Initial Early Childhood Education Certificate of Specialization, Award of Completion

This award is recognized on the Education Matrix of Washington State’s Department of Early Learning (DEL) as meeting the requirements for the State-awarded Initial ECE Certificate. It also fulfills the federal Head Start mandate for a state-awarded ECE certificate to teach preschool and may be used in lieu of the Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) with appropriate experience. This Award of Completion provides the student with a theoretical, historical, philosophical, and practical introduction to the field of early childhood education; prepares the student to care for children in safe, healthy early learning settings; and focuses on the vital importance of warmth, nurturing relationships, and positive communication while educating the Tribes’ youngest children.

Requirements

Required (13 Credits)

ECED 101	Introduction to Early Childhood Education	5
ECED 114	Health, Safety, and Nutrition	5
ECED 197	Practicum I: Expressing Warmth to Children	3

Initial Early Childhood Education Outcomes

Promoting child development and learning

Students will be able to...

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of children’s characteristics and needs.
• Create safe, healthy, respectful, challenging, and culturally supportive environments for learning.

Integrity, advocacy, warmth, joy, and attention to children (Commonly referred to as “professionalism”)

Students will be able to…

• Identify with and involve selves in the early childhood field, engaging in continuous, collaborative learning.
• Display warmth, joy, and attention with a commitment to relationship-based care and education.