What You Will Learn
The Associate of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education at CCM is an excellent starting point for those pursuing teacher certification. Students can transfer to earn a Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Education and/or Elementary Education. This foundation prepares students to become preK-3 and/or K-6 teachers in public and private sectors. Many students also elect to pursue Special Education Certification upon transfer. Early Childhood Education is a multidisciplinary field. Candidates develop theoretical and practical knowledge in areas such as child development, humanities, mathematics, technology, social sciences, biological sciences, the arts and multicultural/global perspectives.
Curriculum
The Early Childhood Education program at CCM includes a 27-credit core with courses such as Child Psychology, Educational Psychology, Early Childhood Development, Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning, Effective Preschool Practices, Teaching In America, Behavioral Observation in Education, Psychology and Education of the Disabled and Music in Early Childhood.
All students in the Early Childhood Education program need to complete 300 hours of field experience. This is a requirement for the State of New Jersey Group Teacher approval and to be eligible for permanent employment within the internship hours.
Careers in the Field
This degree program prepares students to pursue the following careers in a P-3 and K-6 environment and is an excellent starting point towards Teacher Certification.
- Assistant Teacher
- Before and After Care Teacher
- Childcare Teacher
- Head Start/ Early Head Start Teacher
- Kindergarten – Grade 6 Teacher
- Paraprofessional/Aid
- Preschool Teacher
- Special Education Teacher
- Substitute Teacher
Why Study Child and Family Studies at CCM?
The Early Childhood Program provides outstanding instruction and experiential learning to prepare students for advanced study and childhood related careers in a diverse and changing world. The curriculum includes 300 hours of field experience which is aligned with state and national standards and blends academic and professional preparation in a wide variety of courses. Courses are interactive with small class size, and offer face-to-face, evening, hybrid and online options.
CCM faculty are affiliated with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), New Jersey Association for Early Childhood Teacher Educators and the National Association for Teacher Educators at an Associate Level (ACCESS).
Where You Can Go
Graduates with an A.S. in Early Childhood Education from CCM benefit from New Jersey’s Statewide Transfer Agreement. This means that the general education requirements will be waived at New Jersey public colleges and universities, allowing students to transfer in with junior standing. In addition, many out-of-state institutions also accept CCM credits.
CCM Early Childhood Education students frequently transfer to the following colleges and universities.
In State:
- Montclair State University
- Ramapo College
- Rowan University
- William Paterson University
Out of State:
- East Stroudsburg University, PA
- Florida International University, FL
- George Mason University, VA
Paying for Your Early Childhood Education
Earning an associate degree in early childhood education is a powerful investment that will pay off over the course of your life, in both increased earnings and job satisfaction. But what is the upfront cost, and how do you afford it?
There’s good news: Money is available to help you pay for school! Our Financial Aid staff can provide lots of information about the process of finding funds to help pay for your education.
Featured Courses
Early Childhood Development
This course studies the growth and development of the child from birth through age eight. It will cover a variety of factors that influence child development such as diversity, culture, health, economic and family environment. Also, it provides an overview of the major theorists in the field of human development. There will be discussion regarding these theorists’ contributions to understanding how children grow and learn.
Effective Preschool Practices
This course studies effective, practical, research-based methods for developing preschool teachers. Course content is aligned with the national competency standards for the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential. It will cover the essentials of planning a safe environment, advancing children’s development, building family partnerships, program operations, professional development, authentic assessment, and principles of developmentally appropriate learning. Attention will also be given to current research on brain development in young children, designing the learning environment, professional ethics, and cultural competence.
Behavior Observation in Education
This course uses weekly seminars and 30 hours of field experience in public schools to integrate theory and classroom observations in order for prospective teachers to understand curriculum development and instructional methods. Aspiring teachers learn how to use descriptive research methods to gain insight into the instructional needs of learners by observing them in their natural classroom settings. Armed with this experiential knowledge, students will use the seminar to report and discuss their observed findings, as well as relate this practical information to the theories of curriculum development and instructional strategies.
