Early Childhood Education

Picture a room of four-year-olds building a cardboard city, and you as the educator who planned every block of it. Early Childhood Education at Cambrian College is a two-year Ontario College Diploma spread over four semesters on the Barrydowne campus in Sudbury, preparing you to plan, guide and document learning for children from infancy to school age.

First semester introduces Child Growth and Development, Health & Nutrition, Intro Early Childhood Education, The Creative Learning Environment and Principles of Psychology alongside Field Seminar I. Semester two brings Curriculum Planning I, Observation and Documentation and Child Guidance with Field Practicum II. In semester three you study Infant and Toddler Care, Culturally Relevant Practice, Curriculum Planning II, Family Liaison and Inclusive Theory & Practices, then finish with Leadership in ECE, Child Abuse, Curriculum Models In ECE and School Age Program, each term paired with its own field seminar.

Cambrian places you in a real childcare setting in every semester, with practicums in terms two, three and four, so theory from Observation and Documentation is tested with actual children and families. Before you step into an ECE classroom you practise routines and activity set-ups in the college’s on-campus mock childcare classroom. Placement requires a two-step TB test, Standard First Aid and CPR, a Vulnerable Sector Check, current immunizations and Bill 18 certifications. Graduates apply to the College of Early Childhood Educators to practise, and articulation agreements can give credit toward further study.

Graduates of Cambrian’s ECE diploma work as early childhood educator, kindergarten designated early childhood educator, EarlyON centre facilitator, infant and toddler room lead, home child care provider and family support worker. The programme suits patient, observant people who enjoy play-based learning, can talk comfortably with parents and want a regulated profession working with young children.