Early Childhood Education

The first five years of a child’s life shape how they learn, speak and relate to others, and the educators in the room make a real difference. Assiniboine’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) diploma is a two-year, 122-credit programme, and this listing covers its delivery at the Victoria Avenue East campus in Brandon.

Year one grounds you in how children grow: Infant and Toddler Development, Preschool Development, Children’s Health & Well-Being, Family Dynamics, Guiding Young Children and Overview of Early Learning, with Art, Literature and Play, Communication Essentials, Indigenous Perspectives and Professional Practice. Year two moves into planning for real groups, through Curriculum Development, Teaching Strategies, Inclusion in Early Learning, Language and Emerging Literacy, Science Through Play, Music & Movement Through Play, Creative Play and Design, School Age Development, Building Partnerships and The Reflective Professional.

Practice is built into both years. Applied Practical Skills 1 places you in an early learning setting for six weeks (at least 260 hours), and Applied Practical Skills 2 extends that to ten weeks (at least 260 hours) in year two. Because these placements involve young children, you need a current criminal record vulnerable sector check and a child abuse registry check before you start them. Graduates complete Commit To Kids online training and MCCA Ethics Training Level 1 and 2, and are eligible for classification by Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care as an Early Childhood Educator Level 2 (ECE II). A Brock University agreement lets diploma graduates finish an online Bachelor of Early Childhood Education honours degree, in as little as two years full time.

ECE graduates from the Brandon campus work in early learning centres, nursery schools, school divisions, in-home childcare and child and family service agencies, as early childhood educators, preschool teachers, infant and toddler educators, school-age programme leaders or inclusion support workers. It suits patient, playful people who enjoy families and want a recognised Manitoba classification.