Our program seeks high school students who have the desire to pursue a career in education or a field involving children. Each day the high school students write lesson plans, prepare nutritious snacks, and run the Monroe Kiddie Canes Preschool Program. To be accepted into the Introduction to Early Childhood Education, a student needs two teacher recommendations and evaluations.
***Application only. Click here to complete the application [LINK].
The Early Childhood Education I course is the foundational course under the Early Childhood Care & Education pathway and prepares the student for employment in early childhood education and services. The course addresses the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors associated with supporting and promoting optimal growth and development of infants and children. The pre-requisite for this course is advisor approval.
*Required for completion of a pathway.
Early Childhood Education II is the second course in the Early Childhood Care and Education pathway and further prepares the student for employment in early childhood care and education services. The course provides a history of education, licensing and accreditation requirements, and 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 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.
*Required for completion of a pathway.
Early Childhood Education III is the third course in the Early Childhood Care and Education pathway and one option for program completers who may not have the opportunity of participating in the Early Childhood Education Internship. The course provides 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.
*Required for completion of a pathway.
The practicum offers a candidate in the Early Childhood Education career pathway a field experience under the direct supervision of a certified early childhood educator (mentor). This field experience may be used as partial requirements for the candidate to earn the nationally recognized CDA credential. The practicum stresses observing, analyzing, and classifying activities of the mentor and comparing personal traits with those of successful early childhood educators. The candidate intern will develop a portfolio of their skills, plan and teach a lesson or lessons, understand and practice confidentiality as it pertains to the teaching profession, meet the needs of students with special needs, maintain the safety of the students, practice professionalism, and demonstrate ethical behavior.
Mastery of standards through project based learning, technical skills practice, and leadership development activities of the career and technical student organization Future Educators of America (FEA) or Family, Career & Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) will provide students with a competitive edge for either entry into the education global marketplace and/or the post-secondary institution of their choice to continue their education and training.