300

Students will gain an in-depth understanding of development and learning of children from prenatal to age three. This course will look at brain development during these critical ages/stages of development. Biological and environmental risk factors that can impact development will also be explored, including health/safety/nutrition considerations. Pre-requisite(s): ECE 200. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

This course provides students with both theory and application practices around creating a healthy and safe environment for infants and toddlers. Students will explore the role of the teacher in the learning environment that promotes wellness which include relationship-based care models of practice. Concepts around the application and usages of therapeutic play will also be explored. Pre-requisite(s): ECE 200 and ECE 301. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

This course builds competency for successful advocacy on behalf of children, families, and practitioners in the field. Participants learn a systematic approach that includes understanding and researching an issue, preparing materials and organizing meetings, and strategic follow up reinforcing outcomes. Advocacy organizations, local collaborations, and community system building will be reviewed for inclusive and cost-effective services for children and families. Students will learn about the current policy landscape and advocacy efforts needed to ensure families have access to high quality child care and learning experiences for young children. Pre-requisite(s): None Co-requisite(s): None 5 quarter hours

This course engages participants in a structured opportunity to use knowledge gained from attendance at Leadership Connections to inspire and document program improvements. Participants will reflect on the knowledge, experience, and insight gained from the conference. These reflections will promote program-wide quality improvement actions that are aligned with the Illinois Director Credential. Conference activities include attendance at sessions related to leadership competencies. Post-conference activities include reflections, quality improvement plans, documentation portfolios, and project work within a competency domain. This course fosters a community of program administrators working to create cultures of continuous quality improvement. Pre-requisite(s): None 3 quarter hours

In this course participants examine their leadership role in their early childhood programs and are introduced to a model of facilitative leadership as a way to empower staff to support shared decision making. Participants identify effective employment practices that will help them find and keep the right people for available jobs and their organizations. Participants are introduced to a comprehensive model for supervising staff and promoting their ongoing professional development based on recognizing and appreciating individual differences. Participants develop and practice the necessary skills to nurture a positive work climate that promotes peak performance. Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 1-5 quarter hours

In this course participants learn about the components of effective management including: systems and the importance of systems thinking; stakeholder analysis and management; the strategic planning process; how policies, procedures, and systems are interconnected; and tools for taking charge of program operations. Participants understand how to manage a fiscally responsible early childhood business and be introduced to effective budgeting and accounting. Participants develop the skills needed to promote a positive public image. Participants learn how to create environments that welcome and support the learning of children and adults, as well as promote their health and safety. Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 1-5 quarter hours

In this course participants learn to support young children's development and learning by understanding the interactive environment, the advantages of different groupings and staffing patterns, and continuity of care. Participants learn how to implement developmentally appropriate early childhood curriculum and the importance of observation and child assessment in achieving program goals. Participants explore the early childhood administrator's role in creating family partnerships, promoting an appreciation of diversity, and nurturing open communication. Participants explore importance of program evaluation and learn how to implement continuous quality improvement - the leadership practice of assessing needs, defining desired outcomes, developing an action plan, and evaluating effectiveness. Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 1-5 quarter hours

This course is an intensive investigation into curriculum and program design for infant and toddler settings. Special attention will be paid to cultural, individual, and developmentally responsive curricular strategies for typical and atypical children. Foundational assessment strategies, including observation methods and organizational approaches to gain knowledge of young children, and their familial and social contexts are also included. There will be a special focus on evidence-based practices that are responsive to the unique developmental trajectories and contexts of infants and toddlers. Twenty hours of field work are required for this course. Pre-requisite(s): ECE 200 and ECE 301. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

Students in this course will apply theory, materials, and the Illinois State Board of Education Early Learning Standards for teaching language arts, literacy, art, music/movement, math, science, social studies, health, and safety to instructional methods for children ages three to five. Play and the active and constructive nature of learning will be emphasized. An integrated unit, addressing all content areas, will be developed. Students will also examine the implications of planning an integrated methodology with ELL children and those that have special needs. Fifty field experience hours in a preschool classroom are required for this course. Pre-requisite(s): ECE 200. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

This course will introduce students to the fundamentals of early language and literacy development, and their connection to one another. Students will learn the importance of planning a curriculum that includes emergent literacy at its core as well as how to incorporate activities that strengthen early language and literacy development, based on the five domains of language development. Typical and atypical development will be explored in addition to differentiated early literacy instruction as well as strategies for including families. Twenty five hours in an appropriate setting are required for this class. Pre-requisite(s): EDU 300. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

Participants will examine the components of a high-quality family child care enterprise through the lens of a business owner and educator. Participants will have an opportunity to develop a family child care business or quality improvement plan aligned with their mission statement, cultivate healthy environments for children and families, explore advocacy skills and techniques for creating a professional image, and pursue standards aligned with the national family child care Administration Scale and self-reflection and/or evaluation of a family child care program. Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 1-5 quarter hours

This course is an introduction to providing age appropriate and positive guidance to young children in a variety of early childhood settings. An emphasis will be made on ways practitioners can encourage prosocial behaviors through understanding social and emotional development, emerging sense of self and self-esteem as well as ages and stages of development in the context of appropriate behaviors at each age range for individual children within group care. Early childhood theoretical foundations will be explored as well as the role of family, environment, curriculum, culture and considerations for children who have special needs. Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

This course takes a relationship-based, developmental approach to using observation and information about the child to perform assessments of infant/toddler behavior within identified contexts. The development of collaborative relationships with families to share in the information is central to the course. Students gain experience in screening and authentic assessment, including the appropriate use of standardized tests and criterion-referenced tools. Also examined is the potential for various interventions and improving outcomes for children and their families. Teacher candidates will research and evaluate current intervention programs, and will investigate the impact of intervention programs within families, child care programs and communities. Twenty-five hours of field work is required for this course. Pre-requisite(s): ECE 200 and ECE 301. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

This course provides the student with an overview of the ways culture impacts the development for infants and toddlers. Students focus on the ability to form healthy working relationships with the families of infants and toddlers across a range of cultures. Included is an investigation into the meaning of various child-rearing behaviors, cultural practices and how they relate to parental expectations and cultural traditions to develop culturally appropriate practices. Students will explore what it means to be culturally responsive when working as an infant/toddler early educator. Twenty-five field hours are required for this course. Pre-requisite(s): ECE 200 and ECE 301. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

In this course, students will examine the different aspects of multicultural learning, including the dilemmas of teaching children in an ever changing and diverse world. Also explored will be differences, divisions, and inequities related to race, class, culture, gender, sexual orientation, ability and disabilities. Through readings, discussions and learning through interactions with current experts in the field, students will create a vision for what schools, families and communities can accomplish by working together to develop and support diverse, culturally responsive programs. Twenty-five field hours in an early childhood classroom are required for this course. Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

This advanced course takes students through the entire ECE business start-up process by analyzing and understanding entrepreneurial behavior and traits, discovering new ideas and business opportunities, creating a full business plan, and pitching the business idea to potential investors or resource providers. Distinctions between family child care and center based ECE programming will be made, along with the unique rules and regulations that shape both of these program types. Students will explore factors which contribute to entrepreneurial success and failure, and apply knowledge gathered from other disciplines to create a complete business plan for a new early childhood program or an expansion of an existing program. Twenty-five field hours are required for this class. Pre-requisite(s): ECE 311, ECE 312, and ECE 313. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours