Early Childhood Education

The Early Childhood Education curriculum prepares individuals to work with children from birth through eight in diverse learning environments. Students will combine learned theories with practice in actual settings with young children under the supervision of qualified teachers.

Course work includes child growth and development; physical/nutritional needs of children; care and guidance of children; and communication skills with families and children. Students will foster the cognitive/language, physical/motor, social/emotional, and creative development of young children.

Graduates are prepared to plan and implement developmentally appropriate programs in early childhood settings. Employment opportunities include child development and child care programs, preschools, public and private schools, recreational centers, Head Start Programs, and school-age programs.

Learning Outcomes

  • Create environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging based on their knowledge of child development.
  • Create respectful, reciprocal relationships that support and empower families, and involve all families in their children’s development and learning.
  • Use systematic observations, documentation, and other effective assessment strategies in a partnership with families and other professionals to positively influence children’s development.

Contact Information

Image of Melissa Holt
Melissa Holt, MA
Lead Instructor of Early Childhood
Phone: 336-838-6587
mgholt993@wilkescc.edu

Pathways

First Year – Fall Semester

  • ACA 122: College Transfer Success
  • EDU 119: Intro to Early Childhood Education
  • EDU 131: Child, Family, and Community
  • EDU 144: Child Development I
  • ENG 111: Writing and Inquiry
  • PSY 150: General Psychology

First Year – Spring Semester

  • ENG 112: Writing/Research in the Disciplines
  • EDU 145: Child Development II
  • EDU 146: Child Guidance
  • EDU 151: Creative Activities
  • EDU 216: Foundations of Education
  • MAT 143: Quantitative Literacy

Second Year – Fall Semester

  • BIO 110: Principles of Biology
  • EDU 153: Health, Safety, and Nutrition
  • EDU 221: Children with Exceptionalities
  • EDU 234: Infants, Toddlers, and Twos
  • EDU 250: Teacher Licensure Preparation or EDU 261 (if Praxis requirement is met by ACT/SAT scores)
  • PHY 110: Conceptual Physics or CHM 151: General Chemistry
  • PHY 110A: Conceptual Physics Lab

Second Year – Spring Semester

  • COM 231: Public Speaking
  • Humanities/Fine Arts Elective
  • EDU 280: Language/Literacy Experiences
  • EDU 284: Early Child Capstone Practicum
  • Social/Behavioral Science Elective

Minimum Semester Hours: 71

First Year – Fall Semester

  • ACA 115: Success and Study Skills
  • ENG 111: Writing and Inquiry
  • EDU 119: Intro to Early Childhood Education
  • EDU 131: Child, Family, and Community
  • EDU 144: Child Development I
  • PSY 150: General Psychology

First Year – Spring Semester

  • COM 231: Public Speaking
  • EDU 145: Child Development II
  • EDU 146: Child Guidance
  • EDU 151: Creative Activities
  • EDU 184: Early Child Intro Prac
  • MAT 110: Math Measurement or MAT 143: Quantitative Literacy

Second Year – Fall Semester

  • CIS 110: Introduction to Computers or CIS 111: Basic PC Literacy
  • EDU 153: Health, Safety, and Nutrition
  • EDU 221: Children with Exceptionalities
  • EDU 234: Infants, Toddlers, and Twos
  • EDU 261: Early Childhood Admin I
  • Humanities/Fine Arts Elective

Second Year – Spring Semester

  • EDU 280: Language/Literacy Experiences
  • EDU 284: Early Child Capstone Prac
  • EDU 216: Foundations of Education
  • EDU 262: Early Childhood Admin II
  • SOC 213: Sociology of the Family

First Year – Fall Semester

  • ACA 115: Success and Study Skills
  • EDU 119: Intro to Early Childhood Education
  • EDU 131: Child, Family, and Community
  • EDU 144: Child Development I
  • EDU 153: Health, Safety, and Nutrition

First Year – Spring Semester

  • EDU 145: Child Development II
  • EDU 146: Child Guidance
  • EDU 151: Creative Activities
  • EDU 184: Early Child Intro Pract
  • ENG 111: Writing and Inquiry

Second Year – Fall Semester

  • CIS 110: Introduction to Computers or CIS 111: Basic PC Literacy
  • EDU 221: Children with Exceptionalities
  • PSY 150: General Psychology

  • EDU 119: Intro to Early Childhood Education
  • EDU 131: Child, Family and Community
  • EDU 146: Child Guidance
  • EDU 145: Child Development II
  • EDU 153: Health, Safety and Nutrition

  • EDU 119: Intro to Early Childhood Education
  • EDU 131: Child, Family, and Community
  • EDU 144: Child Development I
  • EDU 153: Health, Safety, and Nutrition
  • EDU 234: Infants, Toddlers, and Twos

  • EDU 119: Intro to Early Childhood Education
  • EDU 131: Child, Family, and Community
  • EDU 153: Health, Safety, and Nutrition
  • EDU 261: Early Childhood Admin I
  • EDU 262: Early Childhood Admin II

Technical Standards

The Early Childhood Education program technical standards have been developed to inform students of the nonacademic essential functions of the program and profession. Examples are not all inclusive.

Standard Essential Function Examples
Communication
Oral / Written
  • Skills sufficient to communicate information and ideas so others will understand
  • Communicate effectively and professionally verbally and in written form
  • Communicate with people of all ages
Mobility / Motor Skills
  • Motor skills sufficient to move the hands and use hands to grasp or manipulate objects
  • Mobility sufficient to perform physical activities that require considerable use of arms and legs and moving the whole body
  • Lift children, move furniture, and move equipment
  • Reach and lift above shoulder height
  • Physical activities may include:
    • Bending
    • Lifting
    • Twisting
    • Crouching
  • Move around classroom environments
Physical Strength and Stamina
  • Ability to stand and/or move for extended periods of time
  • Ability sufficient to lift and carry a small child
  • Stand and/or move for up to 8 hours while working with children
  • Lift and carry infants and small children
Sensory

  • Sight
  • Sound
  • Taste
  • Touch
  • Smell
  • Visual skills sufficient to see details at close range
  • Ability to distinguish colors, shades, and shapes
  • Listening skills sufficient to communicate with others
  • Ability to tolerate various odors
  • Observe and participate in activities with children
  • Hear verbal cues and responses from children such as questions or crying
  • Change infants’ diapers, care for sick children
Environmental / Occupational Exposure
  • Possible exposure to blood and bodily fluids and communicable and infectious diseases
  • Possible exposure to extreme temperatures
  • Environmental hazards
  • Hepatitis, chicken pox, flu virus, measles, etc.
  • Indoor and outdoor temperatures, weather-related elements
  • Slippery floors, various levels of lighting, cleaning chemicals
Field or Industry Professional Standards
  • Criminal background check
  • TB test

Disability Services Statement

Wilkes Community College is an ADA compliant institution. WCC does not discriminate based on a disability in the admissions process or in access to its programs, services, and/or activities for qualified individuals who meet eligibility requirements. WCC will provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with documented disabilities who are eligible to receive or participate in college programs, services, and/or activities. If a student believes that he/she cannot meet one or more of a program’s essential functions without accommodations, the student is encouraged to disclose this to Disability Services as soon as possible.

Associate to Bachelor Agreements

An Associate to Bachelor agreement is an opportunity for students to complete their Associate's degree at Wilkes Community College and then transfer into a specified program at a partnering four-year institution for their Bachelor's degree. Wilkes Community College has the following Associate to Bachelor agreements for our Early Childhood Education graduates:

Technology Requirements

Students in the Early Childhood Education program need:

  • A computer or laptop
  • High-speed internet access
  • Microsoft Office installed on the computer (software provided by WCC)
  • Smartphone or camera to document assignments and projects with photos
  • Scanning program or app to upload handwritten documents into Moodle
  • Echo360 app to video record and upload recordings to Moodle