Dec 11, 2024  
2023-2024 College Catalog 
    
2023-2024 College Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Early Childhood, A.A.S.


Associate in Applied Science
HEGIS #5503
Department Chairperson: Dr. Elizabeth Yanoff
Higbee Hall, Room 109, (518) 629-7250

The Early Childhood program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Conceptual Framework

The Hudson Valley Community College’s Early Childhood Education A.A.S. program is committed to preparing sensitive, caring, reflective, and considerate students who are academically strong, pedagogically skilled, and culturally responsive to the needs of diverse learners within a global society.

We believe that students should demonstrate a strong foundation and knowledge of typical and atypical child development by modeling attitudes and beliefs which reflect socioeconomic and cultural sensitivity, consideration of others, and flexibility when working with children, adults, coworkers, community members, and families within a global context and in diverse settings.

We believe students should demonstrate developmentally appropriate best teaching practices in a culturally responsive, inclusive, adaptive, and interactive learning environment. Each student should maintain a professional demeanor in which the student displays a positive, appropriate approach toward children and learning which demonstrates an awareness of each child’s diverse learning needs and is consistent with the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct.

Our daily teaching practices are grounded in these beliefs and values which we strive to nurture within ourselves as well as in our students.

All of the department’s courses reflect the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s standards. A more detailed overview of the standards can be found on our website.

The Early Childhood program provides students the opportunity to explore the foundations of education and child development in a culturally sensitive, inclusive, and interactive environment. Students acquire knowledge about curriculum content, models of instruction, educational theory, and best practices which enable them to enter the workforce in an early childhood program or continue their education in a four-year baccalaureate program in teacher education. The program emphasizes direct work with children: students spend one day each week during their first year, and two days per week during their second year, in early childhood and primary settings within the local community. This field experience takes place under the supervision of a college faculty member.

Applicants for this program should be aware that Early Childhood Education requires enthusiastic performance and sensitivity toward the diverse needs of children. The department requires that all students sign and adhere to a set of technical standards as they progress through the program. Graduates will find that their developed competence in interacting with children will be very rewarding both in their employment as child-serving professionals, and in their lifelong associations with children in their family and social environments. Please note that, although finger printing is not required for admittance into the program, many child care centers and schools may require this for the field based practicum. In addition, all those who seek employment working with children and seek certification will be required to complete the finger printing process. Any individual with a criminal record may not find gainful employment in the field.

At the discretion of the department chair and departmental approval, practicing early childhood professionals in an early childhood, head start or elementary school setting may apply and request use of their place of employment as their student teaching placement. 

A number of courses in the Early Childhood curriculum are suitable for students interested in pursuing careers in teacher education from grades 1-12. Students should contact the Center for Careers and Transfer to discuss their transfer plans.

Please note: EDUC 100  and EDUC 110  require 30 hours of unsupervised field observations. EDUC 108  requires 15 hours of unsupervised field observations.

Students enrolled in a field course (ECCE 122 ECCE 123 ECCE 226 ECCE 227 ) may be required to submit to the center, school or agency any one of the following documents: copy of a recent TB test, background check, finger printing document and/or secure personal and/or professional references. 

Students employed at a licensed and/or credentialed child-care or school setting that are enrolled in ECCE 122  , ECCE 123  , ECCE 226  , ECCE 227  , or ECCE 290  may be approved for a work exchange placement. Students are required to meet with the Department Chair to determine eligibility as well as complete required paperwork.

It is possible to pursue some of the Early Childhood associate’s degree through online and evening coursework. 

Program Entrance Requirements

Courses Entry Term Special Notes H.S. Average
Algebra or 1 unit of equivalent academic math Fall and Spring A 2.0 GPA is required for transfer. Additional social science or humanities recommended. 70 or above

See Technical Standards for Admission, Promotion and Graduation for the Education Department.

The estimated cost of books for the student enrolled in the first full-time term as outlined would be approximately $695.

Total Credits Required: 60


(1) Elective as Advised Credits: 3


Electives may be selected from any unrestricted credit course with advisor approval to meet the educational goals researched by the student.

Recommended courses:

ECCE 201 Ethics and Leadership in Early Care and Education Credits:3
ECCE 213 Early Intervention and Autism in the Young Child Credits: 3
ECCE 214 Introduction to Administration of Early Childhood Programs Credits: 3
EDUC 215 Introduction to Assistive Technology Credits: 3
EDUC 216 Inclusive Learning Learning Desgin Credits: 3
EDUC 217 Technology in the Classroom Credits: 3
HLTH 152 First Aid Credits: 2
HLTH 135 Self Improvement Credits:1
HLTH 130 Creating Healthy Relationships Credits: 1
HLTH 170 Health and Wellness Promotion Credits: 2

(2) Mathematics Elective Credits: 3


Course must be designated as both “SUNY General Education Mathematics” and “HVCC Liberal Arts and 
Sciences Mathematics” course. Recommend MATH 125 .

 

(3) Science Elective Credits: 3


Course must be a lab science and designated as both a “SUNY General Education Natural Science” and as a “HVCC Liberal Arts and Sciences Science” course. Recommend PHYS 101  or BIOL 105 .

 

Total Credits Required: 60


Suggested Course Sequence for Full-Time Study


Technical Standard for Admission, Promotion and Graduation for the Education Department


Technical Standards are non-academic criteria used in the admission, promotion and graduation of students. Technical Standards are published, discipline-specific essentials critical for the safe and reasonable practice of teaching. Technical Standards are a concrete statement of the minimum physical, sensory/motor, communication, behavioral/social, mental/emotional and environmental requirements for normal and safe professional performance within a given area. They are intended to inform the prospective student/professional of the attributes, characteristics and abilities essential to the teaching profession. Professional competency is the summation of many cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills. The college has a moral and ethical responsibility to select, educate and certify competent and safe students and practitioners. Children’s health and safety is the sole benchmark against which the college measures all performance requirements, including the Technical Standards addressed in this document.

Students enrolled in the Early Childhood A.A.S. program within the Education and Social Sciences Department must demonstrate numerous competencies representing all three learning domains: cognitive, psychomotor and affective. Students learn, practice and verify these competencies in a number of settings, including within the college classroom, and the field-based early childhood and primary classroom settings.

To achieve the required competencies in the program, students must perceive, assimilate and integrate information from a variety of sources. These sources include oral instruction, printed material, visual media and live demonstrations. Students must participate in classroom discussions, give oral reports and pass written computer-based examinations of various formats. The completion of these tasks requires cognitive skills, such as reading, writing and problem-solving. To be physically capable of the classroom work, students must be able to see, hear and speak well enough to understand information and to be understood by others with reasonable accommodations. Classrooms and field-based settings provide students with the opportunity to systematically observe and record children’s growth and development, observe teaching in action, participate in the daily routines in the classrooms and implement lesson plans as indicated. In addition to the cognitive skills required in the classroom, students must demonstrate psychomotor skills in interaction with children, as well as general professional behaviors such as team-building and interpersonal communication. To satisfy course requirements, students must perform all activities in a professional manner. This requires high levels of cognitive, perceptual and psychomotor functions. A candidate for the Early Childhood program within the Education and Social Sciences Department must have abilities, attributes and skills in five major areas: 1) observation 2) communication 3) motor skills 4) intellectual, including conceptual, integrative and quantitative abilities, and 5) behavioral and social skills. Technological compensation and reasonable accommodations can be made for some disabilities in some of these areas However, a student must be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner with or without accommodations.

Observation:

Candidates and students must have sufficient vision to be able to observe demonstrations, experiments and laboratory exercises in the college classroom and field based classroom. They must be able to observe a child (children) accurately at close range and at a distance.

Communication:

Candidates and students should be able to speak, hear, and observe children in order to elicit information, describe developmental stages and perceive nonverbal communications. They must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with children. Communication includes not only speech but also reading and writing in English. They must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in oral and written formats.

Motor:

Candidates and students should have sufficient motor function to execute movements reasonably required to perform teaching activities and lessons with children. In addition to physical capabilities for classroom work, the field experience requires students to perform fine and gross motor skills. Examples include but are not limited to, lifting children, playing with children, changing diapers and moving briskly between children and instructional areas.

Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities:

These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis and synthesis. Problem-solving, the critical skill demanded of teachers, request all of these intellectual abilities.

Behavioral and Social Attributes:

Candidates and students must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the care of children and the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with children and adults. Candidates and students must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads, adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the field and clinical setting. Children’s classrooms involve application of skills acquired in the classroom setting to actual children in the clinical setting. In addition to the cognitive skills required in those settings, students must demonstrate skills in assessment, reasoning, problem-solving, synthesizing and troubleshooting.

Failure to meet these standards may result in dismissal from the program. Candidates are urged to ask questions about the program’s technical standards for clarification and to determine whether they can meet the requirements with or without reasonable accommodation. Questions may be directed to the director of the Center for Access and Assistive Technology at Hudson Valley Community College. Revealing a disability is voluntary; however, such disclosure is necessary for any accommodations to be made in the learning environment or the program’s procedures. Information about disabilities is handled in a confidential manner. If you have a documented disability and require reasonable accommodations to meet the technical standards, please contact the Center for Access and Assistive Technology at (518) 629-7154 or TDD 629-7596.

Please note all information regarding your disability is mailed directly to the Center for Access and Assistive Technology and kept confidential.