Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.)
and Technical Certificate
TBR Common Curriculum Program of Study Summary
College: TBR Community Colleges, including TN-eCampus
Academic Program Inventory Title:
A.A.S. in Early Childhood Education
Catalog Program Title, including Concentration: A.A.S. in Early Childhood Education (no concentrations)
CIP codes: SOC code: SOC 1: 9011.00
Actual CIP code: 3.1210
Program Description, including Program Outcomes:
The A.A.S. in Early Childhood Education prepares the student for a career in child care and early education. The program includes both educational theory and the practical application of learning. Graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills to deliver appropriate programming for young children (birth through age 8) and their families.
Public School Teacher certification in the state of Tennessee requires a baccalaureate degree. Although many of these courses will count toward certification, students interested in certification must consult with their advisor.
Program outcomes for the A.A.S. degree in Early Childhood Education are based on the Standards for Professional Preparation of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The Program Outcomes include:
- PLO 1: Promoting child development and learning,
- PLO 2: Building family/teacher and community connections,
- PLO 3: Observing, documenting, and assessing to support young children and families,
- PLO 4: Using developmentally appropriate practices,
- PLO 5: Using content knowledge to build meaningful curriculum, and
- PLO 6: Becoming a professional.
The Standards for Professional Preparation of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) are:
STANDARD 1 Child Development and Learning in Context
Early Childhood Educators
(a) are grounded in an understanding of the developmental period of early childhood from birth through age 8 across developmental domains.
(b) understand each child as an individual with unique developmental variations.
(c) understand that children learn and develop within relationships and within multiple contexts, including families, cultures, languages, communities, and society.
(d) use this multidimensional knowledge to make evidence-based decisions about how to carry out their responsibilities.
STANDARD 2 Family-Teacher Partnerships and Community Connections
Early childhood educators understand that successful early childhood education depends upon educators’ partnerships with the families of the young children they serve. They
(a) know about, understand, and value the diversity in family characteristics.
(b) use this understanding to create respectful, responsive, reciprocal relationships with families and to engage with them as partners in their young children’s development and learning.
(c) use community resources to support young children’s learning and development and to support children’s families, and they build connections between early learning settings, schools, and community organizations and agencies.
STANDARD 3 Child Observation, Documentation, and Assessment
Early childhood educators
(a) understand that the primary purpose of assessments is to inform instruction and planning in early learning settings.
(b) know how to use observation, documentation, and other appropriate assessment approaches and tools.
(c) use screening and assessment tools in ways that are ethically grounded and developmentally, culturally, ability, and linguistically appropriate to document developmental progress and promote positive outcomes for each child.
(d) Build assessment partnerships with families and professional colleagues.
STANDARD 4 Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching Practices
Early childhood educators understand that teaching and learning with young children is a complex enterprise, and its details vary depending on children’s ages and characteristics and on the settings in which teaching and learning occur. They
(a) understand and demonstrate positive, caring, supportive relationships and interactions as the foundation for their work with young children.
(b) understand and use teaching skills that are responsive to the learning trajectories of young children and to the needs of each child.
(c) use a broad repertoire of developmentally appropriate and culturally and linguistically relevant, anti-bias, and evidence-based teaching approaches that reflect the principles of universal design for learning.
STANDARD 5 Knowledge, Application, and Integration of Academic Content in the Early Childhood Curriculum
Early childhood educators have knowledge of the content of the academic disciplines (e.g., language and literacy, the arts, mathematics, social studies, science, technology and engineering, physical education) and of the pedagogical methods for teaching each discipline.
(a) understand the central concepts, the methods and tools of inquiry, and the structures in each academic discipline.
(b) understand pedagogy, including how young children learn and process information in each discipline, the learning trajectories for each discipline, and how teachers use this knowledge to inform their practice.
(c) apply this knowledge using early learning standards and other resources to make decisions about spontaneous and planned learning experiences and about curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation to ensure that learning will be stimulating, challenging, and meaningful to each child.
STANDARD 6 Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator
Early childhood educators
(a) identify and participate as members of the early childhood profession. They serve as informed advocates for young children, for the families of the children in their care, and for the early childhood profession.
(b) know and use ethical guidelines and other early childhood professional guidelines.
(c) have professional communication skills that effectively support their relationships and work with young children, families, and colleagues.
(d) are continuous, collaborative learners.
(e) develop and sustain the habit of reflective and intentional practice in their daily work with young children and as members of the early childhood profession.
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