New Trends in Education

Why follow when you can lead the way? The following courses offer students opportunities to be at the cutting edge of research and educational trends. Many of these can be used for renewal training hours. Look for what helps you attain your goals as an Early Learning Specialist.

Inclusion Specialization

In response to the educational trend of inclusion, the A.S. Degree in Early Childhood will now offer students the opportunity to achieve the added credential of Inclusion Specialist within the duration of their degree program. (For students who are completing the College Credit CDA, this new specialization could satisfy the Director's Credential special needs course.)

EEX 2010, Inclusion and Special Needs in ECE, is the new course that has been added to our curriculum to meet the requirements of this specialization. In this course, students will learn more about educational approaches, legal and medical implications, as well as personal and social growth of children who are labeled as exceptional.

Students may apply for this specialization after they have completed 36 credits from within the Required Major Field and Major Field Electives section of the A.S. Degree Program with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. This specialization can normally be obtained within one year. It is designed to prepare the student to obtain employment as a Certified Teacher's Aide in public school settings, private industry, and to meet the individual needs of children that require special care in a preschool setting.

Beyond Centers and Circle Time

A curriculum program listed as one of the curriculum plans for a Florida Voluntary Universal Preschool (V.U.P.K.) Center. Imbedded into EEC 2200 (Educational Practices in ECE), this course offers students a plan for implementing developmental theory and research based practices into your classroom and center.

Students may take this course towards the A.S. degree in Early Childhood or Management. It may also be applied towards the Educational and Employment Verification, National CDA or CDAE, in-service training hours, or to renew their National or Florida CDA, for V.U.P.K. standards.

Heads Up! Reading

• The newest ways to help children develop a love of books, from the leading experts.
• How reading and writing skills develop and how to create environments and curriculum that nurture development of these skills.
• Important vocabulary and what the reality is behind many myths surrounding early literacy.
• How to involve families in supporting language and literacy development in young children.
• The best books to use to give children a running start!
• Students may take this course to earn the new 5 hours of State Mandated Literacy training. Credits may also be applied towards the A.S. degree in Early Childhood, the National CDA or CDAE, in-service training hours, or to renew their National or Florida CDA, for VPK standards.

Please check the Early Childhood Education Department schedule for course availability.