The Massasoit Community College Child Care Education Department strives to prepare students to become Early Childhood Educators who are knowledgeable in child development, demonstrate an understanding of partnerships between home, school and the community, support diversity and inclusion, and advocate for children, families and the advancement of the early childhood field.

Consistent with its mission statement and the NAEYC standards and supportive skills, the program provides a comprehensive early childhood education that meets the diverse needs of the students enrolled and the children and families served in the community. Current theory is linked to best practices through a variety of learning opportunities in the classroom and in field placement experiences. The program is designed to be inclusive by providing a developmental approach to teaching and learning. Individual student needs are addressed directly by the child care faculty as well as through college support services. Support and resources are provided to promote optimal student success.

The purpose of the Child Care Education program is to train students to become professionals who will offer quality early childhood experiences in an effort to enable all children to learn. Students will learn to create environments that meet the diverse needs of children and families. The philosophy of the department is grounded in the belief that “high quality early childhood development programs have many substantial payoffs” (R. Lynch). Long term studies have suggested that quality programs have the following characteristics in common: well educated staff, rich curriculum that emphasizes language and literacy skills, motor development, social-emotional development and parent involvement. The faculty is committed to an emphasis on quality in education. Students are exposed to current research and expected to link it to best practices in the field.

Professionalism in the field of early childhood education is a priority for the department. Students must demonstrate professional competencies during field placement experiences and are evaluated on these competencies as outlined in the Child Care Education Department, “Guidelines for Field Experience”. Students are informed about community trainings, workshops, speakers, and conferences and encouraged to participate. The program stresses a professional ladder that includes a certificate program, an associate degree, a transfer option that meets the requirements of the Massachusetts Department of Education transfer compact and an articulation agreement with Eastern Nazarene College. The faculty of the child care education department is committed to professionalism. They belong to many early childhood professional and community organizations. Faculty members attend conferences, meetings, and hold topic discussions in an effort to stay current in the field. The link between professionalism, quality, best practices, student outcomes and children’s learning is recognized as the key to optimal teacher training. The department is always striving to make these connections.

NAEYC Associate Degree Program Accreditation Standards

Standard 1: Promoting Child Development and Learning                                                           
        1 a.  Knowing and understanding young children’s characteristics and needs
        1 b.  Knowing and understanding the multiple influences on development and learning
        1 c. Using knowledge of development to create healthy, respectful, supportive and
               challenging learning environments

Standard 2: Building Family and Community Relationships
        2 a.  Knowing about and understanding family and community characteristics
        2 b.  Supporting and empowering families and communities through respectful, reciprocal
               relationships
        2 c.  Involving families and communities in their child’s development and learning

Standard 3: Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and Families
        3 a.  Understanding the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment
        3 b.  Knowing about and using observation, documentation, and other appropriate
               assessment tools
        3 c.  Understanding and practicing responsible assessment
        3 d.  Knowing about assessment partnerships with families & other professionals

Standard 4: Teaching and Learning
        4 a.  Knowing, understanding, and using positive relationships and supportive interactions
        4 b.  Knowing, understanding and using effective approaches, strategies and tools for early
               education
        4 c.  Knowing and understanding the importance, central concepts, inquiry tools, and 
               structures of content areas or academic disciplines
        4 d.  Using own knowledge and other resources to design, implement, and evaluate
               meaningful, challenging curriculum to promote positive outcomes

Standard 5: Becoming a Professional
        5 a.  Identifying and involving oneself with the early childhood field
        5 b.  Knowing about and upholding ethical standards and other professional guidelines
        5 c.  Engaging in continuous, collaborative learning to inform practice
        5 d.  Integrating knowledgeable, critical & reflective perspectives on early education
        5 e.  Engaging in informed advocacy for children and the Profession

Supportive Skills

In order to support the effective use of the knowledge, skills and dispositions described in the five standards,
well-prepared graduates of associate degree programs need a set of skills that cut across these five domains.
These skills are:

1.  Skills in self-assessment and self-advocacy
2.  Skills in mastering and applying foundational concepts from general education
3.  Written and verbal skills
4.  Skills in making connections between prior knowledge/experience and new learning
5.  Skills in identifying and using professional resources