Teacher Education Department
EARLY CHILDHOOD
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
HANDBOOK
Teacher Education Department
Howard Community College
10901 Little Patuxent Parkway
Columbia, Maryland 21044
(443) 518-48329 (office)
(443) 518-4494 (fax)
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HOWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE
EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM
STUDENT HANDBOOK
Table of Contents
I.
Introduction to the Early Childhood Development
Program
Is This the Right Program of Study for Me?
Page 1
II.
The Three Program Pathways:
a. Letter of Recognition
b. Certificate of Proficiency
c. A.A.S. Degree
What is my personal goal ?
Page 3
III. ECD Program Faculty Information
Who are my instructors, and how do I contact
them?
Page 5
IV. ECD Program Course Listings
What courses do I need to take ?
V.
Page 7
Course Descriptions
What does each course cover?
Page 9
VI. Academic Advising and Graduation
How do I plan and schedule my coursework?
Page 13
VII. Strategies for Academic Success
How can I be a successful student?
Page 16
1
Welcome to the Early Childhood Development
Program at Howard Community College!
The need for high quality child care providers is a growing one in
our society as increasing numbers of households have all adult
family members working outside the home. This program of study
is designed to give the student a well-rounded background in early
childhood development and developmentally appropriate practice,
and to help the student become familiar with the highest standards
for the field of child care.
I. Is This the Right Program of Study
for Me?
Who should chose this program of study?
Anyone who loves working with young children and families, and
wants to provide high quality child care as a career!
Are college courses all I need to qualify for a career in child
care?
Maryland law also requires that individuals meet certain age
requirements and have working experience in an early childhood
program, as well as the required education levels. (For more
information on the Maryland regulations governing child care, you
can contact the Maryland State Department of Education / Office
of Child Care, Howard County Region, at 410-750-8770.)
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What is my assurance that these career program pathways will
give me high quality training for my future in child care?
These programs have been carefully developed to reflect
comprehensive information about state regulations, national
standards, and the latest research on early childhood development
and learning. An Advisory Committee, which is made up of
professionals who work in the fields of child care, education, and
child development, meets twice a year to review program changes
and make suggestions for keeping the programs up to date!
Why is the Early Childhood Development Program called a
“career program”?
The career programs at Howard Community College are designed
to prepare students directly for the jobs of their choice. Students
completing career programs are not intending to transfer to fouryear colleges or universities. A student may certainly choose to
pursue a four-year degree after completing the career certificate or
A.A.S. degree, but in that case not all career program credits will
transfer to four-year college programs. (Howard Community
College provides free academic advising to help you decide on the
career or transfer pathway that is right for you!)
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II. What is my personal goal?
3 Program Pathways
What choices are offered under the Early Childhood
Development Program? There are three choices offered under
this program heading:
 Letter of Recognition – 6 college credits
 Certificate of Proficiency – 30 college credits
 Associate of Applied Science Degree (A.A.S.) – 62
college credits
Where does each choice lead? Each of the choices above is
pathway leading to a child care career goal.
 The Letter of Recognition equals the 90-hour training
required for child care senior staff qualification.
 The Certificate of Proficiency meets the educational
requirements for a director of a small group center of up to
twenty children.
 The A.A.S. degree prepares the student to become a director
or owner-director of group child care centers of forty children
or more.
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III. Who are my instructors, and how
do I contact them?
Meet the ECD Program Full Time Faculty!
Professor Fran Kroll
Director, Teacher Education and Early Childhood Development,
Praxis I Administrator
Email: fkroll@howardcc.edu
Office: ST 127 Phone: 443-518-4854
Kate Kenney, Assistant Professor, Early Childhood Development Program
Email: kkenney@howardcc.edu
Office: ST 157
Phone: 443-518-4059
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Barbara Maestas, Assistant Professor, Elementary Education
Email: bmaestas@howardcc.edu
Office: ST141
Phone: 443-518-4457
ECD Program courses are taught by part time faculty as well as by
full-time faculty. A list of the current part time faculty is posted on
the Teacher Education / Early Childhood Development website.
All Early Childhood Development Program faculty members at
Howard Community College have master’s degrees in education,
child development or related fields. In addition, all ECD Program
faculty have years of real life experience working with children in
a variety of programs and settings. Faculty use this experience to
illustrate course content, give examples, and teach techniques!
Students can reach full-time faculty through office phone numbers
or HCC email addresses. Students should plan to leave detailed
phone or email messages. Students may also leave messages or
assignments in faculty mailboxes. These mailboxes are located in
the Social Sciences / Teacher Education Division Office in ST 149.
Part-time faculty will provide students with access information at
the first class session. Students may also leave messages and
assignments for part-time faculty in their mailboxes, which are also
located in ST 149.
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IV. What courses do I need to take?
EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
COURSE LISTINGS
Listed below are all the courses needed to complete each of the 3
pathways in the Early Childhood Development Program. After
you have read the course list for the pathway you are interested in,
you can find the relevant course descriptions in Section V of this
handbook. Important tip: Howard Community College offers
many “EDUC” (Education) courses. Only the EDUC courses
listed below meet the requirements for your pathway. No course
substitutions can be made for EDUC courses.
Depending on which pathway you choose, you may also be
required to take one or more general education course, such as
English, Math, Social Sciences, Science, etc. These requirements
are all outlined under the pathway headings below.
LETTER OF RECOGNITION
EDUC 111 – Child Growth and Development
EDUC 112 – Methods and Materials in Early Childhood
Education
3 credits
3 credits
CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCY
ENGL 121 – College Composition I
EDUC 111 – Child Growth and Development
EDUC 112 – Methods and Materials in Early Childhood
Education
EDUC 113 – Working With Infants and Toddlers
EDUC 130 – Introduction to Early Childhood Education
EDUC 140 – Child Health, Safety, and Nutrition
EDUC 150 – Practicum in Early Childhood Development
EDUC 160 – School Age Child Care
EDUC 240 – Successful Classroom Management
HEED 109 – Basic CPR and First Aid
3 credits
3 credits
3 credits
3
3
3
4
3
3
2
credits
credits
credits
credits
credits
credits
credits
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ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE (A.A.S.) DEGREE
General Education Requirements:
ENGL 121 – College Composition I
Mathematics - MATH 127 or 128
SPCH 105 – Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Science – Science Core Course (must include a lab)
Social Sciences – Social and Behavioral Sciences
Core Courses (must take two courses)
HEED 109 – Basic CPR and First Aid
3 credits
3 - 5 credits
3 credits
4 credits
6 credits
2 credits
Required Courses Related to Major:
EDUC 111 – Child Growth and Development
EDUC 112 – Methods and Materials in Early Childhood
Education
EDUC 113 – Working With Infants and Toddlers
EDUC 130 – Introduction to Early Childhood Education
EDUC 140 – Child Health, Safety, and Nutrition
EDUC 150 – Practicum in Early Childhood Development
EDUC 160 – School Age Child Care
EDUC 200 – Introduction to Special Education
EDUC 201 – Processes and Acquisition of Reading
EDUC 212 - Advanced Methods and Materials in Early
Childhood Education
EDUC 230 - Child Care Center Administration and
Management
EDUC 240 – Successful Classroom Management
EDUC 250 – Advanced Practicum in Early childhood
Development
3 credits
3 credits
3
3
3
4
3
3
3
3
credits
credits
credits
credits
credits
credits
credits
credits
3 credits
3 credits
4 credits
(Note: Program planning sheets for the Certificate of Proficiency
and the A.A.S. degree are provided on the HCC website at:
http://www.howardcc.edu/admissions/advising/)
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V. What does each “EDUC” course in
my pathway cover?
Here are the descriptions of the education courses required by the 3
pathways. After you have decided which pathway (Letter of
Recognition, Certificate of Proficiency or A.A.S. Degree) is right
for you, and have read the list of required courses in the previous
section of this handbook, then you can read the specific description
and details of each education course required by your pathway.
This information will help you plan your course of study – how
many courses to take each semester, and what courses to take
when. The next section of this handbook (Section VI) talks about
the importance of getting academic advising to help with these
decisions, but here are some tips to help you start planning. Keep
these points in mind as you read the course descriptions:
 Note that some courses have prerequisites. A prerequisite is a
course you must complete first, before you take the course
you are interested in. Example: Before you can take EDUC
212, you must take EDUC 111 and EDUC 112 as
prerequisites.
 Note when in the academic year each course is offered. Is it
offered in Fall, Spring and Summer? It is upsetting to plan to
take a course next spring, only to find out that it is only
offered in the Fall semester! Use the Registration booklet
that is put out each college session to find the exact days and
times that each course is offered.
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 Note how many credits each course is worth. Remember,
more credits = more work and study time. Plan the total
number of credits you will be taking each semester, not just
the total number of courses, so that you do not overload
yourself.
 Note that several of the education courses include a required
15 hour field experience. These field experience hours are in
addition to regularly scheduled classroom hours. If you do
not complete the field experience hours, you will not pass the
course, so plan carefully how you will include those 15
hours of work in your semester.
 Note that several education courses are offered as online
courses. This can be a very convenient option for students
who have reliable computers at home and are comfortable
with basic computer use. Be aware however that online
courses often require more reading and more self-discipline
than regular on campus courses!
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Course Descriptions
EDUC111 Child Growth and Development (3 credits) Fall, Spring, Summer & Online
A course designed to heighten the student’s understanding of the physical, intellectual, social, and emotional
development of young children. This course meets the Maryland State Department of Education Child
Development requirement for an initial certificate in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education.
This course is also 45 hours of the 90hour Child Care Certificate required for Senior Staff. EDUC112 is
required to complete the 90 hour Child Care Certificate. (3 hours weekly)
This course is also offered online: a basic understanding of and access to the Internet, WWW browsing
capability, and an electronic mail account are required for enrollment. See www.howardcc.edu/distance for
complete technical specifications and important information about our online courses.
EDUC112 Methods and Materials in Early Childhood Education (3 credits) Fall & Spring
A course designed to teach the methods and proper use of materials for designing creative learning
experiences for young children in the areas of art, music, movement, dramatic play, language arts, literature,
math, and science. This course meets the Maryland State Department of Education Teaching Methodology
requirement for an initial certificate in Early Childhood Education. This course is also 45 hours of the 90hour
Child Care Certificate required for Senior Staff. EDUC111 is required to complete the 90hour Child Care
Certificate. (3 hours weekly)
EDUC113 Working With Infants and Toddlers (3 credits) Fall only
This course introduces the philosophy and implementation of infant and toddler care giving in a group
setting. This is the only course in the Howard County area in which students can learn about the excellent
RIE / Magda Gerber approach to infant care routines, appropriate activities, and group management
techniques. The health, safety and nutritional needs of infants and toddlers are also examined. Upon
completion of this course, EDUC111 and EDUC112, the student meets the coursework requirements for the
position of Infant/Toddler Senior Staff in a child care center. (3 hours weekly)
EDUC130 Introduction to Early Childhood Education (3 credits) Fall and Spring
This course is designed to increase the student's understanding of various curriculum models and
approaches in Early Childhood Education. Techniques for implementing and evaluating these models and
approaches will be presented through lectures, classroom visits, and guest speakers. The student will
explore contemporary issues and problems affecting young children such as discipline, single parent
families, homelessness, child abuse and neglect, sexism, AIDS, mainstreaming, accountability, and stress in
children. A 15-hour field experience outside of class time is required. (3 hours weekly)
EDUC140 Child Health, Safety and Nutrition (3 credits) Spring semester only
This course will examine the health, safety, and nutritional needs of children, ages 2 - 6 years, in the child
care setting. Attention will be directed to the study of common childhood illnesses, chronic conditions,
prevention through personal hygiene, good safety practices, and nutritious snacks and meals as they impact
on the child care setting. (3 hours weekly)
EDUC150 Practicum in Early Childhood Development (4 credits) Spring semester only
This course is designed to teach the student how to implement and evaluate a quality child care program.
Students are assigned to one child care setting where they will spend 9 hours per week assisting as a
teacher or an aide. Students meet at the college every other week for 2 hours to discuss lecture topics and
classroom observations. Prerequisites: EDUC111, ED112. (1 hour lecture, 3 hours lab)
EDUC160 School Age Child Care (3 credits) Spring semester only
This course introduces the philosophy of elementary education with basic child development theory focusing
on how children grow physically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively, ages 612 years. Approaches in
curriculum, planning, goal setting, and selection of age appropriate materials and methods by which
education objectives are obtained are stressed. Students learn how to plan an appropriate program for
school age child care. (3 hours weekly)
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EDUC200 Introduction to Special Education (3 credits) Fall, Spring, Summer & Online
This course is designed to provide an understanding of the needs of all types of exceptional children.
Students will be able to identify symptoms and causes of major handicapping conditions and ways in which
teachers can individualize instruction in response to these conditions. Federal and state regulations are also
reviewed. This course meets the Maryland State Department of Education Inclusion of Special Needs
Student Populations requirement for an initial certificate in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education
and Secondary Education. Prerequisite: Eligible to enroll in ENGL101. (3 hours weekly - A 15-hour Field
Experience outside of class time is required. Students are placed in a Howard County Public School or
may use a K-12 school where they are employed.). This course is also offered online; a basic understanding
of and access to the Internet, WWW browsing capability, and an electronic mail account are required for
enrollment. See www.howardcc.edu/distance for complete technical specifications and important
information about our online courses.
EDUC201 Processes and Acquisition of Reading for Early Childhood, Elementary and Special
Education (Infants - Grade 8)Teachers (3 credits) Fall, Spring, Summer & Online
Students will develop an understanding of how the brain responds to reading acquisition. They will
demonstrate knowledge of language development and the reading process. They will demonstrate an
understanding of the role of experiential background, prior knowledge, motivation, phonemic awareness,
and personal significance to developing readers. This course meets the Maryland State Department of
Education Reading requirement for an initial certificate in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education,
Special Education Generic Infant/Primary, and Special Education Elementary/Middle. (3 hours weekly)
This course is also offered online; you will need a basic understanding of and access to the Internet, WWW
browsing capability, and an electronic mail account are required for enrollment. See
www.howardcc.edu/distance for complete technical specifications and important information about our
online courses.
EDUC212 Advanced Methods and Materials in Early Childhood Education (3 credits) Fall only
This course will integrate the early childhood activities presented in EDUC112 with daily program planning
and overall curriculum goals. The course will emphasize appropriate program development and evaluation.
Prerequisites: EDUC111 and EDUC112 (3 hours weekly)
EDUC230 Childcare Center Administration and Management (3 credits) Spring only
Students are instructed in meeting state requirements 'or physical facilities, licensing, insurance, and staffing
child care programs. Other topics include record keeping, budget and bookkeeping, personnel selection,
training aid managing staff, food services, equipment, materials, and community involvement. Prerequisites:
EDUC111 and EDUC112 (3 hours weekly)
EDUC240 Successful Classroom Management (3 credits) Spring only
This course is designed to teach how to effectively manage a classroom for two through five-year-old
children. The student will be able to set up the physical environment, plan the schedule, incorporate ageappropriate program planning, and learn strategies for working with parents and other staff members in a
child resetting. Specific behavior management techniques will be explored as they relate to dealing with
children in a classroom setting. Prerequisites: EDUC111 and EDUC112. (3 hours weekly)
EDUC250 Advanced Practicum in Early Childhood Development (4 credits) Spring only
The student will conduct learning activities for children, implement various teacher-child interaction patterns,
implement transitions, gain experience in working with staff members, and participate in many routine center
operations. The student will spend nine hours per week in an early childhood setting. Students meet at the
college every other week for two hours to discuss lecture topics and classroom experiences. Prerequisites:
EDUC111, EDUC112, and EDUC150. (1 hour lecture, 3 hours lab)
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VI. How do I plan and schedule my
coursework?
Now that you have chosen a career pathway and become familiar
with the courses required in your program of study, you are almost
ready to get going! Take a minute to review these points:
 Will I go to school full time or part time?
 Do I need to apply for financial aid?
 Do I need to transfer any credits into HCC from another
college?
 Have I declared my major?
 Have I scheduled an academic advising appointment?
ACADEMIC ADVISING
It is important for students to take the time to get academic
advising. An advisor knows the program of study, and will help
the student avoid making frustrating mistakes. The advisor will
help the student to make short term and long term plans, schedule
the correct courses in the correct order, review which courses are
offered when, recommend course choices that will meet the
individual student’s needs, and help the student plan a schedule
that balances the demands of work, family and school. The
advisor will also sign the student’s Petition to Graduate when the
student successfully completes the program!
Advising Information: The academic advisor for all 3 of the Early
Childhood Development Program pathways is Kate Kenney. Her
office phone number is 443-518-4059, and her email is
kkenney@howardcc.edu. Kate’s schedule is very flexible.
Contact Kate today to set up an advising meeting!
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Financial Aid Information: Howard Community College
maintains a program of grants, scholarships, loans and part-time
employment for eligible students who are enrolled in the college as
certificate or degree-seeking students in good standing. To begin
the application procedure, students should complete a Howard
Community College Financial Aid Application and the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). These forms are
available on the HCC website at www.howardcc.edu/financialaid
Students should apply by the March 1 priority filing date. For
more information, or to speak to a Financial Aid counselor,
students can contact the Financial Aid office at 443-518-4912.
Articulated Credit from Howard County Public School
System: If you took Early Childhood Development I and Early
Childhood Development II at a Howard County Public High
School, and passed both with a B or better, you are eligible to
transfer in 3 college credits for Child Growth and Development.
You may apply for this articulated credit once you have been
accepted at HCC and declared a major in one of the 3 ECD
pathways. These 3 credits substitute for EDUC 111, which you
therefore do not have to take at HCC. If you think you are eligible
for the articulated credit, contact the HCC Admissions and
Advising Office at 41-772-4856. (Note: You will find more
information and a copy of the articulated credit transfer form in
Appendix I.)
Graduation Information: Students who are at the point of
completing the requirements for the A.A.S. Degree or Certificate
of Proficiency in Early Childhood Development need to file a
graduation petition and pay a graduation fee. The graduation
petition form can be picked up from the Office of Records and
Registration and should be handed in to that office when
completed.
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The petition includes a review of the student’s completion of
degree / certificate requirements, and must be signed by an advisor.
Students must have a 2.0 or greater GPA and be in good financial
standing at the college in order to graduate.
Graduation petition deadlines are:
May graduation: March 15 deadline
Summer I graduation: April 15 deadline
Summer II graduation: May 15 deadline
December graduation: October 15 deadline
A commencement ceremony is held in May each year. Students
who completed their degree or certificate requirements the
previous Summer II or Fall, as well as those who complete their
requirements in Spring or Summer I of the current year, are invited
to participate.
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VII.How can I be a successful student?
STRATEGIES FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS
You are undoubtedly eager to achieve maximum academic
success, to learn as much as possible about your career field, and to
grow as an individual. Here are some tips to help you achieve
these goals!
BEFORE REGISTERING FOR CLASSES:
 Think realistically about what the demands on your time and
energy will be in the upcoming semester. Think about your
strengths and challenges as a learner. What comes easily to
you? What kinds of assignments and subjects require extra
effort on your part? What are the special features of the
class(es) you are thinking about taking?
 Meet with an advisor. Work out a class schedule that is
realistic and reasonable.
 Plan when and where you will do your studying and work on
your assignments each week. It’s a good idea to pick a
specific time and try to stick to it!
BEFORE CLASSES START:
 Get your textbooks, and look them over.
 Look up where and when your first class meetings will be
held.
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 Put together an inexpensive organization system for each of
your courses. Use it for note-taking and for saving handouts.
A 3 ring binder with pockets is a good simple solution.
THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES:
 Make sure you get to class on time – be a little early if
possible. Remember that parking is usually extra time
consuming in the first couple of weeks of the semester!
 Sit near the front of the classroom. Make eye contact with
the instructor! Nod or smile occasionally as the instructor
speaks. Instructors notice students who seem to be paying
attention!
 Bring your main textbooks to the first class. Bring your
notebook or binder, and a pen or pencil. Start taking notes
and saving handouts right away!
 Read over the syllabus to get a feeling for the kind of
assignments you will be doing, and the schedule the class
will be following. Note you instructor’s name, and how to
contact her or him.
AS THE SEMESTER PROGRESSES:
 Attend every class and be on time. Stay for the entire class
period. Remember – you chose this class. You made a
commitment to be there at this time. Schedule all nonemergency appointments outside of class time.
 Keep up with the reading. Stick to your study schedule. Plan
to put in extra time as challenging assignments draw near.
 Participate actively in classroom activities and discussions.
Come in with the attitude that you will learn or grow from
every class session. Come to class primed with some
relevant ideas from the reading or from your life experience.
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 Ask questions when you don’t understand something.
Instructors like students who ask questions. If you aren’t
comfortable asking in front of the whole class, come up after
class, or call or email the instructor.
 If a problem develops, get in touch with your instructor right
away! If you must miss class, if you fall behind on an
assignment, if you don’t do as well as you hoped on a paper
or test, talk it over with the teacher. Instructors are
supportive when they feel a student is genuinely trying to
overcome a difficulty.
HCC STUDENT SERVICES
Howard Community College offers a wide array of services to
students. You should investigate and take advantage of any of
these services that would help you achieve success! Here are a
few of the services offered.
FINANCIAL AID – (see section VI of this handbook)
LEARNING ASSISTANCE CENTER – The Learning
Assistance Center provides tutoring and academic support
services for all students enrolled in credit courses who would
like to become more successful and efficient learners. Drop-in
help for writing assignments is also through the LAC, in the
Write Room. For more information, call 443-518-4822.
STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES – Student Support Services
offers free comprehensive services to increase the retention and
graduation rates of eligible students. Eligibility criteria include
low income and/or first generation college (neither parent
received a 4-year college degree), and /or a documented
disability. For more information, call 443-518-4629.
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SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the Student
Support Services Office upon admission to the college. Some
of the services provided by the college for students with
documented disabilities include tutoring, interpreters, note
takers and test-taking accommodations. For more information
call 443-518- 4629.
CHILD CARE - The Children’s Learning Center offers child
care on campus for students, faculty and staff. The center is
open Monday through Friday from 7:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. To learn
more, call the director at 443-518- 4150.
PERSONAL COUNSELING – Free confidential counseling is
available to students who are struggling with a variety of issues.
To learn more, or to schedule an appointment, call 443-5184840.
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