Early Childhood Education/Educational Assistant
The Early Childhood Education/Educational Assistant program is designed to train adults to provide quality services for young children and their families. It is developed according to the National Guidelines for Training in Early Childhood Care and Education. The program is also designed to provide students the knowledge and skill development needed to assist the classroom teacher in inclusive educational settings with children and youth.
*This program is designed in such a way that students can take both components of the Early Childhood Education and Educational Assistant or each on its own.
Courses are structured either in 6, 9 or 12 week intervals. Students may complete a course earlier than the given timeframe; however, they cannot exceed the allocated timeframe. Should circumstances arise in which a student needs additional time to complete a course, they must request an extension.
All online students are required to complete an on-the-job training (OJT) component to the program. Those in the Early Childhood Education program must complete five weeks, while those in the Educational Assistant program must complete three weeks. If students are enrolled in the combined ECE/EA program, they must complete five weeks of OJT for the ECE program.
IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH ONLINE STUDENT TO ARRANGE THEIR OJT WITH A LICENSED DAYCARE/PRESCHOOL FACILITY OR PUBLIC SCHOOL. If the student is currently working in one of these facilities, this would count towards their OJT.
Each course is comprised of a final exam to which students must write in the presence of a Proctor. The proctor form must be completed by the Proctor and returned to Atlantic Business College prior to the completion of each course.
COURSES
Communication 3045
Communication is not a collection of techniques we use on others; it is a process we engage in with them. This course will look at differences and similarities between male and female communication; both verbal and nonverbal. It will also provide information for effective communicating skills, both sending and receiving.
Child Development 3090
Child Development explores the question of how individuals change or remain the same over time, and what factors contribute to this continuity and change. We begin by examining some of the early theories of child development and how these theories have changed over the past several hundred years. The physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of children from the prenatal stage up to the age of 5 will also be explored.
Curriculum 3070
This course will provide students with the opportunity to acquire the skills, knowledge, and confidence to set up an optimum learning environment that is very practical. There are many things to consider for children’s areas of learning: sound, lighting, color, noise, functional aspect of space, storage of equipment and types of learning involved during each phase of the day. This course will help students become more able to incorporate all of these and many other concepts into a child’s learning environment and schedule.
Infants and Toddlers 3045
This course focuses on the growth, care and education of infants and toddlers. The age range explored is from neonate up to the age of three. It is suggested all who interact with young children try to get into the conscious world of the children, recognizing their levels of alertness and reading their cues. What is most important is to acquire the skill of being with children rather than doing to children.
Preschool Play 3045
Play is primarily intrinsically motivated. What is fun really all about? To limit children’s play and to over-organize it is to take away children’s major means of gaining self-confidence in their preschool years. We need to observe children as they play and build curriculum that’s appropriate for each child from what we see and hear. Intellectual development occurs through play.
Health & Safety 3045
This course provides an important framework for looking at health promotion with childcare providers and teachers. Students will find health information and support essential for professionals who interact with children.
Professional Development 3045
This course will provide students with the opportunity to acquire the skills, knowledge, and confidence to determine the proper behavior that should be practiced when dealing with difficult situations. Student’s main responsibility is for the care and reasonable guidance for all children. Students will reflect upon and review various roles and responsibilities of their position to better understand their best choice of outcomes in possible problematic areas. Review of updated protocols, rules, regulations and standards available for Early Childhood Education line of work. Having occupational standards in the work place is the norm and students will review, reflect, and discuss those ideas.
School-Age Children 3045
This course offers a logical progression of experiences and suggestions for creating an optimum environment for school-age children. Concepts that will be examined are the characteristics of school-age children and optimal learning conditions for this age group. Students will also view ways to help them learn how to assist children in various competencies throughout different stages of childhood. Students will also practice creating and leading activities that will add to their repertoire of ideas for school-age children.
Child Guidance 3070
This course is based on the case study approach. Each chapter opens with a case study which provides rich examples of potential behaviour problems and possible positive solutions. This course focuses on positive and authoritative child guidance, based on principles of Developmentally Appropriate Practice, or DAPS.
Children with Exceptionalities 3090
This course provides an introduction to the education and care of children with special needs. Children are not characterized by their exceptionalities. Rather, an understanding of each child’s strengths, abilities, and developmental needs is used as a basis for inclusive program planning. This course focuses on an approach to support, encourage, and respond to the developmental needs of all children. Information is provided to enable providers to feel comfortable teaching children with special needs and to be successful integrating them into classroom programs.
Working with Families 3045
To better understand the needs of the nuclear family, this course aims to help childcare providers meet the needs of diverse families. More and more families need help from many perspectives to remain healthy and keep stress levels low. Roles of mothers and fathers are always changing and childcare providers need to know how to foster positive communication for all situations. We are all responsible for children and families.
Observation and Assessment 3045
Students will learn to maintain a close relationship between observing, understanding what one observes, and improving your curriculum and environment. Observation is one of the most important ways to obtain pertinent and critical information about children, the environment, the curriculum, and your teaching style.
Administration 3045
This course explores the role of government in childcare. A further examination will lead the student to view the role of the director and the owner in relation to running the childcare business, how to be a leader, how to create goals and promote professionalism.
Adolescent Development 3045
This course will help students understand the bases of changes an adolescent will go through. Adolescents need to be appreciated for the diversity of themselves, their families, communities, and cultures that all work together to help make them who they are.
Autism Intervention 3090
The number of cases of children with autism is increasing worldwide. Autism is recognized as one of the most common neurological disorders affecting Canadian children and is one of the most common developmental disabilities. In this course you will gain an understanding of what autism is and the challenges and difficulties that are faced by a child with ASD. We will focus on teaching children with ASD in the areas of communication, social skills, self-monitoring, and also how to deal with challenging behaviours.
Early Childhood Education/Educational Assistant Final Project 3045
This project encompasses many concepts covered throughout the entire program. Students will reflect on practices learned, and during the completion of this project will focus their thoughts on ideas presented in class, learned during discussions, and researched for study purposes. This final assignment will allow students to bring all learned areas together in a complete work to finish their program.