Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Education Pathway

LFO's Early Childhood Education pathway prepares students for employment in early childhood care and education services, mastery of standards through project-based learning, laboratory application, technical skills practice, and leadership development activities. The career and technical student organizations will provide students with a competitive edge for entry into either the education global marketplace and/or the post-secondary institution of their choice when continuing their education and training. This pathway is designed for students looking to pursue a career working with children and the education field. These classes involve an internship component where students are given the opportunity to work with children during class time to apply their knowledge. 


Pathway Completion & Course Information

Early Childhood and Education I

Course Number: 20.5281000

Pre-Requisites: None

Course Description: Early Childhood and Education I is a foundational course that serves an introduction to the early childhood care and education field and is a pre-requisite to all other courses within the Early Childhood Education program. This introductory course allows students an opportunity to learn about the field of education and working with children. Standards include career paths in early childhood education, human development, growth and care of children from infancy to school-age, preparing an environment for appropriate learning, how to create a learning environment that celebrates diversity, and how to understand program curriculum. 

Early Childhood and Education II

Course Number: 20.4240000

Pre-Requisites: Early Childhood and Education I Course

Course Description: Early Childhood and Education II is the second course in the Early Childhood Care and Education pathway and further prepares students for employment in early childhood care and education services. This course provides a history of education, licensing and accreditation requirements, and the foundations of basic observation practices and applications. Early childhood care, education, and development issues are also addressed and include health, safety, and nutrition education, certification in CPR/First Aid/Fire Safety, information about child abuse and neglect, symptoms and prevention of major childhood illnesses and diseases, and prevention and control of communicable illnesses. Mastery of standards through project based learning, laboratory application, technical skills practice, and leadership development activities of career and technical student organizations will provide students with a competitive edge for entry into either the education global marketplace and/or the post‐secondary institution of their choice when continuing their education and training. 

Early Childhood and Education III

Course Number: 20.4250000

Pre-Requisites: Early Childhood and Education I Course, Early Childhood and Education II Course

Course Description: Early Childhood Education III is the third and final course in the Early Childhood Care and Education pathway and an option for program completers who may not have had the opportunity of participating in the Early Childhood Education Internship. This course provides an in‐depth study of early brain development and its implications for early learning, appropriate technology integration, and developmentally appropriate parenting and child guidance trends. Also addressed are collaborative parent/teacher/child relationships and guidance, child-directed play, the changing dynamics of family culture and diversity, the causes and effects of stress on young children, and infant nutrition. Mastery of standards through project based learning, laboratory application, technical skills practice, and leadership development activities of the career and technical student organizations will provide students with a competitive edge for either entry into the education global marketplace and/or the post‐secondary institution of their choice when continuing their education and training.  

Possible Future Employment Opportunities

Teacher

Daycare Owner

Daycare Manager

Early Childhood Education & Services

Pediatrics

Organization Affiliations

Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA)

Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is a national Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) for students in Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) education in public and private school through grade 12. FCCLA offers intra-curricular resources and opportunities for students to pursue careers that support families. Since 1945, FCCLA members have been making a difference in their families, careers, and communities by addressing important personal, work, and societal issues through Family and Consumer Sciences education.

Today, more than 199,000 student members are active in over 4,900 chapters across 46 states, the District of Columbia, the American Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. The work of FCCLA helps students and teachers focus on a variety of youth concerns, including parenting, family relationships, substance abuse, peer pressure, sustainability, nutrition and fitness, teen violence, and career preparation in four specific career pathways. Involvement in FCCLA offers members the opportunity to expand their leadership potential and develop skills for life—planning, goal setting, problem solving, decision making, and interpersonal communication—necessary in the home and workplace.

Georgia Early Childhood Education Foundation (GECEF)

The purpose of GECEF is to provide professional learning opportunities, technical assistance, resources, opportunities and support for competitive events in FCCLA and serve as a vehicle for offering industry certification for exemplary Early Childhood Education programs in Georgia.