Early Childhood Education (Intensive)

Program Description

This flexible diploma is designed exclusively for graduates from Faculties of Education who currently hold a Bachelor of Education, Primary/Junior Specialization. It is designed to help you learn about the physical, cognitive, social and emotional needs of children. You will develop the skills and gain knowledge necessary for collaboration with families to plan and carry out play-based programming which optimizes the individual development of the child.

This Early Childhood Education program blends theory about how children develop with a hands-on application of theoretical principles. You are given the opportunity to explore child development theory and to apply that to programming for infant, toddler, preschool, school-aged children and children with special needs.

Seneca’s two lab schools are model child care centres that provide observation and programming opportunities. Field placement is central to the learning experience, so you are placed in the field for two days each week and benefit from a two-week block placement.

Program Learning Outcomes:

This Seneca College program meets the system-wide standards as set by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

As a graduate, you will be prepared to reliably demonstrate the ability to:

• Plan curriculum that is based on a thorough understanding of child development.
• Plan and implement individual programs and curriculum to meet the developmental needs of children.
• Utilize a variety of observation techniques to enhance work with children, families, and co-workers.
• Maintain responsive relationships with individual children and groups of children.
• Establish and maintain safe and healthy environments which best meet the requirements of current legislation, regulatory bodies, and program policies.
• Develop and maintain effective written, oral, nonverbal, and electronic communications with children, families, co-workers, employers, and individuals/agencies.
• Apply relevant legislation, policies, procedures, and regulations to early childhood education programs and settings in a changing social context.
• Apply a personal philosophy of early childhood education within the framework of ethical and professional standards.
• Act in a manner consistent with principles of fairness, equity, and diversity to support the development and learning of individual children, within the context of his/her family, culture, and society.

Essential Employability Skills:

Graduates of this program are also expected to demonstrate the essential employability skills learning outcomes as outlined on the Ministry of Training, College and Universities website.

Admission Requirements

Program Eligibility:

• Successful completion of a recognized B.Ed. Degree.
• Member of the Ontario College of Teachers (specialization primary/junior)

Applicant Selection:

• Applicants must meet the admission requirements for the Early Childhood Education program at Seneca College. As part of the admission process, each applicant must submit his/her university transcript, and a completed Ontario College Application Service form.

The Importance of Learning Skills:
Student success in college requires well developed learning skills (such as being able to work independently, participate in a team, be well-organized, develop good work habits, and show initiative). These skills are as important as prior academic achievement. While it is expected that applicants would have developed these skills through previous education and life experiences, Seneca offers support to assist students with further development of these important skills.

Your Career

As a graduate of the ECE program you may find employment as an early childhood educator, working with children from 0-12 years old in child care centres, full day early learning programs, after-school programs, nursery schools, parent co-operative centres, private home child care, and centres for children with special needs.

Provincial Registration

In order to practice in Ontario as an "Early Childhood Educator" or a "Registered Early Childhood Educator, graduates must apply for registration in the College of Early Childhood Education (CECE). Graduates of the ECE program will meet the education requirement for registration. For more information, please visit www.collegeofece.on.ca.

Affiliations and Associations

• Association for Early Childhood Education, Ontario (AECEO)
• Canadian Association for Young Children (CAYC)
• Canadian Child Care Federation (CCCF)
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

Curriculum

The ECEE curriculum is based on an assessment of a number of Bachelor of Education programs for which students will receive Adv. Standings and/or Equivalencies in the following courses to complete the ECE Diploma requirements: EAC 150, ICA 001, Gen Ed (x 3), ECE 110, ECE 113, ECE 114, ECE 116, ECE 209, ECE 213, ECE 214, ECE 215, ECE 310, ECE 312, ECE 315, and ECE 409

Students with BEd programs that differ significantly from those assessed may be required to complete additional courses to complete ECE diploma requirements. These situations will outlined upon acceptance into the ECEE program.

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