a. Knowledge About Child Development and Learning Outcomes i. Communicates basic knowledge of developmental theories and current research findings as they apply to children’s social– emotional, language, cognitive, and perceptual and motor development, and understands implications for practice. ii. Identifies major milestones about the social–emotional, language, cognitive, and perceptual and motor domains for the stages represented in the group. b. Facilitating i. Understands that play contributes to child development and learning in all domains, beginning at birth. ii. Observes and supports children during indoor and outdoor play, participating as appropriate with the goal of making the most of teachable moments. iii. Supports the development and learning of each child.

a. Respect for All Differences and Similarities i. Attends to the culturally diverse attributes of children and families. ii. Participates in the planning of learning activities that are inclusive and respectful of all families. b. Culturally Responsive Approaches i. Participates in orientation sessions that focus on respecting families through communication; develops related skills and knowledge through these sessions. ii. Uses multiple strategies for building relationships with families. c. Culture and Language Development and Learning i. Assists with practices that reflect the cultural contexts and experiences of the children. ii. Respects that all early educators and families are individuals who come from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and have their own beliefs and values.

a. Supporting Children's Emotional Development i. Responds appropriately to children’s expression of emotion and facilitates communication about emotional experiences, in accordance with each child’s development and culture. ii. Supports children’s developing capacity to manage their physiological and emotional responses, maintain attention, and comfort themselves, as developmentally and culturally appropriate. b. Social-Emotional Climate i. Provides a responsive and sensitive social–emotional climate to support the children. ii. Examines and acknowledges one’s own feelings and questions about the expression of emotions. c. Socialization and Guidance i. Relies on knowledge of child development to respond individually to children, considering each child’s age, temperament, language, communication skills, culture, interests, and abilities. ii. Implements strategies designed by staff, colleagues, and families to address children’s challenging behaviors

a. Communication with Families i. Uses various ways to communicate with families (e.g., active listening, e-mail and phone contact, text messaging), depending on each family’s preferences and on the situation. ii. Maintains confidentiality and ensures privacy in communications regarding children, families, and staff and colleagues. b. Relationships with Children and Families i. Contributes ideas and resources to promote each child’s learning and development in the home and community. ii. Collaborates with other staff members to maintain a sense of community among the children and families in the group. c. Community Resources i. Demonstrates familiarity with risk, stress, and resiliency factors. ii. Articulates an understanding that families function in a variety of ways and that children or families may require support from outside the program.

a. Dual-Language Program Models and Strategies i. Follows program policies designed to create a sense of belonging and to support full participation by children and adults with disabilities or other special needs b. Development of the Home Language and of English i. Demonstrates understanding that the early education setting is often the first place where young dual-language learners encounter English, and that honoring each child’s home language fosters positive social–emotional development and the child’s development and learning in all other areas ii. Uses active listening and observation to understand language development.

a. Observation i. Identifies nonverbal cues, gestures, and moods through observation. b. Documentation i. Assists in gathering artifacts and other materials for use in documentation. c. Interpretation, Planning, and Implementation i. Engages in discussions about the meaning of observations, screening, documentation, and assessment data to support children’s learning and development in early education settings. ii. Understands the importance of confidentiality.

a. Philosophy, Policies, and Practices i. Follows program policies designed to create a sense of belonging and to support full participation by children and adults with disabilities or other special needs b. Developmentally and Individually Appropriate Practice i. Follows guidance to support all children’s active participation in learning opportunities through the use of easily adaptable materials, strategies, and techniques. ii. Models appropriate ways to interact with children or adults who have disabilities or other special needs. c. Collaboration with Families and Service Providers i. Recognizes that families and staff members are partners in promoting children’s development. d. Environmental Access and Adaptive Equipment i. Assists with making environmental modifications as needed to support children and adults with disabilities or other special needs in the immediate context of the group.

a. Learning Environments and Curriculum i. Contributes to staff discussions about the significance of observations and documentation for understanding children individually and in groups and for informing curriculum planning. ii. Contributes ideas for meeting children’s developmental and learning goals based on information learned through observation and documentation. b. Environments, Schedules, and Routines i. Maintains a safe environment to support children’s learning and to prevent accidents. ii. Follows daily schedules and demonstrates understanding of the importance of predictability for young children. c. Strategies to Support Learning and Development i. Follows children’s lead or engages them as active participants when appropriate. Initiates strategies based on knowledge of children’s interests and needs. ii. Supports children’s learning by allowing time for them to grasp concepts or practice skills, responding to their questions, and reinforcing or expanding on concepts.

a. Environmental Health and Safety i. Learns and complies with policies and practices addressing indoor and outdoor environmental health and safety. ii. Collaborates with other staff and colleagues to provide adequate supervision that supports safe, fun, and challenging play that excludes unauthorized visitors. b. Emergency Preparedness i. Has knowledge of emergency plans and locates relevant documentation and supplies—such as emergency contact information, evacuation maps, first-aid kit, and automated external defibrillator (AED)—and conveys accurate information to staff and families when needed. ii. Follows directions, models appropriate behavior, and assists children, as developmentally appropriate, during an emergency or drill. c. Nutrition i. Follows food-safety guidelines for handling and storage. ii. Follows principles of healthful food choices and habits, including developmental and individual feeding schedules and timelines, appropriate portion sizes, and healthy selection of fresh foods. d. Response to Health Requirements i. Recognizes and responds to signs of illness or injury in children or alerts other staff as appropriate. ii. Knows individual children’s identified special health-care requirements and locates documentation as needed. R iii. Identifies signs of child abuse or neglect and reports concerns about child abuse or neglect to appropriate staff. iv. Understands and adheres to own role as a mandated reporter. v. Maintains certification in infant/ child CPR and pediatric first aid and responds accordingly to children’s injuries or illnesses. e. Child and Family Health i. Supports understanding that child and family health (including mental health) may be influenced by factors such as genetics, stress, health of other family members, and exposure to environmental toxins. ii. Uses personal-care routines, such as diapering, to build relationships and support learning. f. Physical Activity i. Promotes child health by ensuring that children get outdoors for physical activity, feel connected with nature, and follow their own curiosity and interests during outdoor, child-initiated peer play.

a. Professional Development i. Asks questions and pursues learning opportunities. ii. Asks for help and tries out new ideas and suggestions. iii. Practices self-assessment and shared reflective dialogue & participates in reflective dialogue to challenge one’s own knowledge base. b. Professional Conduct and Behaviors i. Arrives at work on time each day and is prepared to engage with children, families, staff, and colleagues in a professional manner ii. Maintains professional boundaries related to establishing close relationships with children and families. iii. Is familiar with expectations for ethical conduct in early childhood education settings and models ethical conduct for children and families. c. Competence in a Specialized Body of Knowledge i. Contributes to a quality work environment by maintaining a professional, mutually supportive attitude with colleagues, children, and families.

This course introduces the laws, regulations, standards, policies, procedures, and best practices related to health, safety, and nutrition in care and education settings for children from birth through middle childhood. Topics covered include the teacher's role in prevention strategies; nutrition and meal planning; integrating health, safety, and nutrition experiences into daily routines; and overall risk management. Students are required to observe children in a group setting. Students are required to observe children in a group setting. Approved for Local GE Area 7.

This course examines the impact of various societal influences on the development of children's social identity, covering developmentally appropriate, inclusive, culturally relevant, and anti-bias approaches. Self-examination and reflection on issues related to social identity, stereotypes, and bias are explored. Students are required to observe children and environments where children are in a group setting. Approved for Local GE Area 6.

This course focuses on the appropriate use of assessment and observation tools and strategies to document young children’s development and learning. This course emphasizes the use of findings to inform and plan learning environments and experiences. Recording strategies, rating systems, portfolios, and multiple assessment tools are explored, along with strategies for collaboration with families and professionals. Students are required to observe children in a group setting.

In this course, students demonstrate developmentally appropriate early childhood planning and teaching competencies under the supervision of Early Childhood Education/Child Development (ECE/CD) faculty and other qualified early education professionals. Students utilize practical classroom experiences to make connections between theory and practice, develop professional behaviors, and build a comprehensive understanding of children and families. Reflective practice is emphasized as student teachers design, implement, and evaluate approaches, strategies, and techniques that promote development and learning. This course includes exploration of career pathways, professional development, and teacher responsibilities. Students work in a supervised field experience and are required to perform at least 54 hours of practicum work under the direct supervision of a Master Teacher (or someone who would qualify as a Master Teacher) in an instructor-approved infant/toddler or preschool program. School-age program placement is restricted to beforeand after-school programs or kindergarten. Participation in a placement setting requires proof of tuberculosis (TB) and immunization clearance.

At least one course in each of the following four general education subject areas, plus additional units in any of these four subject areas as needed for a total of 16 units: English/Language Arts Math/Science Social Sciences Humanities/Fine Arts