Learn to nurture and educate young children from babies through 8 years of age.
Observe, plan, and interact to help shape young minds
Become a competent professional educator. JCCC’s Early Childhood Education curriculum is a fluid process, with course content changing as discoveries are made and society expands. A significant goal is to provide meaningful learning experiences that meet the needs of individual children and families within the community. Your courses include:
- Teaching concepts used in today’s elementary and secondary schools
- Roles and responsibilities of teachers
- General principles of child development
- How to design curriculum and manage a classroom
- Principles of effective teaching techniques for exceptional children, including those with learning disabilities, behavior disorders, or communication disorders
- Child health, safety, and nutrition guidelines
Practice what you learn
JCCC offers many tools and resources to aid in your success of becoming an early childhood education professional. At JCCC, you learn about early childhood education through the lens of DAP (Developmentally Appropriate Practice), which emphasizes families and other community agencies as important entities in a child’s early learning experiences. Both class and lab course content incorporate the DAP model.
Learn from experienced instructors with real-world experience who have worked in early childhood education while also studying child development and the most effective approaches to teaching.
Additionally, our Early Childhood Education Advisory Committee, made up of education professionals and health and wellness experts, provide guidance and community connections to the program.
Thanks to our partnership with the Hiersteiner Child Development Center (HCDC), learning continues outside the classroom. HCDC is our nationally accredited, licensed facility for children of JCCC students, faculty, staff, and the community. The facility provides education and care to young students, while also providing you with real-world experience.
Find your future in Early Childhood Education
With the knowledge and expertise you gain from your Early Childhood Education degree, you can enter the workforce to help children, including as a:
- Lead teacher in a preschool setting or childcare classroom
- Home childcare provider
- Child advocate
Continue your education by earning a bachelor’s degree. Then explore professions such as kindergarten teacher, care center director, or child psychologist. Check out information about salary estimates and job prospects from the U.S. Department of Labor:
Make a seamless transition to a four-year college. Our Transfer Services office can help ensure you meet all the necessary requirements.
Need help with homework? No problem!
JCCC offers small class sizes, helpful resources like FREE tutoring, and one-on-one attention and feedback from your professors, all at low tuition rates.
