Child Development - Teacher Certificate of Achievement
The Teacher Certificate is designed for individuals working with children in a preschool or child care setting. The certificate focuses on developing age-appropriate curriculum for the classroom and observation/assessment of children. The Teacher Certificate requires 31 CD units which includes 4 units of CD Practicum/ Field Work with young children plus 16 general education units as specified.
This Certificate meets the course and unit requirement for the Teacher Permit through the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Please note that students must also meet the experience requirements of 175 days of 3+ hours per day within 4 years.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| CD 105 | Child Growth and Development | 3 |
| or CD 105H | Child Growth and Development - Honors | |
| CD 111 | Observation and Assessment in Child Development | 3 |
| CD 113 | Principles and Practices of Teaching Young Children | 3 |
| CD 114 | Introduction to Curriculum | 3 |
| CD 115 | Health, Safety and Nutrition | 3 |
| CD 126 | Child, Family, and the Community | 3 |
| CD 138 | Teaching in a Diverse Society | 3 |
| Two Curriculum Courses: | ||
| CD 130 | Creative Music and Movement for Children | 3 |
| CD 133 | Creative Science and Math Activities for Children | 3 |
| CD 134 | Language, Listening and Literature for Children | 3 |
| CD 136 | Creative Art Experiences for Children | 3 |
| CD 137 | Play and Materials for Children | 3 |
| Required CD Practicum/Field Work Experience with Children: | ||
| CD 205 | Child Development Practicum / Field Experience | 4 |
| General Education Requirements: One to two courses from each of the general education categories below to meet the requirements for the Teacher Permit (16 units minimum) | ||
Arts and Humanities: (3-5 units) | ||
| ASL 109 | American Sign Language I | 4 |
| ART 103 | Art Appreciation | 3 |
| MUS 100 | Music Appreciation | 3 |
| SPAN 101 | College Spanish I | 5 |
| or SPAN 101H | College Spanish I - Honors | |
| SPAN 102 | College Spanish II | 5 |
| or SPAN 102H | College Spanish II - Honors | |
| THART 100 | Introduction to the Theatre | 3 |
English Language Communication: (4 units) | ||
| COMMST 100 | Elements of Public Speaking | 3 |
| or COMMST 100H | Elements of Public Speaking - Honors | |
| ENGL 101 | Freshman Composition | 4 |
| or ENGL 101H | Freshman Composition-Honors | |
Natural Science or Mathematics: (4-5 units) | ||
| ANTHRO 106 | Biological Anthropology | 3 |
| or ANTHRO 106H | Biological Anthropology - Honors | |
| BIOL 100 | General Biology | 4 |
| GEOG 110 | Physical Geography | 3 |
| MATH 108 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics | 4 |
| or PSYCH 105 | Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences | |
| PSYCH 141 | Introduction to Biological Psychology | 3 |
Social and Behavioral Sciences: (3 units) | ||
| ANTHRO 102 | Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| or ANTHRO 102H | Cultural Anthropology - Honors | |
| HIST 137 | Experiences of Racial and Ethnic Groups in U.S. History | 3 |
| or ETHS 137 | Experiences of Racial and Ethnic Groups in U.S. History | |
| POLIT 100 | American Politics | 3 |
| PSYCH 100 | General Psychology | 3 |
| or PSYCH 100H | General Psychology - Honors | |
| SOC 100 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| or SOC 100H | Introduction to Sociology - Honors | |
| SOC 130 | Family Sociology | 3 |
| One General Education Elective Course: (2-3 units) | ||
| Total Units | 47-51 | |
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Recommended Courses | ||
| CD 109 | Childhood Stress and Trauma | 3 |
| CD 185 | Infant/Toddler Growth and Development | 3 |
| CD 244 | Children with Special Needs | 3 |
Students working for certificates must have a basic knowledge of arithmetic, reading and writing in order to learn and work in the occupations they select.
This is a Gainful Employment Program
Program Learning Outcomes
At the completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Develop an integrated personal philosophy into classroom practices that reflects an understanding of typical and atypical child development, healthy, safe and nutritious practices, developmentally, culturally and linguistically appropriate practices and ethical standards and professional behaviors when working with children and families.
- Use observation, planning and implementation cycle to create, implement and evaluate environments, individualized curriculum and activities that support developmentally, culturally and linguistically appropriate, inclusive, play and learning for children.
- Develop strategies to respect the diversity of children and families and then empower families, and use resources that promote supportive relationships and partnerships between programs, teachers, families and their communities.
- Apply effective positive guidance and interaction strategies that support young children's learning, self-confidence and identity.
- Write comprehensive developmentally appropriate curriculum plans in a variety of curriculum areas.