Health, Character and Technical Standards
for Education Programs

NHTI has developed excellent practicum opportunities for our students to foster hands-on learning while simultaneously receiving credit. Nonetheless, the college's first priority must be to ensure that patients/clients/children/families are not placed in jeopardy by students during learning experiences. Therefore, students in practica, service learning and clinical experiences must demonstrate sufficient emotional stability to withstand the stresses, uncertainties and changing circumstances that characterize patient/client/child/family responsibilities. Furthermore, the student is expected to have the emotional stability required to exercise sound judgment, accept direction and guidance from a supervisor or faculty member and establish rapport and maintain sensitive interpersonal relationships and confidentiality with employees, customers and/or patients/clients/children and their families.

Early Childhood Education Associate Degree and
Certficate Programs (Autism Early Intervention Specialist Certficate, Early Childhood Education Certificate, Early Childhood Education Advanced Certificate)

Health Considerations

Candidates for positions and careers in early childhood education are encouraged to explore health requirements associated with employment in child care, preschool and related settings for young children. Prospective students with special needs requiring accommodations that may affect their practicum placement and/or potential employment prospects are encouraged to discuss their specific career goals with the department head during the admissions process, particularly if the candidate is concerned about meeting the program's academic and technical standards. Each student is required to obtain NHTI Liability Insurance starting each school year. The students will be billed directly.

Character Expectations

The health and safety of young children is of paramount concern to the Department of Early Childhood Education. Applicants for positions in childcare, preschools and many other early childhood programs in New Hampshire should be aware that background checks and fingerprinting through the New Hampshire Department of Safety must be completed by potential employers prior to employment. To participate in NHTI's practica, students must first submit to background checks and fingerprinting.

Applicants who have been in difficulty with the law, depending upon the nature of the problem, may not be employable or even eligible for practica. Applicants are advised that such matters will be discussed during the admissions interview, to minimize the likelihood that future goals will be compromised.

Technical Standards

Technical Standards have been established to provide guidance to students as to skills and abilities required to function successfully in the program and ultimately in the Early Childhood Education profession. Applicants who feel they may not be able to meet one or more of the technical standards should contact department faculty to discuss individual cases. The Department of Early Childhood Education will seriously consider all academically qualified candidates provided that the technical standards can be met with or without reasonable accommodations. No essential technical standards will be waived or modified.

Students in Early Childhood Education must have sufficient strength, stamina, motor coordination and sensory capabilities to perform the following:

• Standing for sustained periods of time, walking, running, bending, and sitting on the floor to meet children's needs and accomplish tasks;
• Frequent lifting, moving and transferring children, especially infants and toddlers;
• Sufficient visual and hearing acuity to ensure a safe environment; and ability to respond quickly to children, colleagues, and professional partners in the event of emergency;
• Sufficient verbal ability to express and exchange information and ideas as well as to interpret important instructions to children, colleagues, professional partners, and parents;
• Sufficient skills in written expression to accurately record children's daily progress and milestones as well as medications administered, accident and suspected child abuse/neglect reports, etc.;
• Ability to work with frequent interruptions, to respond appropriately to unexpected situations including situations requiring immediate crisis response and role responsibility exchange; to demonstrate safe and required care for children, families, colleagues and the workplace as a whole; and to cope with substantial variations in workload and stress levels;
• Ability to consistently attend and participate in classes and practica in a timely manner;
• Ability to demonstrate and maintain organizational skills and time management in classes and at the practicum site;
• Ability to respond to children's personal needs, including changing diapers, in a manner that safeguards the health and safety of the student, children, and staff;
• Ability to work in a professional and respectful manner with a diverse range of children including children of different races, cultures, religions, and ethnicities as well as children with a wide range of disabling conditions;
• Ability to abide by NHTI's student conduct code;
• Ability to maintain proper boundaries in both the school and home environments; and
• Ability and disposition to adhere to and practice the Code of Ethical Conduct set forth by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Specific Admission Requirements for Early Childhood Education Associate Degree Program

Education (Associate in Science)

Health Considerations

Candidates for positions and careers in education are encouraged to explore health requirements associated with employment in a school setting. Prospective students with special needs requiring accommodations that may affect their learning are encouraged to contact the disabilities Services Coordinator at (603)271-7723 TTY and Voice.

Character Expectations

The health and safety of children, adolescents and other learners is of paramount concern in the Education program. Applicants for teaching positions in public and private schools in New Hampshire should be aware that background checks through the New Hampshire Department of Safety must be completed by potential employers prior to employment.

Applicants who have been in difficulty with the law, depending upon the nature of their experience, may not be employable or even eligible for field experience. Applicants are advised that such matters may be discussed during an admission interview so that future goals to be a teacher will not be compromised.

Technical Standards

Technical Standards have been established to provide guidance to students as to skills and abilities required to function successfully in the program and ultimately in the public and/or private school classroom as teachers. Applicants who think they may not be able to meet one or more of the technical standards should contact program faculty members to discuss individual cases. Department Faculty will give serious consideration to all academically qualified candidates providing that the technical standards can be met with reasonable accommodations. Students in the Education program must have sufficient strength, stamina and motor coordination to perform the following:

• Sufficient hearing and visual acuity to ensure a safe environment and ability to respond quickly in the event of emergency;
• Sufficient verbal ability to express and exchange information and ideas as well as to interpret important instructions to children, adolescents, colleagues, and parents;
• Sufficient writing skills to accurately record students’ daily progress and milestones as well as a variety of reports;
• Ability to work with frequent interruptions, to respond appropriately to unexpected situations, and to cope with extreme variations in workload and stress levels.

Specific Admission Requirements for Education (Associate in Science) Degree Program

Revised June 5, 2008

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