Mar 28, 2024  
2021-22 Gaston College Catalog 
    
2021-22 Gaston College Catalog [THIS CATALOG IS OUT-OF-DATE. USE THE CURRENT CATALOG TO FIND CURRENT PROGRAMS.]

Early Childhood Education - Early Literacy Certificate (C55220F)


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The curriculum prepares students to create and implement a variety of literacy activities that can be implemented in early childhood education classrooms. Emphasis is placed on practical application of skills.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates will:

  1. Promoting child development and learning:
    a. Knowing and understanding young children’s characteristics and needs.
    b. Knowing and understanding the multiple influences on development and learning.
    c. Using developmental knowledge to create healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging learning environments.
  2. Building family and community relationships by knowing about and understanding family and community characteristics.
    a. Knowing about and understanding diverse family and community characteristics.
    b. Supporting and engaging families and communities through respectful, reciprocal relationships.
    c. Involving families and communities and their children’s development and learning.
  3. Observing, documenting and assessing to support young children and families:
    a. Knowing about assessment partnerships with families and other professionals.
    b. Knowing about and using observation, documentation, and other appropriate assessment tools and approaches.
    c. Understanding and practicing responsible assessment to promote positive outcomes for each child.
    d. Knowing about assessment partnerships with families and other professional colleagues.
  4. Using developmentally effective approaches to connect with children and families:
    a. Understanding positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation of working with children.
    b. Knowing and understanding effective strategies and tools for early education.
    c. Using a broad repertoire of developmentally appropriate teaching/learning approaches.
    d. Reflecting on one’s own practice to promote positive outcomes for each child.
  5. Using content knowledge to build meaningful curriculum:
    a. Understanding content knowledge and resources in academic disciplines.
    b. Knowing and using the central concepts, inquiry tools, and structures of content areas or academic disciplines.
    c. Using one’s knowledge, appropriate learning standards, and other resources to design, implement, and evaluate meaningful, challenging curriculum.
  6. Becoming a professional:
    a. Identifying and involving oneself with the early childhood field.
    b. Knowing about and upholding ethical standards and other professional guidelines.
    c. Engaging in continuous, collaborative learning to inform practice.
    d. Integrating knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on early education.
    e. Engaging in informed advocacy for children and the profession.

Additional Program Requirements for Early Childhood Education


  • All students are required to submit documentation of additional non-academic criteria which will include a valid Criminal Background Check (CBC) qualification letter obtained through Division of Child Development & Early Education (DCDEE). Instructions will be provided in EDU 119. Students who do not submit a valid CBC Qualification letter will not successfully complete Early Childhood Education.
  • A grade of “C” or better is required for all courses applied towards degree requirements

Total Program Hours: 13


Note(s):


The courses taken in this certificate program may be applied toward the Associate in Applied Science degree in Early Childhood Education.

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