PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY…WHAT WE BELIEVE

Northampton Community College's Early Childhood credit and non-credit programs prepare you to recognize and respect each child's unique characteristics while engaging in responsive, caring relationships with them.  You learn that young children use multiple symbol systems to construct and express knowledge and attitudes while they are actively engaged in their social and physical environment.  Responsive teaching and caring of young children requires thoughtful and continuous planning based on observations of children.  You will learn to foster relationships with families, professional colleagues, and community programs in order to support, and advocate for, children's learning and well being.

All curriculum courses and workshops are based on principles of child development and include information about children with disabilities.  You apply your learning by working with children and families in various settings.  Unique to the NCC program is the belief that you must learn to build and express your own knowledge and feelings using multiple symbol systems, in particular, the arts.  As a result, arts expression and interpretation is included in the pedagogy of all classes as a form of literacy.  The arts also provide a process for developing thinking skills and for gaining the ability to apply multiple perspectives to appreciate and value each other.

Our Mission:

Prepare early childhood teachers and leaders with the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to provide children a stimulating and developmentally appropriate inclusive early education and care program that is arts integrated and responsive to the uniqueness of each child, family and community, and consistent with current best practice.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The ECE faculty will help you develop your:

• Ability to use multiple perspectives

• Ability to be reflective

• Ability to be an advocate

• Ability to be professional

• Artistic awareness and abilities

Our curriculum meets the Pennsylvania Pathways Core Body of Knowledge.  Students use of the Professional Development Record is supported.