Early Childhood Education Program Now at Community Care College

Do you love working with kids and believe that you could be a positive influence in their lives?

Do you love working with kids and believe that you could be a positive influence in their lives? A new opportunity has opened up for Tulsa area residents who wish to have a meaningful career in Early Childhood Education (ECE). Community Care College now offers an ECE program with two options – a diploma or an associate’s degree in applied science.

“Because of the high demand for quality early care and education, as well as an increase in research that shows the benefits of such programs, opportunities are growing rapidly within the field,” says Stacey Mwongozi, head of the new program at CCC. “I’m very excited to be here and help this program grow.”

Research shows that young children benefit from having a nurturing caregiver, developmentally appropriate materials and activities, positive peer interactions and a safe learning environment in which they can take an active role in the learning process. The ECE program is committed to preparing students to enter the field with the skills needed to help children succeed not only in school, but in life.

CCC’s new program follows the developmental standards and teacher preparation guidelines of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), which are geared to be reflective of what has been learned to be the best practices in early childhood education.

The program addresses all aspects of ECE: child growth and development, language and literacy, creative expression, health and safety, positive guidance, family and community interaction, class management, and curriculum and lesson planning. Graduates of the program will be prepared to work in a variety of early childhood settings, including child care centers, Head Start programs, family child care homes, before and after school programs, public schools and preschools.

Students can enroll in the 31-week diploma program, or they can obtain an associate’s degree in the 61-week program. With the diploma, graduates receive the knowledge and skills that will allow them to gain employment in virtually any child care setting. The associate’s degree also allows students to work in any child care setting – with a greater salary potential – as well as work in public schools as a paraprofessional.

“Our main goal is to bring new people into the field,” says Mwongozi. “The best candidates are those who have a true passion for wanting to work with young children, who see it as a career in which they can make a difference in the lives of children and their families.”

Classes begin in mid-September and meet Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Each class is on a three-week rotation schedule.

Course format involves mini-lectures and informational sessions, plus lots of hands-on activities, including videos and a required internship.

The internship is 180 hours long, with the student working in a real-world child care setting roughly 40 hours per week during the last five weeks of the program. The majority of the students will intern at Totally Kids, CCC’s onsite child care center for staff and students. Totally Kids is not a typical “daycare” – emphasis is on engaging the children through song and dance, educational activities, arts & crafts, reading and playtime. With approval, interns may complete an externship at another location. For instance, a public school would be a more suitable location for someone studying to become a paraprofessional.

Community Care College offers career placement services for all of its programs to assist students in finding work upon graduation. “The need for early childhood educators is so great, we don’t anticipate anyone having difficulty finding a job after completing the program,” says Mwongozi.

Stacey Mwongozi began her career in teaching and quickly moved into education administration. Prior to joining the faculty at CCC, she was an education director for an early childhood program in Tulsa that serves children six weeks to four years of age.

For more information about the ECE program, visit CCC’s website at www.communitycarecollege.com.

For more information, contact

Community Care College

4242 South Sheridan

Tulsa, OK 74145

(918) 610-0027

www.communitycarecollege.com