Early Childhood Education (A.A.)

Faculty

Dr. Marie Celeste, Director and Chair of Early Childhood Education and Associate Professor of Education
Faculty in the School of Education support Trinity’s early childhood education program.

Description

In conjunction with the School of Education, the School of Professional Studies offers an A.A. in Early Childhood Education.

This education degree prepares candidates to meet eligibility requirements as teaching assistants in early childhood education (ages 3-8) programs in the District of Columbia. Graduates of this program can, if they so choose, glide seamlessly into Trinity’s Bachelor of Arts in early childhood education degree program.

Trinity’s education programs are state approved and nationally recognized by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (N.A.E.Y.C.), by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (N.C.A.T.E.), and the Council for Professional Recognition as a Gold Standard. Course syllabi and classroom activities reflect the standards of the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (I.N.T.A.S.C.).

Program Requirements

Early childhood education students must complete the following set of required courses (22 credits):

• EDCC 205 Children, Families, Culture and the Community in Early ChildhoodThis course examines relationships among schools, children and families, introducing the complex social and cultural factors that influence children's development and learning, as well as the ethical guidelines that determine professional conduct. Within an orientation to the theoretical and developmental foundations of early learning education of young children, the course emphasizes current issues regarding families, community, and cultural diversity.
  3 credits
  Prerequisites: None
• EDCC 207 Development of Learning Experiences in Early Childhood EducationThis course examines the historical, theoretical, and developmental foundations for learning in young children, birth to age 8 (specifically, pre-K to 3rd grade). Students learn how to create developmentally and individually appropriate lesson and activity plans. Learning experiences integrate the various content areas of literacy, math, science, social studies, and the arts, and incorporate the social-emotional, cognitive, and physical domains of child development.
  3 credits
  Prerequisites: None
• EDCC 211 Development of Early Childhood Oral Language and Literacy SkillsThis course introduces strategies for helping young children acquire communication skills. The contribution of appropriate children's literature to literacy development is demonstrated. Activities, materials, and lessons in these areas emphasize developmentally appropriate practices. This course requires a 10 hour on-site field component.
  3 credits
  Prerequisites: None
• EDCC 213 Observation, Description and Measurement of Growth in Early ChildhoodIn this introductory course, students use developmentally appropriate observation and record keeping strategies to reflect upon, improve, maintain, and extend learning. Tools and techniques that promote growth across all domains of early childhood development-social-emotional, cognitive, and physical, and across language and other content areas-will be discussed and explored. This course requires a 10-hour on-site field component.
  3 credits
  Prerequisites: None
• EDCC 220 Foundations of EducationAllows teacher candidates to examine some of the historical, philosophical, and cultural foundations of American education. Curriculum content and organization and basic teaching competencies are introduced in light of professional organization. Implications of understanding contemporary educational issues, policy, and decision-making are stressed. A Praxis component is introduced along with an explanation of the teacher education program in light of the standards in teacher education. Field component is an integral part of the course. Students also are required to engage in Praxis I preparation through weekly completion of an on-line Praxis program.
  Formerly EDU 260 Foundations of Education.
  3 credits
  Prerequisites: None
• EDCC 292 Early Childhood Education Capstone SeminarThe Capstone Seminar in the Early Childhood education program encourages students to examine developmentally appropriate practices for young children, PreK- 3rd grade. Students are required to conduct action research focusing on their teaching philosophy, practices, and research understandings as reflective practitioners based on their field work. This course should be taken in one of the final two semesters of the AA in Early Childhood Education program.
  3 credits
  Prerequisites: None
• EDTE 290 Practicum and Seminar in Early Childhood LearningThis course is composed of a practicum in one or more school settings and an on-campus seminar . Within the practicum, students will spend a minimum of four (4) hours a week in an approved early childhood learning site, observing, documenting, and working with early childhood educators and children. Within the weekly seminar, students will reflect upon, research, discuss, and write about theories and practices of early childhood education as experienced in their practicum sites and elsewhere. Note: Students must be available to spend the designated hours in a setting approved by the AA in Early Childhood Education program director.
  3 credits
  Prerequisites: All EDCC and EDTE courses, except EDCC 292; must be taken during the final 2 semesters.

Students must meet these requirements as part of their program:

• A minimum grade of “C” (2.0) or better in all EDCC and EDTE courses.
• Overall GPA of at least 2.0.

Field-Based Instruction

Teacher preparation at Trinity emphasizes field-based instruction that includes a series of mandated integrated field experiences and practicum experiences at different grade/age levels in a variety of school settings.

School districts, individual schools, and other service providers vary in their requirements for entering their site and observing students. Most schools and service providers require a Tuberculosis test (TB), fingerprinting, and a criminal background check prior to activities that bring the university candidate into working contact with clients/students.

Prior to observing or working with individuals or groups as required by courses (course assignments, field experience, practicum), a Trinity candidate must have communicated with the site, prior to their arrival, to ensure the candidate will have met any specific site prerequisites .

A sample course requiring field experience:

Program Policies

Fingerprinting and Nationwide Criminal Background Check: School districts, individual schools, and other service providers vary in their requirements for entering their site and observing students. Most schools and service providers require a Tuberculosis test (TB), fingerprinting, and a criminal background check prior to activities that bring the university candidate into working contact with clients/students.  Additionally, in order to be licensed, professionals in the field of teaching must undergo fingerprinting and a nationwide criminal background within a year of application for licensure.

Advanced Placement: Credits earned through Advanced Placement Examinations may fulfill core curriculum course requirements in cases where the student has earned a 4 or 5 on the examination and the credits have been reviewed by education faculty members.

CLEP Policy: Credits earned through C.L.E.P. Examinations may fulfill core curriculum course requirements in cases where the student has earned a score that confers credit following the guidelines of the A.C.E. and the credits have been reviewed by education faculty members.

Attendance Policy: In all 300- and 400-level EDCC/EDTE courses, two late arrivals or early departures of 20 minutes or more constitute a single class absence, and any student with class absences or the equivalent that total more than 2 weeks’ worth of class meetings automatically fail the course. Faculty teaching EDCC/EDTE courses at the 200-level may adopt this policy in their syllabi as well, and faculty teaching EDCC/EDTE courses at any level may adopt a stricter policy in their syllabi.

Grades in Education Courses: Undergraduate students are required to earn a minimum grade of “C” (2.0) or better in all EDCC and EDTE courses.

Pass/No Pass: EDCC and EDTE courses may not be taken Pass/No Pass.

Student Assessment: Assessments of student proficiencies required of students in the program are further described on the School of Education page concerning the Student Assessment System.

Study Abroad: Courses taken through a study abroad program approved by Trinity may count toward general core curriculum course requirements, pending review and approval by education faculty and the faculty of the appropriate academic program. In general, education courses taken abroad will not count toward the degree.

Experiential Credit Policy: Credits earned through experience may count toward core curriculum course requirements, pending review and approval by education faculty and the faculty of the appropriate academic program. In general, experiential credits may not substitute for education courses counted toward the degree.

Transfer Credits: Transfer credits may be awarded only after appropriate program review. EDCC and EDTE courses  must be taken at Trinity.

Course Descriptions

Explanation of Course Prefixes and Numbers
Courses designated “EDCC” are education core and common courses across various programs in the School of Education. Courses designated “EDTE” are largely specific to teacher education programs.

EDCC – Education Core and Common Courses

EDCC 205 Children, Families, Culture and the Community in Early ChildhoodThis course examines relationships among schools, children and families, introducing the complex social and cultural factors that influence children's development and learning, as well as the ethical guidelines that determine professional conduct. Within an orientation to the theoretical and developmental foundations of early learning education of young children, the course emphasizes current issues regarding families, community, and cultural diversity.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
EDCC 207 Development of Learning Experiences in Early Childhood EducationThis course examines the historical, theoretical, and developmental foundations for learning in young children, birth to age 8 (specifically, pre-K to 3rd grade). Students learn how to create developmentally and individually appropriate lesson and activity plans. Learning experiences integrate the various content areas of literacy, math, science, social studies, and the arts, and incorporate the social-emotional, cognitive, and physical domains of child development.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
EDCC 211 Development of Early Childhood Oral Language and Literacy SkillsThis course introduces strategies for helping young children acquire communication skills. The contribution of appropriate children's literature to literacy development is demonstrated. Activities, materials, and lessons in these areas emphasize developmentally appropriate practices. This course requires a 10 hour on-site field component.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
EDCC 213 Observation, Description and Measurement of Growth in Early ChildhoodIn this introductory course, students use developmentally appropriate observation and record keeping strategies to reflect upon, improve, maintain, and extend learning. Tools and techniques that promote growth across all domains of early childhood development-social-emotional, cognitive, and physical, and across language and other content areas-will be discussed and explored. This course requires a 10-hour on-site field component.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
EDCC 215 Human Growth & DevlopmentReviews introductory theory and research in human growth and development over the life span. Focus is on the interdisciplinary nature of human development and relationships among the biological, cognitive, social, and psychological domains of the individual in her environment. Highlights critical life events and resulting change from the prenatal period through adulthood, stressing interactions between the developing person and a continually evolving world.
3 credits
EDCC 220 Foundations of EducationAllows teacher candidates to examine some of the historical, philosophical, and cultural foundations of American education. Curriculum content and organization and basic teaching competencies are introduced in light of professional organization. Implications of understanding contemporary educational issues, policy, and decision-making are stressed. A Praxis component is introduced along with an explanation of the teacher education program in light of the standards in teacher education. Field component is an integral part of the course. Students also are required to engage in Praxis I preparation through weekly completion of an on-line Praxis program.
Formerly EDU 260 Foundations of Education.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
EDCC 292 Early Childhood Education Capstone SeminarThe Capstone Seminar in the Early Childhood education program encourages students to examine developmentally appropriate practices for young children, PreK- 3rd grade. Students are required to conduct action research focusing on their teaching philosophy, practices, and research understandings as reflective practitioners based on their field work. This course should be taken in one of the final two semesters of the AA in Early Childhood Education program.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None

EDTE -Teacher Education Courses

EDTE 290 Practicum and Seminar in Early Childhood LearningThis course is composed of a practicum in one or more school settings and an on-campus seminar . Within the practicum, students will spend a minimum of four (4) hours a week in an approved early childhood learning site, observing, documenting, and working with early childhood educators and children. Within the weekly seminar, students will reflect upon, research, discuss, and write about theories and practices of early childhood education as experienced in their practicum sites and elsewhere. Note: Students must be available to spend the designated hours in a setting approved by the AA in Early Childhood Education program director.
3 credits
Prerequisites: All EDCC and EDTE courses, except EDCC 292; must be taken during the final 2 semesters.