you should have little trouble finding and maintaining employment in the field.

After graduating from Community Care College, ECE students will be prepared to work directly with children ages birth through eight, in a variety of early childhood settings including: child care centers, Head Start programs, family child care homes, before and after school programs, public schools (paraprofessional), and private preschools.

Interested candidates should apply early. Applications can be made in person at 4242 South Sheridan or by contacting an Admissions team member at 918.610.0027 or via email at admissions@communitycarecollege.edu. Log on to www.communitycarecollege.edu for an online application.

Employment of early childhood professionals is projected to increase by 18 percent between 2006 and 2016. As public and political awareness continues to grow surrounding the importance of quality early care and education, new programs and services dedicated to serving young children and their families will continue to emerge, continuously increasing employment opportunities for early childhood professionals. Child care professionals will have a very large number of new jobs arise, almost 248,000 over the next eight years. Concern about the safety and supervision of school-aged children during nonschool hours has also increased demand for before-and-after school programs and educators. As more public school districts turn to universal preschool, the need for paraprofessionals will continue to grow, as well.

Online Program Diploma • 10 Month program and classes begin approximately every 4 weeks Degree • 20 month program and classes begin approximately every 4 weeks • Associates Courses Online or On Campus Monday through Thursday 9:00am-11:50am

Financial Assistance • Pell Grant and Federal Student Loans are available to those who qualify • Private Lenders • Voc-Rehab, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Workforce Oklahoma and Veteran’s Education

Entrance Requirements • High School Diploma or General Education Diploma (GED) • Admittance Essay

Certification

Working Conditions Helping children grow, learn, and gain new skills can be very rewarding. The work is sometimes routine but new activities and challenges mark each day. Working with young children can be physically and emotionally taxing, as workers constantly stand, walk, bend, stoop, and lift to attend to each child’s needs and interests.

The work hours of early childhood professionals vary widely across the field. Early learning centers are usually open year-round, with extended hours so that parents can drop off and pick up their children before and after work. Some centers employ full-time and part-time staff with staggered shifts to cover the entire day. Public and some private preschool programs operate during the typical 9 or 10-month school year, employing both full-time and part-time employees, as well.

Family child care providers have the opportunity to create their own work hours, but they may work long and/or unusual hours to fit the parents’ work schedules.

Physical Requirements Physical requirements can vary from sedentary to heavy activity depending upon whether the early childhood professional is engaging in administrative tasks, hands-on learning activities, playing an outdoor game, lifting a child onto the diaper changing table, or various other tasks performed by teachers on a regular basis.

Hearing Must demonstrate ability to functionally perceive the nature of sounds and spoken words and may use adaptive techniques or devices.

Speech Must demonstrate ability to functionally express self orally and in writing.

Vision Must possess normal vision or correctable to within normal ranges.

Mental & Emotional Requirements Because early childhood educators deal with the public, they must be neat and well-groomed and have a courteous, pleasant manner. Early childhood educators must be able to respond appropriately to the needs and interest of young children and communicate effectively with children and their families regarding activities, behaviors, and various developmental topics.

ECE graduates will have obtained the 120 clock hours of content needed for the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential process.

Degree Program Students who wish to further their education beyond the diploma program have the option of attending CCC’s Associates of Occupational Science Degree Program. The degree program is designed to provide a foundation that will enable degree holders to seek and apply for management roles in their specialties.

Community Care College is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) and is Licensed by the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools and is recognized by the United States Department of Education and authorized by Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to offer Associate Degrees.

Disclosures regarding the College’s programs related to consumer information/gainful employment are provided for each eligible program at http://www.collegesooner.com/consumer-information/ Community Care College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital or veteran status, or qualified disability.