Infant care should be based on relationship planning–not lesson planning–and should emphasize child-directed learning. This program helps caregivers design environments that ensure safety, offer infants appropriate developmental challenges and promote optimum health for children. Equally important is the strengthening of the child’s developing family and cultural identity by making meaningful connections between child care and the child’s family and culture. This program meets TEACH infant credential requirements.

Requirements

Graduation Plan

Fall Start

Spring Start

Summer Start

Application and Advising

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Advising Information

The following information provides a guide for advisors who are helping students enroll in this program.

Program Notes

Students are encouraged to enter the ECD program as early as possible.  Most ECD courses require ENG 101 or ENG 165 as a prerequisite; therefore, ENG 101 or ENG 165 should be taken in the first semester. ECD 101, ECD 109, ECD 132, and SAC 101 can be completed while students are taking ENG 101 or ENG 165.

A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required for all ECD coursework. Students must complete all program required coursework with a "C" or higher.  

Students should have a current acceptable background check and drug screen. A criminal record and/or positive drug screen could make you ineligible for enrollment or participation in a supervised field experience, creating an inability to graduate from the program. These screenings will be completed in ECD 251.

For field placement experience (ECD 251), students will be required to attend a field placement workshop monthly on either the Lex Walters Campus in Greenwood or on the Newberry campus. Every effort will be made to place field experience students at childcare centers or schools near their home.

Candidates are responsible for transportation to and from any class, practicum, lab or clinical site.

Courses with a prefix of ECD or SAC must be less than 8 years old in order to count toward a certificate, diploma or degree program.

Candidates are required to complete a minimum of one summer session of coursework.

A clear tuberculosis test at the student’s expense may be required for field placement experience sites. 

CPR and first aid certifications are required as part of ECD 135. There is an additional fee associated with these certifications.

Notes About Individual Classes

Some ECD coursework is offered online while other courses are offered only in person at PTC. It is not possible for a student to complete the certificate completely online. Our methods courses are not offered online but are offered in the mornings and in the evenings at the Lex Walters Campus in Greenwood. Students can register for these courses on the Newberry campus, but the student quota for enrollment must be met for the course to run there. Students may be required to travel to the Lex Walters Campus in Greenwood once a month for ECD 243, ECD 244, and ECD 251 and possibly other courses during the program.

Students may take ECD 251 two times only and must receive a grade of “C” or higher on the second attempt for the course to count towards graduation.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Purpose Statement

The mission of the Early Care and Education Program of Piedmont Technical College is to provide the community with professional early educators who are knowledgeable, competent, committed and capable of providing quality professional care for all children. The program’s graduates are able to evaluate and assess children and make quality developmentally appropriate decisions for children’s learning. Through the extensive study of NAEYC standards and the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct our students are provided the knowledge needed to support advocacy for children and the profession of early educators.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students completing the Infant Toddler Certificate will be able to demonstrate:

1. Apply knowledge of early childhood development from birth through age three while valuing each child’s uniqueness and recognizing the many factors that affect their growth and development.
2. Employ a variety of teaching skills and strategies that are responsive to each child’s unique learning styles and needs.
3. Understand the content of the academic disciplines and pedagogical methods for teaching each discipline.