Course Descriptions
Early Childhood Education
Number sequencingnext to course name means the following: first digit designates the number of lecture hours for the course; the second digit designates the number of lab, clinic or practicum hours; and the third digit designates the credit hours for the course.
EC 101 Growth and Development of the Young Child 3-0-3
Major theories and research findings in the physical, cognitive, language and social/emotional domains of development of young children from conception through age 8 will be the focus of this course. The work of Piaget (constructivism) and Erikson (psychosocial theory) will be emphasized. Students will use professional strategies to observe and record the behavior of young children in early care settings as they explore these domains and theories. Emphasis will be placed on applying understanding of children's developmental needs in a pluralistic society.
EC 102 Foundations of Early Childhood Education (SRV) 3-0-3
The history of early childhood education and child care, including the contributions of Locke, Pestalozzi and Froebel will be addressed. The diversity of early education settings, including profit and non-profit, laboratory schools, employer-sponsored centers, public schools and Head Start, will be explored. Focusing on play as a foundation of children's learning, students examine the roles and responsibilities of the early childhood professional with children and families in these settings. Students will observe and evaluate programs based on developmentally appropriate principles using the NH Early Learning Guidelines and the NAEYC Accreditation guidelines. Using the NH ECE Professional Development System, students discover the diversity of career opportunities available and explore credentialing. Service Learning is a component of this course. (Prerequisite: EC 101)
EC 141 Curriculum and Environments 1 3-0-3
With emergent curriculum as the overarching approach to curriculum development, students will experience designing, implementing, and evaluating appropriate activities and environments for children birth through age six with a focus on music, movement, art, manipulatives and dramatic play supported by emergent literacy and anti-bias curriculum. Emphasis will be on concrete, practical application of various philosophies, theories, and current research in early childhood education. Methods of observing children's behavior and progress, and developing and using suitable instructional and play materials from these observations in all aspects of the daily routine will be emphasized. Participants will experience and broaden their own creativity and imagination through exploring learning activities that can be applied to actual early childhood settings. Students will learn how to plan stimulating, age-appropriate classroom and outdoor learning environments that encourage child-initiated discovery and act as a tool in behavior management. These environments will be child and family friendly, barrier free, inclusionary, and meet state regulatory requirements.
EC 142 Curriculum and Environments 2 (SRV) 3-0-3
Continuing to use emergent curriculum as the overarching approach to curriculum development, this course will focus on designing, implementing, and evaluating appropriate activities and environments for children through age six with a focus on blocks, math, science, woodworking, and technology with literacy concepts integrated into each area. Emphasis will be on the concrete, practical application of different philosophies, theories, and current research that is manifested in various curriculum models in early childhood education. Students will dialogue and reflect together as they explore the cycle of inquiry and project work for developing, implementing and assessing curriculum. Emphasis will be on planning stimulating, age-appropriate classroom and outdoor learning environments that encourage child-initiated discovery and act as a tool in behavior management. These environments will be child and family friendly, barrier free, inclusionary, and meet state regulatory requirements. Students will learn about and apply successful attributes of documentation panels that make children's learning visible. Service Learning is a component of this course. (Prerequisite: EC 141)
EC 155 Children's Literature (SRV) 3-0-3
This course will provide an overview of exemplary authors and illustrators of children's literature from birth to age 8. High quality children's books will be used as a vehicle for supporting and applying current research on the acquisition of language and reading. Students will become familiar with Caldecott award winning books and the artistic techniques used to create these books. Big books will be introduced as a way of distinguishing features of print. Poetry, multicultural books, and bibliotherapy as applied to early childhood education will be studied. Additionally, students will explore the teacher's role in promoting family literacy and participate in service learning on this topic. Service Learning is a component of this course.
EC 188 Health, Safety and Nutrition in Early Childhood Education (SRV) 3-0-3
This course offers an introduction to major issues affecting the health and safety of young children in early childhood settings. Nutrition and policy considerations about pediatric medications, infectious disease control, sick child care, universal precautions and liability, and health record keeping will be discussed. Childhood stress and education for the prevention of child sexual abuse will be highlighted. Students will learn how to integrate curriculum for young children related to health, safety, and nutrition into the overall program. Service Learning is a component of this course.
EC 190 Preparing for Practicum 1-0-1
This 1 credit course will provide students with an orientation to both Practicum 1 and 2 including developing individual goals, planning contracts, scheduling, record keeping, writing practicum log entries, preparing the practicum notebook, organizing 3 Focused Portfolio binders, identifying potential practicum partners, and completing all relevant paperwork. Students will receive the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and use it as a reference in discussions around professional boundaries in the workplace. Students will know all policies and procedures related to practicum and student teaching as outlined in the Practicum Handbook. Students must earn a “C” or higher in this course to move on to Practicum 1 and must take EC 190 in the semester before Practicum 1. (Prerequisites: EC 101, EC 141 and EC 155)
EC 215 Infant/Toddler Development and Programming 4-0-4
This course will be a study of important influences on infant and toddler development supported by research on brain development during the first three years of life. Emphasis will be put on the role and responsibilities of families, child care teachers, and specialists in creating high quality supportive environments. Sensitivity to attachment and the importance of observation and communication skills to nurture positive family, caregiver, and child relationships through the roles of primary caregiving, transitions, and continuity of care will be highlighted as students learn to design responsive programs for infants and toddlers and their families. (Prerequisite: EC 101 with a grade of “C” or higher or permission of the Department Head of Early Childhood Education)
EC 225 Autism Spectrum Disorder 4-0-4
This course will examine the neurological underpinnings and behavioral characteristics of children from birth through age 8 with autism spectrum disorders. It will focus on an overview of the strengths and challenges of child-centered, developmental, research-based interventions to be used in natural environments. The centrality of the family will be emphasized. (Prerequisite: EC 101 with a grade of “C” or higher or permission of the Department Head of Early Childhood Education)
EC 226 Home Visiting and Working with a Team 3-0-3
Specialists often provide early intervention services to young children in their homes. They work as part of a collaborative interdisciplinary, multi-agency team including their supervisor, the family, child care teachers, and public school personnel, as well as PT, OT, and speech therapists. This course will define the professional relationships involved in providing in-home early supports and services and the specific role of the specialist within the team. Issues of safety, trust, respect, professional boundaries, and confidentiality will be discussed. Students will learn how to support the family in teaching their child while maintaining effective documentation and communication with the team. (Prerequisite: EC 242 with a grade of “C” or higher or permission of the Department Head of Early Childhood Education)
EC 242 Child, Family and Community (SRV) 3-0-3
The course will provide an overview of families and family systems (including Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Theory) with emphasis on developing effective models of teacher/program/family partnerships. Students will identify their own biases as a precursor to exploring issues of power and privilege in society. Cultural dilemmas and their impact on early care and education will be identified as students begin to evaluate their own cultural competence. Students will learn how to identify and strengthen protective factors that empower families and reduce the risk of child abuse. Students will research various crises encountered by families and identify an action plan to positively address the crisis. Community resources will be identified and involved. Service Learning is a component of this course. (Prerequisite: EC 101)
EC 261 Family Child Care Business Management 3-0-3
This course will review the fundamentals of sound business practices as they relate to the running of a successful Family Child Care business. Emphasis will be on designing of business plans, budgeting, insurance, effective business policies, contracts, pricing, marketing, customer relations, purchasing, financial, legal and licensing regulations and reports, small business management and related record keeping.
EC 262 Organization and Management for the Practicing Professional 4-0-4
A survey of organization and management of early childhood programs and/or child care centers for the practicing professional. Emphasis will be on learning how to plan, organize, manage and evaluate programs and facilities for children. Specific skills addressed are licensing procedures, hiring, motivating and evaluating staff and parent involvement. Financial record keeping to inform program management decisions will be based on an understanding of Excel computer program use. Leadership and visioning skills will also be taught and evidence of implementation will be required. Students will be required to spend fifteen hours outside of class on a final project to be implemented in their professional work. This course will meet the requirements for Director Certification from the State of New Hampshire. It will also meet the criteria for accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. (Prerequisite: permission of department head of Early Childhood Education)
EC 265 Positive Behavior Guidance and Supporting Young Children with Challenging Behaviors 3-0-3
Through exploring various theories of behavior management and functions of behavior, the role of positive behavioral supports in preparing young children to become competent and cooperative individuals with a strong social and emotional foundation will be emphasized. Developmentally appropriate methods of guiding children based on a wide variety of effective positive guidance strategies and problem solving skills to address individual and group needs will be shared as approaches for preventing disruptive behaviors in the classroom. Techniques for dealing with more challenging and explosive behaviors using functional assessment, identifying replacement skills and creating and implementing behavior intervention plans will be utilized. Partnering with families in developing these plans will be emphasized. Students will leave the course with tools for primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of challenging behaviors. They will be able to use the class as a model for developing parent education programs for the families that they serve. (Prerequisite: EC 101 or permission of the Department Head of Early Childhood Education)
EC 270 Teaching Young Children with Special Needs (SRV) 3-0-3
This course will broaden students' awareness of the theoretical and legal foundations for programs serving young children (infancy through age eight) with a wide range of special educational needs. Students will examine the causes, symptoms, social consequences and behavior characteristics of children with special needs. Students will learn how to develop curriculum modification/accommodation strategies in all domains of development in an inclusive classroom setting. Emphasis will be on education for children and their families. Students will work with and observe a child and family to develop an understanding of their needs and develop a resource file of state, local and national supports. Service Learning is a component of this course. (Prerequisite: EC 101)
EC 275 Practicum 1 - Observation, Interpretation, Assessment and Documentation through Child Study and Portfolio 2-5-3
Students will work in NHTI-approved ECE settings for children in infant/toddler care, preschool or kindergarten under the supervision of early childhood Cooperating Teacher(s). Participants will become "students of childhood" as they learn how to interpret and assess their observations of children in this seminar class. Students will conduct 3 in-depth child studies over the course of the 75 hours that they spend at their practicum site this semester. Students will create and manage portfolios for each child and use portfolio information to write child progress notes and narrative summaries. They will make the children visible through documentations that share their own wonderings as teachers. They will use this information to plan and carry out a parent conference. Students will also experience the role of "teacher as researcher" as they apply various assessment tools in combination with their own observations to identify growth from the perspectives of the child, the teacher and the curriculum. NHTI ECE faculty schedule site visits to review and evaluate student progress during the practicum experience. Students must earn a grade of “C” or higher in Practicum 1 to move on to Practicum 2. (Prerequisites: all 100 level EC courses; 2.5 minimum GPA in major field courses; permission of the ECE Practicum Coordinator; and submission of all required documents)
EC 276 Practicum 2 - Experiencing Emergent Curriculum and Student Teaching (SRV) 2-10-5
Students will work in NHTI-approved ECE settings for children in infant/toddler care, preschool, or kindergarten under the supervision of early childhood Cooperating Teacher(s). Weekly seminars conducted by NHTI faculty offer support for students and provide time to review the characteristics of emergent curriculum being implemented by students at their practicum sites. Students must complete a Practicum Notebook outlining their activities with children and families connecting theory to practice. Students will document 150 hours at practicum including 2 full days of lead teaching. Students will prepare documentation of emergent curriculum provocations, ordinary moments, and child growth and development. NHTI ECE faculty schedule site visits to review and evaluate student progress during the practicum experience. Students must pass Practicum 2 with a grade of “C” or higher in order to graduate from the Early Childhood Education program. Service Learning is a component of this course. (Prerequisites: all 100 level EC courses, EC 242, EC 270 and EC 275; a 2.5 GPA in major field courses, permission of the ECE Practicum Coordinator and submission of all required documents)
EC 278 Early Intervention Practicum 2-10-5
This 150-hour field-based experience provides students with a supervised opportunity to develop skills and demonstrate competencies necessary in early intervention in natural settings (child care, homes, public schools). Students will learn how to best support families and caregivers. Supervisors will provide guidance and support needed to enhance students' development as early intervention specialists. Students will divide their practicum hours between a child care setting and a home setting. (Prerequisite: All other courses in the Autism Early Intervention Certificate with grades of “C” or higher)
EC 288 The Early Childhood Professional (SRV) 3-0-3
This course explores the role of the early childhood professional in the workplace. Topics to be discussed include leadership, working in a team, and professional ethics. Additionally, students will learn about the legislative process in NH and explore their role in advocating for public policy to support children, families, and early care and education programs. Students will develop a resume and create a professional portfolio that can be used for interview purposes. The portfolio will include competency statements with supportive artifacts using the NAEYC Standards for Early Childhood Professional Preparation for Associate Degree Programs. Emphasis will be placed on the role of ongoing professional development activities, and students will choose a professional development project to complete and share. Service Learning is a component of this course. (Prerequisites: all 100 level EC courses, EC 242, EC 270, EC 275 and EC 265; may be taken concurrently with EC 276)
Revised July 9, 2007