Middlesex Community College

Education

EDU 100- Introduction to Early Childhood Education

• Analyze the roles, responsibilities, and requirements of those who work in early childhood settings.
• Examine the evolution of the field of EEC through historical and cultural contexts and through the lens of various developmental theorists.
• Evaluate current issues that have implications for children, families, society, and early childhood professionals.
• Survey the age-related developmental milestones of young children in each of the developmental domains.
• Identify strategies that foster EEC, family and community partnerships.
• Identify the role of assessment and documentation as tools to inform curriculum development and improve teaching, learning outcomes, and EEC program quality.
• Define and evaluate the role of professionalism in the field of EEC, including professional practice, advocacy, and social justice.

EDU 101- Curriculum in Early Childhood Programs

• Analyze defining aspects, such as historical perspectives, philosophy, program structure, approaches to learning, teachers’ roles, assessment, materials and environments of major curriculum models.
• Apply principles of developmentally, individually, and culturally appropriate practice.
• Design, plan, and evaluate comprehensive, integrated learning experiences supportive of children’s learning and metacognitive skills utilizing guidelines from state and national standards.
• Identify the value of play and its relationship to developmentally appropriate practices.
• Identify elements of developmentally appropriate indoor and outdoor learning environments.
• Review the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment.

EDU 102- Child Guidance and Classroom Management

• Analyze the relationship among social-emotional development, developmentally appropriate practice, and children’s behavior and outcomes.
• Recognize the importance of promoting equity, accessibility, diversity, belonging, security, and independence in the classroom.
• Evaluate how the classroom climate, environment, curriculum, and materials affect children’s behavior.
• Evaluate strategies for establishing developmentally appropriate rules and routines that are consistent, clear, and develop children’s self-regulation.
• Recognize the implications of acting as a positive role model, modelling meaningful interactions, developing positive relationships with all children, and actively listening and responding to children’s needs, ideas, and questions.
• Identify strategies for collaboration with parents or guardians, colleagues, and administrators to develop consistent approaches to positive guidance.
• Identify and evaluate positive guidance strategies for children, and aspects of the learning environment, both direct and indirect, that affect children’s behavior and outcomes.
• Develop strategies to incorporate MA Standards for Preschool and Kindergarten Social and Emotional Learning, and Approaches to Play and Learning into daily classroom practices.
• Identify the factors that may indicate a family is in need of outside, professional support.

EDU 103- Infant and Toddler Care and Program Planning

• Analyze theory and research relating to the first three years of life.
• Examine the physical, sensory, motor, language, social-emotional, and cognitive development of infants and toddlers, and how to implement appropriate practices to facilitate that development.
• Analyze the role of attachment in learning and development.
• Identify the components of a safe and stimulating early learning environment and evaluate various environments according to MA Early Education and Care Licensing Regulations and the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale.
• Define what is meant by developmentally appropriate curriculum for infants and toddlers as outlined by the MA Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers.
• Explore strategies for engaging families in developing and implementing individualized learning experiences for infants and toddlers.
• Review the Early Intervention process and how Individualized Family Service Plans can support the learning, development and inclusion of infants and toddlers with exceptional needs.
• Identify resources for caregivers and families working with infants and toddlers.

EDU 104- Exceptional Learners

• Explore, define and learn to identify a range of exceptionalities that may affect children: sensory, communication, learning, intellectual, physical, emotional, neurological, special health care needs.
• Articulate the difference between general learning difficulties and specific learning disabilities.
• Apply knowledge of accommodation and inclusion strategies to integrate goals from Individual Education Plans or Individual Family Service Plans into daily activities and routines.
• Develop and practice skills related to objective observation and documentation of children’s abilities, strengths, needs, interests, learning styles, participation and progress.
• Examine processes for screening, assessing and referring children with potential exceptionalities.
• Identify community resources that assist individuals and support families with exceptionalities.
• Analyze significant legislation in special education and community integration including IDEA, and the ADA.
• Explore and evaluate the use of assistive technologies to ensure an inclusive environment.
• Acknowledge the effect of exceptionality categorizations on children, families and others.

EDU 107- Child Growth and Development for CDA

• Interview a family about prenatal care, family values and traditions, giving birth, and postnatal experiences and summarize the experiences in a five-page paper using predetermined prenatal terminology.
• Observe and interpret the results of two different age groups of children using the Running Record and Checklist Observation Tools and reflect by comparing and contrasting the two different tools.
• Recognize and know the signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect, analyze a case study to determine if you would file a 51A and prepare to defend your decision based on established 51A criteria, and discuss how it is a moral and social responsibility to protect children and relevance of mandated reporter law.
• Discuss the early childhood theorists and their role in child development by watching a child in a YouTube video, then choose two child development theorists as a basis to analyze the child's behavior.
• Demonstrate CDA Competency Standards 1.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.2, 5, 6.1, 6.2 & CDA Professional Philosophy Statement for CDA Professional Portfolio by composing paragraphs using specific ECE terminology.
• Choose CDA Resource Items IV, V, VI-2, VI for CDA Professional Portfolio

EDU 109 - Supervised Practicum and Seminar for Assistant Teacher Certificate

• Identify and demonstrate introductory knowledge of NAEYC Standards for Professional Preparation.
• Assist in the development and sustenance of high-quality learning environments.
• Serve as effective members of early childhood education teaching teams.

EDU 110- Teaching Young Children Who Experience Trauma

• Become knowledgeable of the inherent complexity of trauma experiences.
• Identify different types of trauma and examine how trauma affects typical developmental milestones, brain development and classroom behavior.
• Acknowledge the importance of collaboration with agencies that provide trauma-informed practices.
• Identify and recognize potential signs and symptoms of trauma and the wide range of reactions to trauma and loss.
• Identify systems that support trauma effected families via timely, quality, and effective trauma focused interventions.
• Identify strategies for conferring with families around sensitive trauma topics.
• Recognize how interactions and interventions with trauma-exposed children and adolescents impact the practitioner in working with these populations.
• Explore the protective and promotive factors that can mitigate the adverse impacts of trauma exposure.
• Recognize the manner in which trauma often generates secondary adversities, life changes and distressing reminders in children’s daily lives.
• Become knowledgeable of the process of reporting cases of suspected abuse or neglect by completing the Online Mandated Reporter Training by the Middlesex Children’Advocacy Center.

EDU 122- Child Growth and Development

• Analyze major theories of development and learning.
• Describe major developmental milestones for children from conception through adolescence in the areas of physical, cognitive, language, and social-emotional development.
• Explain the relationship between biology, maturation, environment, and culture in terms of their impact on typical and atypical growth, development, and learning.
• Explore the major themes and perspectives that shape the field of child development.
• Explain the impact of early experiences on healthy development and learning and describe strategies to optimize outcomes.
• Apply knowledge and insights of expected development and developmental theories to systematic observations of children in order to add depth and breadth to students’ understanding.
• Expand insights of students’ own development.
• Become knowledgeable of the process of reporting cases of suspected abuse or neglect by completing the Online Mandated Reporter Training by the Middlesex Children’s Advocacy Center.

EDU 150- Discover Teaching

• Analyze the roles, responsibilities, and experiences of those who work in educational settings.
• Trace the evolution of American public education, identify pivotal points in history and analyze the rationale behind key developments.
• Evaluate current issues that have implications for children, families, society, and educational professionals.
• Explore the attributes of professionalism in the field of education, including professional practice, advocacy, and social justice.
• Analyze the nature of students’ own educational experiences and demonstrate the ability to be objective in doing so.
• Become oriented to the resources, supports, and processes involved in obtaining licensure in the state of Massachusetts.

EDU 153- Planning Programs and Environments for Children

• Recognize the current and historical research and theories of various program models of early childhood education and demonstrate how to incorporate the major theories of learning when planning programs.
• Apply knowledge of curriculum development to planning and scheduling activities.
• Design indoor and outdoor spaces that are healthy, safe, accessible, diverse, and developmentally appropriate; engage all of children’s senses; support and promote children’s growth, development, and curiosity; and provide opportunities for children to solve problems and make decisions.
• Analyze the role of play in learning and development and structure opportunities for meaningful play.
• Identify strategies to integrate technology for children equitably, accessibly and effectively.
• Evaluate strategies to create a positive program climate through encouraging and supporting positive interactions between children and their peers and between children and educators.

EDU 154- Health, Safety, and Nutrition in Early Childhood Education

• Identify elements of environments and curriculum that are developmentally, individually and culturally appropriate to the health, safety, and nutritional needs of the “whole child”.
• Review nutrition and safety policy, guidelines, regulations and quality standards, including preventive health care measures and exclusion policies.
• Evaluate the interrelationship among the health, safety and nutritional needs of the young child within the contexts of family, culture, community and early childhood programs.
• Analyze the factors that influence children’s health and safety, including stable and supportive relationships, stress, infectious diseases, poison control, oral health, and behavioral health.
• Explore and identify community agencies and referral options that support the diverse and sensitive health and safety needs of young children and families.
• Know how to access information from state and federal consumer product safety agencies.
• Identify essential elements of emergency planning.
• Become knowledgeable of the process of reporting cases of suspected abuse or neglect by completing the Online Mandated Reporter Training by the Middlesex Children’s Advocacy Center.

EDU 251- Supervised Practicum & Seminar

• Demonstrate competency of the following NAEYC Standards for Professional Preparation:
  • Child Development and Learning in Context
  • Family Partnerships
  • Child Observation, Documentation, and Assessment
  • Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching Practices
  • Knowledge, Application and Integration of Academic Discipline Content in the Early Childhood Curriculum
  • Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator

EDU 252- Administration of Early Childhood Program

• Identify practices for compliance with laws and regulations, including health and safety standards.
• Become knowledgeable of licensing standards and practices in Early Education and Care, including MA Early Learning Standards.
• Characterize administrative and managerial responsibilities of a successful Early Education and Care program.
• Survey the development and maintenance of an appropriate business infrastructure, including recruitment and retention of staff, and educator qualifications and credentials.
• Identify and select appropriate curriculum, assessment tools, and other program materials.
• Identify strategies to develop and maintain an appropriate work environment that supports quality practice and children’s development.
• Analyze practices for supervision, staff development and program evaluation.
• Characterize the value of family involvement and review parental rights.
• Identify services and resources available within the community to support families.
• Evaluate available technology to support program management and administration.
• Identify the role of Early Education and Care programs within communities.
• Review the Strengthening Families Protective Factors and implementation of the Strengthening Families Self-Assessment for program improvement.