PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This is a two year program. Year one students focus on developing skills needed to teach and manage a preschool program. Hands-on experience three days a week in our Community Preschool program serving 3-5 year-old children from the surrounding community. Students will use the Maine Learning and Developmental Standards to deliver a comprehensive curriculum with the understanding that play is the vehicle for young children’s learning. Student Teachers will complete a case study of an individual child and will demonstrate their ability to use observations to determine developmental readiness. Students will learn the importance of supervision and safety in the classroom, prepare nutritional snacks, and communicate professionally with preschool families. Two days a week are spent in the academic classroom, learning about different types of development and how to best teach young children. Assignments are filed in a portfolio to document student teacher understanding.

Second-year students continue their “hands-on” teaching and learning three days a week in the preschool classroom. The two day academic curriculum uses the Southern Maine Community College course. ECE students are enrolled through the college, and receive 3 college credits for the completion of the course curriculum taught in their Region 10 classroom. Their academic assignments continue to build within their portfolios and once complete, in combination with passing the NOCTI exam, students will be Certified Early Childcare Assistants through the state of Maine.  Students may also participate in a six-eight week Internship Program in which they demonstrate their teaching skills with a Mentor Teacher in a different aged classroom— from birth through third grade.

PROGRAM STATEMENT

A student attending the Early Childhood Education Program for two years will graduate knowing how to support children’s development in a preschool classroom setting and be able to: 

-Develop and engage preschoolers in activities that support the understanding of language and literacy, math, science, creative arts, health and physical and social studies. 

-Guide children in their social and emotional development through their play.

-Help to manage classroom schedule and activities. 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This is a two year program. Year one: Focus on developing skills needed to teach and manage a preschool program. Hands-on experience three days a week in our Community Preschool program serving 3-5 year-old children from the surrounding community. Students will use the Maine Learning and Developmental Standards to deliver a comprehensive curriculum with the understanding that play is the vehicle for young children’s learning. Student Teachers will complete a case study of an individual child and will demonstrate their ability to use observations to determine developmental readiness. Students will learn the importance of supervision and safety in the classroom, prepare nutritional snacks, and communicate professionally with preschool families. Two days a week are spent in the academic classroom, learning about different types of development and how to best teach young children. Assignments are filed in a portfolio to document student teacher understanding.

Second-year students continue their “hands-on” teaching and learning three days a week in the preschool classroom. The two day academic curriculum is centered around a Southern Maine Community College course taught by Mrs. Milbourne. ECE students are enrolled through the college, and receive 3 college credits for the completion of the course curriculum taught in their Region 10 classroom. Their academic assignments continue to build within their portfolios and once complete, in combination with passing the NOCTI exam, students will be Certified Early Childcare Assistants through the state of Maine.  Students may also participate in a six-eight week Internship Program in which they demonstrate their teaching skills with a Mentor Teacher in a different aged classroom—birth through third grade.

PROGRAM STATEMENT

A student attending the Early Childhood Education Program for two years will graduate knowing how to support children’s development in a preschool classroom setting and be able to: 

-Develop and engage preschoolers in activities that support the understanding of language and literacy, math, science, creative arts, health and physical and social studies. 

-Guide children in their social and emotional development through their play.

-Help to manage classroom schedule and activities. 

► Healthy and Safe Environment

► Child Development

► Relationships with Families

► Observing and Assessing

► Individual and Cultural Diversity

►Developmentally Appropriate Practice

► Guiding Behavior

► Developing Curriculum Using Maine
Developmental and Learning Standards

►Business and Professional Development

►Professional Practice

Maine Certified Industry Standards(CIP 19.0709)

Maine DOE – Early Childhood Education

Textbooks & Reference Materials:

https://www.g-wonlinetextbooks.com/working-with-young-children-2012/5

https://www.amazon.com/Effective-Practices-Early-Childhood

COLLEGE PARTNERS

  SMCC: Southern Maine
Community College