Early Care and Education (Birth to Second Grade)

Associate Degree Program

You will learn how to implement developmentally appropriate practices based on state standards. You will also participate in practicum activities in public and private school systems and gain hands-on experience at the Delaware Tech Child Development Center. You will develop lesson plans that are sensitive to diversity and establish and maintain safe environments and programs for early childhood children. This program is approved and accredited by the Delaware Department of Education.

Offered at the following campus(es): Dover, Georgetown, Wilmington

What You Can Do

Delaware Tech's Early Care and Education Birth to Second Grade degree will prepare you to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete your bachelor's degree and become certified to teach in grades Kindergarten to Second.

• Preschool teacher
• Child care center director
• Head Start teacher
• Early childhood curriculum coordinator
• Home/child care provider
• School age program supervisor

Delaware Tech's Early Care and Education Birth to Second Grade degree will prepare you to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete your bachelor's degree and become certified to teach in grades Kindergarten to Second.

Note: The State of Delaware requires student teaching hours or equivalent supervised experience to qualify for employment.

What You Will Learn

Program Graduate Competencies

The Program Graduate Competencies listed below identify the major learning goals related to your specific program of study and identify the knowledge and skills you will have when you graduate to be successful in your chosen field.

1. Implement developmentally appropriate practices based on theories, norms and milestones associated with development in early childhood.
2. Communicate information about student learning and behaviors in a collaborative manner with school, family and community members.
3. Plan developmentally appropriate curriculum for quality infant/toddler, preschool and kindergarten through second grade programs in multicultural settings.
4. Maintain a healthy, safe environment for children by following licensing requirements and legal issues affecting Early Childhood programs.
5. Apply knowledge of the physical, social, emotional, cognitive and language development of birth to second grade children in a classroom setting.
6. Access and implement educational technology.

Core Curriculum Competencies

The Core Curriculum Competencies listed below identify what you will be able to do as a graduate, regardless of your program of study. You will acquire these core competencies through general education courses and program-specific coursework. You will be expected to use relevant technology to achieve these outcomes:

1. Apply clear and effective communication skills.
2. Use critical thinking to solve problems.
3. Collaborate to achieve a common goal.
4. Demonstrate professional and ethical conduct.
5. Use information literacy for effective vocational and/or academic research.
6. Apply quantitative reasoning and/or scientific inquiry to solve practical problems.

Suggested Pathway to Graduation

Pursuing a Bachelor's Degree?

This is a Connected Degree program that enables you to complete your associate degree and then transfer to a four-year degree program as a junior. See a program advisor for details!

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