"I feel like I have a career now instead of just a job. I would recommend CDI to anyone looking to start a new career." - Allison E., CDI Graduate
Upgrade your Early Childhood Education skills to advance in your ECE career. CDI College's Early Childhood Education Advanced - Level III diploma program prepares students for roles as Daycare Directors, among other positions. Students enrolled in this program must have a pre-requisite of Early Childhood Level II certification and must undergo an interview process.
This program combines a theoretical and practical approach to instruction and meets the requirements of the Alberta Family and Social Services, Daycare Staff Qualifications Branch. Courses include lesson planning for developmentally challenged children, math and science, physical education, art, drama and music. Students also learn about daycare management and create a professional process portfolio.
This program is 31 weeks in length.
Job Opportunities
- Daycare Centre
- Daycare Director
Program Courses
The program outline below is for Alberta .
| Code | Course Name | Hours |
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- A "special needs" or challenged child is one whose normal growth and development is: a) delayed, b) distorted, atypical or abnormal, and c) severely or negatively affected. This definition includes physical, mental, emotional and social areas of development. Students will define specific special needs and gain an understanding of how to provide learning and interactional opportunities for challenged children.
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- In this course, the student will learn about the Why, When, Where, Who, What and How of teaching values to children as it relates to developmental appropriateness and readiness. Building on the knowledge that some methods especially well-suited to teaching values to preschoolers (e.g. values of being / values of giving) fit with the principles and philosophy of early childhood education, the professional caregiver will explore a variety of methods, activities and exercises designed to nurture healthy values formation. Understanding child development ages and stages is critical in order to comprehend how values formation takes place, as there are differing agendas and a changing emphasis as children grow and develop. Understanding caregiver and parental roles and responsibilities will be discussed.
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- Creative drama and movement promotes healthy childhood development. Communication, representation and social skills are strengthened as children freely express and explore roles, emotions and behaviors. Learning through movement, dramatic, spontaneous and imaginative play will be the focus. Students will actively participate as they design and demonstrate ideas that can be taken into direct work with children.
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- This course provides the opportunity for students to become knowledgeable about choosing equipment that will be suitable for a developmental program in each age group. Considerations of safety, design, longevity, cost, degree of challenge and effective use will be addressed.
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- A broad overview of diverse family structures, norms and values will be explored with particular attention to critical social issues and the cross-cultural context. For example, many immigrant children, or children of immigrant parents, find themselves caught between the values, languages and customs of two cultures. Students will gain a general understanding of how key groups such as family constellations, ethnic groups, class, community, school and child care are factors in the process of socialization.
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- This course will follow the evolution of thought in early childhood education, with particular emphasis on the work of Montessori, Pestolozzi and Froebel. This history of pre-school education in Alberta will be presented as a basis for understanding current issues in child care services.
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- Students will be introduced to the responsibilities involved in successfully managing a day care center following the guidelines in the Day Care Regulations and Licensing Standards and Best Practices manuals for the Province of Alberta. Topics include: enrolling new parents; collecting fees; licensing; service plans; program evaluation; sections seven and eight; preparing and managing a day care budget; operating allowances and subsidies; transport regulations; marketing; employment standards; human rights; selection of staff; planning and conducting productive meetings; and appropriate procedures for motivating, supporting, developing and evaluating staff members. The course involves an evaluation (ITERS and ECERS) and experiential component.
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- Young children have a natural tendency to explore and experiment as they attempt to make systematic sense of their environment. Mathematics provides an important set of tools for this process. Students will plan activities for the progression from one-to-one correspondence to number lines and sets. Science provides the opportunity for children to observe and interpret their environment. Students will explore activities that will enhance their ability to create these opportunities for children.
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- Art media, as a natural form of expression and exploitation, provides a vehicle by which children can express themselves. Students will experience how art extends into color, space, pattern, line and contrast as they experiment with a variety of media which will enable them to foster multi-channel experiences in art for young children.
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- Music is a medium for self-expression, social experience, physical and perceptive development and creativity. The methods of music educators Carl Orloff, Zoltan Kodaly, and R. Murray Schafer will be studied as they apply to early childhood settings. Students will participate in musical experiences that will strengthen their music literacy and their ability to participate in musical activities with young children.
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- There is a great deal of research to support the direct and distinct relationship between fitness, self-esteem, self concept and over all mental health. Students will become aware of the mind/body connection and will acquire information as to joints, muscle grouping, manipulative and perceptual abilities, stamina, muscular endurance, flexibility and body awareness. Students will develop and plan indoor and outdoor physical activities that promote development in these areas as they relate to children in day care settings.
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- This advanced practicum will involve a "self-assessment" component. It is expected that advanced students will demonstrate their understanding of appropriate programming and evaluation techniques, acquired through previous studies.
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- Students will develop a daily program routine for a center focusing on an infant room, three-year old room and four/five-year old room. Programming skills for mixed age groupings will also be explored. The plan will be evaluated by the instructor and students with respect to age-appropriateness, fluidity, flexibility, developmental needs and provincial guidelines. Students will also be required to observe and evaluate a program (outside of their employ) using this criteria. This will require a total of 6 hours at an approved observation day care. The students will document their observations and present their findings to classmates.
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- The benefits and techniques for developing a cohesive team of parents, caregivers and community members is the main theme of this course. Motivational strategies, cross-cultural communication skills, parent and community involvement and responsibilities will be identified. The impact of cultural diversity on child care will be examined. Students will participate and evaluate team-building activities.