Facilitating children`s learning through play.

The 42-week Early Childhood Education Ontario College Diploma program, prepares you to become an educator of children in a variety of early learning settings. Gain the knowledge and skills necessary to work with families and other professionals to support children`s learning and development.

This program provides you with the ability to create, implement and assess play-based curricula while building stimulating child-centred environments.

Benefit from both theoretical and hands-on learning opportunities. You have three field placements during the program that focus on children from birth to age 12. These real-world experiences allow you to integrate theory with professional practice in early learning programs.

You assist in providing guidance to children while planning, implementing and evaluating programs. Through your placements, you gain valuable hands-on skills and experience to help you understand the diverse roles, settings and responsibilities of an Early Childhood Educator.

Upon graduation, you are eligible to register with the College of Early Childhood Educators (CECE). Registration with the CECE is required to be eligible to work as an Early Childhood Educator in Ontario.

SUCCESS FACTORS

This program is well-suited for students who:

• Enjoy working with children and their families.
• Have strong observational and analytical skills.
• Enjoy working as a member of a team.
• Have strong language (oral and written) skills.
• Are self-reliant and enjoy challenges.
• Are interested in child development and teaching children through play.
• Are comfortable using computers and other forms of technology.
• Have effective interpersonal skills.

Early childhood education is a physically demanding profession. Individuals entering this profession must be able to lift children, materials and equipment (up to 32kgs). As well, individuals must be able to run/move quickly between areas in the room and outside in order to ensure children`s safety. In addition, educators must constantly observe children to ensure safety and to assess children`s abilities, skills and interest in order to develop meaningful curricula. Entering the program without these abilities may result in unsuccessful field placements and students who are unsuccessful in placements are not eligible to graduate.

Careers

Graduates may find professional employment opportunities as educators in early learning and care programs (infant, toddler, preschool, school-age), nursery schools, resource and Ontario Early Years Centres, full-day kindergartens, programs run by community health agencies and as home child care advisors. Opportunities in entrepreneurial areas (e.g. marketing of educational toys/books/materials consulting) are emerging.

Graduates are required to register with the College of Early Childhood Educators to be eligible to apply for jobs within the profession.

Pathways

Please note: There may be more pathways available for this program than are listed here. Please use our Pathways search tool to see every option.

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. Create learning contexts to enable, build and maintain caring, responsive relationships in partnerships with children, families and communities that value and respect social, cultural and linguistic diversity including Indigenous peoples` worldviews and Francophone identity.
2. Co-create, facilitate and reflect upon inquiry and play-based early years and child care programs and pedagogical approaches to support children`s learning, holistic development and well-being following children`s capabilities, interests, ideas and experiences.
3. Co-design and maintain inclusive early learning environments to value and support equitable, accessible and meaningful learning opportunities for all children, their families and communities in a range of early years and child care settings.
4. Collaborate with children, families, colleagues, agencies and community partners to create, maintain, evaluate and promote safe and healthy early learning environments to support independence, reasonable risk-taking and healthy development and well-being.
5. Use observation strategies to identify children`s strengths and challenges and to ascertain when children and families might benefit from additional support or community resources.
6. Use professional communication in interactions with children, families, colleagues, employers, the regulatory body, government authorities and children`s service agencies to meet legal and ethical standards of the early years sector.
7. Act in accordance with relevant legislation, regulations, College of Early Childhood Educators Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, agency policies and procedures and principles of evidence-informed practice and reflect upon their impact on one`s own role in early years and child care settings.
8. Identify, report and document when a child is in a situation of perceived risk for, or actual neglect or abuse, in accordance with legislation, the College of Early Childhood Educators Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, policies and procedures.
9. Create and engage in partnerships with families, communities, colleagues, inter-disciplinary professionals, authorities and child service agencies to advocate for quality early years and child care programs and services.
10. Engage in reflective practice and continuous professional learning in accordance with principles of lifelong learning, evidence-informed practices in the early years sector and requirements of the College of Early Childhood Educators.
11. Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

Application Information

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Program Code 0430X04FPM

Applications to full-time day programs must be submitted with official transcripts showing completion of the academic admission requirements through:

ontariocolleges.ca
60 Corporate Court
Guelph, Ontario N1G 5J3
1-888-892-2228

Students currently enrolled in an Ontario secondary school should notify their Guidance Office prior to their online application at www.ontariocolleges.ca.

Applications for Fall Term and Winter Term received by February 1 will be given equal consideration. Applications received after February 1 will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis as long as places are available.

International applicants please visit this link for application process information: https://algonquincollege.force.com/myACint/.

For further information on the admissions process, contact:

Registrar`s Office
Algonquin College in the Ottawa Valley
1 College Way
Pembroke, ON K8A 0C8
Local: 613-735-4700
Toll-free 1-800-565-4723
TTY: 1-866-620-3845
Fax: 613-735-4739
https://algonquincollege.com/pembroke

Program Resources

This 42-week, non-semestered, full-time day program is offered at the Perth and Pembroke campuses. It is also offered at the Woodroffe campus as a two-year program. While the learning outcomes at the Perth, Pembroke and Woodroffe campuses are the same, the curriculum order and subject delivery are reflective of the local circumstances, which can affect program delivery.

Algonquin College also offers the entire Early Childhood Education program full-time online and on a part-time basis through AC Online. For information, please visit www.algonquincollege.com/online.

PRACTICE TEACHING ELIGIBILITY

Police Records Check for Service with the Vulnerable Sector (PRCSVS):
Successful completion of placement is a requirement for graduation from the Early Childhood Education program. Agencies that provide placement opportunities require you to have a clear PRCSVS. If you register in the program without a clear PRCSVS and as a result are unable to participate in placement, you will not be eligible to graduate.

To be eligible for placement, you must submit proof of a current, clear PRCSVS, which will be retained on your department file and used for purposes related to your practice teaching. You must provide the PRCSVS prior to the deadline identified by the department and are responsible for any associated costs.

Immunizations:
Students must provide evidence of full and complete immunizations, including Hepatitis B vaccine and a recent two-step TB test. Algonquin College Health Services will review the student`s record of immunization and provide authorization for entry into practice teaching. Some practice teaching agencies may require the influenza vaccine.

Standard First Aid and CPR-C:
A current Standard First Aid and CPR Level C certificate is required prior to placement.

Transportation and Hours:
Students complete three field placements. These placements are assigned by faculty with an emphasis on having students experience different programs during their program of study. Placements are arranged in blocks of three, five and six weeks. Students are responsible for their transportation to and from placement. Hours vary from centre to centre. Students may be starting as early as 6:00 a.m. and ending as late as 6:00 p.m., students are expected to follow the daily schedule of their onsite supervisor.

Academics Links:
Graduates of the Early Childhood Education Ontario College Diploma program may choose to pursue further education through articulation agreements with the University of Ottawa and Carleton University.