Course description
The Associate of Applied Science in Early Care Education-Administration Emphasis is designed to prepare individuals to work as program administrators in early care and education setting. This degree will provide the opportunity for interested individuals to acquire the skills, knowledge and competencies necessary for careers as early care education administrators. For those currently employed in the field, it will provide an opportunity to maintain and/or upgrade their education and training.
Currently in the state of Oklahoma, there are few higher education degrees in the area of early care education and administration. The current performance standards expected of center directors comes from the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, Division of Child Care. The curriculum of this degree program is designed to give students the hands-on training and early care specific business courses to adequately prepare graduates to enter into administration with a wide range of knowledge and skills that will ensure their ability to succeed as a center director.
Course Work
ECEA 1103 PLANNING & IMPLEMENTATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEMS
This course will explain how to plan for and implement administrative systems that effectively carry out an early care program’smission, goals and objectives. In addition, students will receive an overview of the various types of programs available in the early care education field. Students will gain an increased awareness of professionalism, as well as an overview of state regulations, developmentally appropriate practice from the director’s perspective, health and safety issues, state fire code andregulations, Oklahoma’s Reaching for the STARs, environmental rating scales, subsidized child care funding, child and adult care food program (CACFP), national credentialing and accreditation programs. This course is the GATEWAY for all other Early Care Education Administration courses, and should be take prior to OR concurrently with other Early Care Education Administration courses.
ECEA 1113 PERSONNEL SUPERVISION
Covered in this course will be information relating to communication styles and techniques of conflict resolution, knowledge of supervisory and group facilitation styles, and the ability to relate to staff of diverse racial cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The ability to hire, supervise and motivate staff to high levels of performance, as well as develop and implement appropriate staff evaluation tools and disciplinarian steps including termination will be explored. Staffing patterns and scheduling will alsobecovered. Student will develop an Early Care Education Personnel Handbook. Prerequisite: ECEA 1103 or concurrent enrollment.
ECEA 1143 CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY & TRANSPORTATION
This course will encompass the National Standardized Child Passenger Safety Training Program (NSCPSTP). This course will teach individuals the technical skills needed to serve as a child passenger safety technician for their organizations, communities and affiliations. Upon successful completion of this course,individuals will be certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians. In addition, students will participate in the Precision Driving Techniques course at the OSU-Oklahoma City Precision Driving Training Center. This hands-on driving course will teach the principles and techniques used in emergency maneuvers, accident avoidance, evasive steering and emergency stopping. The student is introduced to the causes of vehicle skids, learns how to prevent skids and how to recover from a skid if it is detected early and corrected properly. This course will also include information regarding automobile maintenance/safety checks. Prerequisite: ECEA 1103 or ECEA 1123 or concurrent enrollment.
ECEA 1153 PROGRAM & FACILITIES MANAGEMENT FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES
This course will provide students with an intense study of program and facilities management for family child care homes including, but not limited to, the following topics: staffing for small and large family child care homes –job descriptions/responsibilities, advertising for staff, interviewing, hiring and job orientation, staff professional development training, criteria for substitutes and guidelines for utilizing substitutes; criteria for volunteers and guidelines for utilizing volunteers; STAR requirements for family child care homes; environmental rating scales specific to family child care homes; environmental design, set-up and extended hour care; national accreditation and certification; and the importance of family child care associations. Prerequisite: ECEA 1103.
ECEA 1213 UTILIZATION OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES
This course will teach students how to foster good community relations that directly impact the functioning of the program. Information regarding how different community services function, utilization of those resources to enhance the quality of program care that children are given and connecting parents to thoseresources will be covered. Prerequisite: ECEA 1103 or ECEA 1123 or concurrent enrollment.
ECEA 1223 COMMUNICATION PRACTICES
Covering the fundamental elements of effective written and verbal communication, this course will focus on enhancing interactions with staff, children, families and the community. Student will develop and deliver an early care education presentation, including handouts and visual/technological aides. Marketing, public relations and working with various media entities will also be covered. Prerequisite: ECEA 1103 or concurrent enrollment.
ECEA 2113 CHILD DEVELOPMENT
This course will offer the student an introduction to the most common theories of child development. The child’s physical, cognitive, communication, social and emotional development will be explored.
ECEA 2123 FAMILIES AS PARTNERS IN EARLY CARE EDUCATION
Socialization in a developmental context regarding the child, socialization for high self-esteem in healthy families and socialization in regard to the early care facility/child/family and community are all covered within this course. Student will also explore methods of effectively interacting with families, as well as develop a Family Handbook within this course. Prerequisite: ECEA 1103 or ECEA 1123 or concurrent enrollment.
ECEA 2213 INCLUSION IN EARLY CARE EDUCATION
This course is a study of inclusion within the Early Care Education program: environment, curriculum and interactions with family members while equally serving children with varying physical, emotional, developmental and behavioral needs. Student will study the various characteristics of physical disabilities, whileexploring characteristics of diverse needs of young children. Individualized Education Plans (IEP) and Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) will also be covered. Student will develop ahandbook demonstrating inclusive knowledge and practices within an early care education facility. Prerequisite: ECEA 2113 and ECEA 1103 or ECEA 1123 or concurrent enrollment.
ECEA 2223 LIABILITY, ETHICS & ADVOCACY IN EARLY CARE
A survey course of current liability issues affecting the administration and day-to-day operations of a well-run early care education facility. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Code of Ethical Conduct will be explored and discussed in regard to various ethical issues early care educationprograms face. In addition, advocacy and the role of an early care education advocate including the legislative process will be covered. Prerequisite: ECEA 1103 or ECEA 1123 or concurrent enrollment.
ECEA 2233 CHILD GUIDANCE, BEHAVIOR AND CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
This course will provide students with solid child guidance theories, reinforced with positive strategies that will empower their understanding of the child guidance process. Students will gain the knowledge in developmentally appropriate child guidance, different caregiving styles, specific positive discipline strategies and managing the physical environment effectively. Special topics in child guidance will be covered: children and stress, understanding and management of anger, understanding and guiding aggressive children, guiding children toward a healthy sense of self and self-esteem and the development of prosocial behavior. Students will also explore the development and procedures of behaviorchange within staff members when implementing new guidance procedures. In addition, emphasis will be given to training classroom teachers’ guidance strategies and parent training/support that will affect the everyday classroom setting. Prerequisites: ECEA 2113 and ECEA 1103 or ECEA 1123 or concurrent enrollment.
ECEA 2323 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCE MANAGEMENT
This course is designed to acquaint students with methods of budget planning, development and fiscal control for early care education facility operations. Students will become acquainted with the child care trilemma, as well as explore and develop: utilization factors, annual budgets, monthly budgets, break-even charts, cash flow projections, salary compensation scales, fund-raising and software available for early care education fiscal management. Prerequisites: ECEA 1103 and ECEA 1113 or concurrent enrollment.
ECEA 2353 BASIC BUDGETING AND RECORD KEEPING FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES
This course will provide students with an intense study of basic budgeting and record keeping specific to small and large familycare homes. This course will cover, but is not limited to, the following topics: simple annual line-item budgets, income/expenses, “buck-stretching” techniques and basic financial planning, time/space percentages, salary pay scales, child and adult care food program, DHS child care subsidy program, per child cost, break even analysis, cash flow analysis, children’s attendance,staff attendance, year-end statements and IRS reporting. Prerequisite: ECEA 1103.
ECEA 2413 PRACTICUM
These 150-contact hours of field-based experience will allow students to apply and demonstrate their knowledge of early care administration or master teacher responsibilities. This course will enhance student learning and ensure they are capable of functioning as competent members of an early care education staff. Prerequisite: consent of department head.
ECEA 2513 OCCUPATIONAL PROFICIENCY
Within this course, students will gain a better understanding of the various stressors associated with their professional field as well as explore various methods of stress management for the early care education professional. In addition, this course is designed to evaluate the graduate’s proficiency in the major field of study. Areas to be assessed include communication skills, job interview techniques and various professional competencies. Prerequisite: student must have consent of department head.
CVSS 2113 ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN
Reviews the perspectives on child victimization and will examine several social phenomena such as child abuse/neglect, divorce, media exploitation, war and other catastrophes. The psychological, familial, social, legal and cultural contexts of victimization will be discussed. Prerequisites: CVSS 1103 andCVSS 1113
