Early Childhood Studies Explores a Career in Teaching and Program Coordination

Do you have a passion for teaching or working with young children? If you think you have the energy to take on the task, then you must acquire the right mindset, skills, and knowledge to become an Early Childhood Educator. Early childhood studies can enhance your outlook on childhood development, and practice on your patience, empathy, and other traits, while training you to be a competent and skilled Early Childhood professional.

Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) can be found in different job settings where infants, toddlers, and young children are found. Elementary schools, community centres, and child care centres in Toronto hire ECEs to manage early learning programs. Here is what students can expect in their career:

• Collaborate with the teachers and staff to plan and implement educational programs to support and encourage progressive development of children
• Supervising a group of children during the program, school time, extra-curricular activities, and field trips
• Organize classroom and workshop sessions to stimulate learning activities and ensure a clean and safe place for playing and learning
• Preparing nutritious snacks for the children, keeping in mind any allergies and intolerances
• Monitoring and assessing a child's development, supporting them as needed, and completing reports and parental interviews when required
• Knowledgeable of the Day Nurseries Act and organization's policies and mandate
• Physically and emotionally demanding

With the capacity of child care centre Toronto offers, employers are seeking the graduates from accredited early childhood programs in Ontario's educational system. Postsecondary students can complete such program within two years while gaining sufficient working experience to apply in the profession and complete day-to-day activities with confidence. Centennial College offers the Early Childhood Education program located at Progress Campus.

In anticipation of the extensive workload of Early Childhood workers, Centennial prepares their students to meet the profession's demands with the right knowledge, skills, and industry practices. The Early Childhood Education program at Centennial College teaches each student the following learning outcomes:

• Students will learn each process in becoming a third teacher. First, they must understand the stages in child development and how internal and external factors will a child's growth. They will get hands-on practice in creating, developing, and executing various programs that will children learn and grow.
• Children are very dependent on adults to lead them and help them with daily activities. Students must be mindful of every child and must have keen eye on details. Additionally, a child's welfare is the student's top priority, especially when it comes to health and safety concerns. Students will learn to identify and respond to health and safety needs of children.
• In order to communicate effectively with parents and guardians, ECE students need to learn to collaborate with them for the benefits of the children. They will learn to empathize and become understanding of parental perspectives and provide recommendations to help parents enhance their relationships with their children.
• Early childhood educators are advocates of a child's well-being, and they are to be knowledgeable on trends, policies, and laws surrounding children and childcare. Students learn relevant legislation and procedures as well as the issues that affect children. Furthermore, they are trained to be watchful of signs of child abuse and the process to take if it is suspected.
• Students will apply their knowledge to field placements, where they will gain experience with children of all ages and levels, including infants, school-aged children, and children with special needs.

Centennial College prepares future Early Childhood Educators to support the ever-changing needs of a child and to anticipate and solve problems. The Early Childhood Education program provides in-depth academic and practical training, with the foundations of childhood development, exercises in program planning, and three separate field placements. Graduates were hired in various work environments, including in elementary schools, kindergarten programs, community programs, and daycares.