Early Childhood Education (ECE)

This course prepares Early Childhood Education (ECE) students for field placements in semesters 2, 3, and 4. It focuses on professional conduct, ethical practice, and safe, effective engagement with children, families, and community partners. Students will demonstrate readiness through consistent attendance, punctuality, active participation, and professional communication.

This subject introduces students to the complex process of incorporating visual arts into the preschool curriculum. Based upon observations of preschool children, students will design, implement and evaluate visual arts learning experiences, which reflect an understanding of the development of the preschool child. In addition, students will explore a selection of art materials and develop an awareness of how preschool children utilize these to express an understanding of their world.

Through the ethics of care lens, students will examine health, safety, and nutrition regulations, policies, procedures, and evidenced-informed practices in Early Childhood programs. Students will evaluate multiple dimensions of health, wellbeing, and vulnerability examining the socio-cultural contexts of lives of families, communities, and educators. The process of child abuse reporting will be examined at an introductory level. Students will learn about health, safety and nutrition practices in Early Childhood programs.

Students will be immersed in, and critically reflect on foundational theories and discourses related to the pedagogy of care. Course experiences are grounded in curriculum studies, play theory, childrens rights, relationality, anti-racism, culturally responsive pedagogy, social-emotional learning, land-based pedagogies, and environmental conditions of learning. Students will co-create curriculum and pedagogical documentation with a preschool focus as they engage in the complex work of early childhood educators.

This course provides students with a broad and foundational overview of childrens growth and development. Students will examine current research and theories that contribute to the understanding of development. Emphasis will be placed on the interrelationships between physical, socio-emotional and cognitive aspects of child development. The content of the course will motivate the students to reflect on the ways that diverse perspectives and worldviews impact professional practice and its effects on childrens development.

This course invites students on a journey in human rights, social issues, equity, and social justice. Students will engage in critical and reflective thinking to notice and disrupt inequities to learn about human rights, including childrens rights. The roles of educators in an ecosystem of relations, for the wellbeing of children living in a complex and pluralistic society, honouring diversity in all its forms will be examined.

Students will be immersed in theory and practices in planning, facilitating, documenting, interpreting and revising curricular experiences with/for preschool children. This course extends students’ knowledge and application of land-based pedagogies within the context of placement communities. Pedagogical leadership and co-learning frame in-class experiences, course assignments and connections to placement.

This course provides students with an overview of different observational tools that can be used to observe children’s development and support their developmental progress. Students will learn specific documentation skills and connect them to different domains of development. The content of the course will motivate students to reflect on the ECEs’ roles and responsibilities to develop their own knowledge and skills that will support children’s development.

Interpersonal communication is the function of communication that involves the care and maintenance of relationships. Since all human interactions contribute to social connection and human intimacy, all communication can be considered interpersonal. As humans our interpersonal interactions are also profoundly affected by political, rhetorical, cultural, and organizational contexts and pressures. As early childhood educators it is essential that we understand the complexities of all faucets of communication. As teachers of young children we have a further role and responsibility to participate in the socialization of children, particularly in the ways that we facilitate and mediate their interpersonal relationships with adults and with other children and to model and enhance all opportunities to promote democracy and peace.

Field placement gives students the opportunity to practice what they have learned in the ECE program. Students will plan, implement, and evaluate play-based, inclusive, emergent curriculum experiences for preschool children. The early childhood educators role as facilitator will be studied and practiced. Inclusive child guidance techniques will be utilized that support, nurture, and respect childrens individuality. Based on observation of children, students will develop skills in planning, implementing, and evaluating programming that meets the needs of individuals and small groups of children and which are safe, diverse, and developmentally appropriate. In addition, time is spent reflecting and examining issues related to the field placement experience.

This course explores the principles, methods, and materials for working with children from birth to 12 using music and movement in an integrated and inclusive curriculum. Through process-oriented experiences, students will develop practical skills, knowledge, and confidence enabling them to support childrens development of music and movement skills in various environments. The benefits of musical experiences throughout childhood will be investigated.

Child abuse, neglect, and exposure to family violence are examined in this course. Students will learn about prevention strategies and indicators of child maltreatment and exposure to family violence. Through this course students will identify circumstances that require an immediate professional response. Current Canadian and Ontario child protection laws and legislation will be reviewed in-depth. Students will have an opportunity to learn more about the child welfare system in Ontario. This includes a critical look at historical contexts and diverse experiences that families may have with the system, including the overrepresentation of Indigenous and Black children and families. The course will provide students with an opportunity to learn about the ways that trauma-informed collaborative care and related principles can be applied to early learning and care environments.

In this course students will focus on infants and toddlers, their environment, and curriculum. Students will learn that infants and toddlers are curious and capable of complex thinking. Using current research and practices, students learn about their role in supporting communication, language, and literacy across ages. Discussions on the reasons that responsive relationships are foundational to early childhood education will occur throughout the course.

In this course students will focus on principles, theories, and sequences of child development from conception to thirty-six months. Current issues that influence growth will be discussed. Students will gain exposure to a variety of observational techniques and screening/assessment measures which will enable them to apply evidence informed, developmentally responsive practices while engaging with infants and toddlers. Students will create goals and strategies to support childrens holistic growth and well-being.

In this course students will discuss the way strong, reciprocal, and respectful relationships between families, educators, and community partners build a foundation for optimal child development. When early childhood education curriculum and pedagogical practices respect a childs home culture and are co-created with families through an authentic relationship, children gain a positive self-image and sense of belonging in their communities. Additionally, when educators have knowledge of diverse community supports, care collaboration and partnerships are strengthened.

Students will be placed in sites where they will be able to integrate learning from all their classes. They will have the opportunity to practice skills required for the care and teaching of children birth to 3 years. On placement they will be mentored and receive feedback, see professionals on the job, and experience the multifaceted work involved in facilitating the optimal growth and development of young children.

In this course, students will study how historical and contemporary educational theories and philosophies influence pedagogical ideas in early childhood education. The interconnection between theory and practice will be studied while providing opportunity for critical reflection. Students will examine provincial, national, and global curricular models of early childhood education to form a personal philosophy.

Students will study the interconnection of relevant legislation, quality indicators, funding mechanisms, and administrative practices to provide educated support and guidance to families in early childhood programs. Students will gain insight into the administrators role and the educators role as it applies to administrative practices. Students will expand their advocacy role and leadership role on behalf of children and families in Ontario and the early childhood education profession.

In this course students will focus on a variety of pedagogical approaches to co-design inclusive environments that support equity and diversity with kindergarten and school age children. The role of the reflective educator as researcher, collaborator, documenter, and supporter of learning will be examined. By the end of this course students should have the competencies to practice as a Registered Early Childhood Educator in a variety of settings, including Ontario Kindergarten and School Age Programs.

This course provides an in-depth perspective on theories and narratives describing forms of disablement from the perspective of disability as an identity. Students will examine their preconceived notions of disability and gain a depth of understanding of impairments. Students will learn about adaptations that empower child self-advocacy across settings and apply inclusive praxis while working with disabled children.

Students will examine what it means to be a professional early childhood educator. Being a Registered Early Childhood Educator has implications that include public and professional expectations and accountability. Students will become knowledgeable in professional ethics, standards of practice, and their role within the spectrum of services for children, families, and communities. Students will further their knowledge and skills in communication, mentorship, and reflective practice in a professional context. Specifically, students will engage in processes that invite them to amalgamate their philosophical ideals and the realities of ethical obligations and policies through collaboration with colleagues. Students will recognize that all early childhood educators are leaders regardless of their role or position in early years and childcare settings.

Students will complete two full days per week of field practice throughout the semester, in an inclusive early childhood field placement. Students will draw from their knowledge of child development and their insights into individual children to plan, implement and reflect on developmentally appropriate investigations for individuals and the entire group. Students will design environments and emergent curriculum that is inclusive, play-based, meaningful, and responsive to childrens interests and ideas. The role of the reflective practitioner as researcher, collaborator, documenter, and supporter of learning will be practiced. Learning experiences that connect children with nature will be planned, implemented, and evaluated. Students must consistently demonstrate skills in professionalism, keeping children safe and healthy, appropriate program planning, facilitation of learning, problem solving, positive behaviour guidance, and effective communication with children, teachers, parents, and other adults.