Early Childhood Education

Four-year Full Time Program

Year 1: Building Academic Foundations in Early Childhood Care and Development
The first year of the program establishes a solid academic foundation for understanding young children. Students acquire theoretical background in human development and have opportunities to test their understanding of development while observing young children in the School's laboratory, the Early Learning Centre (ELC).

The required foundation courses depend on a developing knowledge of the basic principles of psychology and sociology as well as a general grounding in Liberal Studies. A curriculum course provides a foundation in the planning of environments and contexts in which children thrive and learn. Students take an introductory course that focuses on their own development as professionals, self-assessment, reflective practice, and perspective-taking which is designed to help them acquire self-knowledge, critical thinking abilities and the professional habits of mind that are important for work with children and their families.

In the winter semester, students have an opportunity to practice and master the learning they achieve in courses during a two-day per week field placement in Toronto early learning and care programs.

Year 2: Exploring Contexts for Children's Development and Learning
In second year, students gain an understanding of the diverse contexts in which children are nurtured and the conditions that promote their effective adaptation and wellbeing. The core elective courses broaden the students' foundation in liberal studies and the various developmental domains. Child guidance techniques that promote self-regulation and classroom management are taught in the context of children's social and emotional development.

A course in the history and philosophy of early childhood education introduces students to the foundational knowledge, values and theoretical schools from which the field of ECE has evolved. The required course in interpersonal communication emphasizes self-knowledge and professional development through the mastery of effective interpersonal skills while addressing leadership skills, advocacy and conflict resolution. The second curriculum course addresses the planning of programs and activities to promote learning and development in each domain for young children from ages two to eight.

Students are introduced to the skills and knowledge related to children with special needs including the adaptation of environments and programs and individual program planning. Students practise skills related to the special needs course in twelve-week, two-day per week placement in a setting for children with special learning needs.

Year 3: Enhanced Specialization and Professional Preparation
The third year of the program emphasizes either a broad-based preparation for graduate work in early childhood education or allied careers, or more specialized preparation for teaching young children in the schools or early learning environments. Students integrate the foundational knowledge they have achieved with specific skills related to research, assessment and evaluation of children's development, and the promotion of early literacy learning. The two research courses in third year address research methods and skills related to quantitative and qualitative research followed by the application of the skills they have learned in a research project. A course in the diversity of Canadian families continues the focus on contexts in which children are nurtured and promotes greater understanding of the diverse cultural fabric of our schools and communities.

Students in third year have a choice of field placements in either community based settings or in school settings according to their interests.

The professionally-related electives allow students to pursue courses related to one of the minors offered by the School and to broaden their understanding of contexts and issues through interdisciplinary studies.

Year 4: Advanced Learning and Preparation for the Workplace
The fourth year of the program emphasizes the student as an emerging professional who is developing the perspectives and leadership capabilities that go beyond the basic professional skills.

Students examine contemporary issues, cognitive development, and an introduction to therapeutic interventions such as music, art, speech, physical, and occupational therapies in their elective courses as well as issues related to the social, political, and legal interface among school, family and society. Students may also learn more about leadership, policy-making and advocacy in the profession or pursue knowledge of inclusive practice. In addition, students have the opportunity to study concept development in mathematics and science, as well aws the use of technology in early childhood education.

A Senior Internship in Year 4 allows students the opportunity to pursue a placement setting according to their career interests and goals. Students also have the option to complete the Senior Internship in an international setting in the Spring/Summer Term prior to Year 4.