Education: Early Childhood

(Offered fall, spring, and summer). This course covers the history, types, and guidelines for pre-school educational programs that are center based family home childcare, nursery, or after-school programs. Major topics include growth and development in young children, challenges facing caregivers and parents, behavior management strategies, rules governing childcare, indicators of abuse and neglect, environmental considerations, and childcare and diversity. The course fulfills a portion of the 120 hours of training required for the Florida Child Care Professional Credential (FCCPC).

(Offered fall). Prerequisite/Corequisite: EEC1101. This course focuses on teaching young children with exceptionalities in early care and educational settings and will present a model for effective inclusion centering on theories of play development. Course content also includes the organization of the environment, provision of emergent literacy opportunities, management of challenging behaviors, and the development of partnerships among parents, professionals, and community agencies.

(Offered spring). Prerequisite/Corequisite: EEC1001. This course is designed to provide students with learning opportunities addressing foundational stages and sequence of infant-toddler development, introduce students to the definition and use of developmentally appropriate practices in home and classroom environments, correlate individual infant and toddler care plans to the development of the whole child, and embed curriculum implementation within care routines. Emphasis is placed on the implementation of respective caregiving, responsive attachment, and environmental teaching strategies that promote quality programming in infant and toddler care settings. Observations and practicum assignments in early learning/child development programs are required.

(Offered spring). Prerequisite/Corequisite: EEC1001. EEC 2223, Art, Music, and Movement for Young Children, is a web-hybrid course. This course is designed to provide students with learning opportunities related to the theory and practice of art and music appreciation and movement theory and practices, as a foundation for the development of the whole child, birth to eight years of age. Educational and brain research is presented with art, music, and movement theory to support the student in fostering environments and teaching strategies that assist in developing the whole child. The basics of art and music appreciation and movement education provide teachers and practitioners with an overlay of theoretical concepts transformed into practical classroom techniques. Teaching artifacts and student observation in diverse child related settings are required for this course.

(Offered fall and spring). Prerequisite/Corequisite: EEC1001. This methods class provides students with the knowledge of developmentally appropriate social studies and creative expression concepts for children birth through age eight and techniques for incorporating them throughout the curriculum. Topics include culture, time, people, places, individual and global identity, sense of community, dramatic play, music, art, and creative movement. Current educational research and brain research is presented as the foundation for understanding the role of the early childhood educator in implementing curriculum as a broad technique for supporting the development of the whole child. The course also includes assessment of typical and atypical development in order to design appropriate accommodations to meet the needs of all children enrolled in the early childhood program.

(Offered spring). Prerequisite/Corequisite: EEC1001. This course is designed to provide students with targeted strategies to develop a broad perspective and knowledge base for problem solving, planning, implementing, and evaluating health, safety, and nutritional processes necessary within a quality early education and care setting. Successful completion of this course also meets the educational requirement for the Foundational Level Child Care and Education Administrator Credential, as defined by the State of Florida.

(Offered fall and spring). Prerequisite/Corequisite: EEC1001. This course is designed to provide students with learning opportunities related to the principles of observing, recording, and interpreting child behavior within the early childhood environment. Emphasis is placed on the role of observation and of the observer in developing strategies that support the healthy development and coping techniques of the young child. Typical and atypical patterns of behavior are identified, as well as genetic and environmental factors that influence child behavior. Child related observations and teaching artifacts required for this course.

(Offered spring). Prerequisite/Corequisite: EEC1001. This course is designed to provide students with learning opportunities in the development, selection, and implementation of developmentally appropriate activities that support the development of the whole child with a targeted emphasis on social-emotional development. A child-centered philosophy utilizing positive guidance skills is presented with opportunities for practice and implementation. Elements of the course include outcome-based activity design, activity evaluation, and development of classroom routines, transitions, and small group learning to promote social-emotional development. Areas of study include theme-based activity planning and child-interest based planning. This course supports the Florida Child Care Professional Credential and the national Child Development Associate Credential. Course includes a practicum, which requires students have access to some type of early childhood learning environment to complete practicum assignments and observations.

(Offered fall). Prerequisite/Corequisite: EEC1001. This course is designed to provide the student with learning opportunities that include the role of nutrition, healthy, and safe practices as it relates to providing early education and care for the young child. Emphasis is given to understanding the role of consistently incorporating healthy practices within the child?s day. Instruction related to the documentation and appropriate implementation of processes that resolve childhood emergencies is also included in this course.