Alternative Bachelors for Childcare Education Program ABC

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Alternative Bachelors for Childcare Education
Program (ABC)
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What is the ABC Program?

• An Associates to Bachelors Degree Program for
  Childcare Professionals offered at Eastern
  Illinois University in a collaborative effort
  through the School of Family Consumer Sciences
  and the School of Continuing Education.

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What does the ABC program offer?

• A five semester program offered on the weekends,
  evening, or technology-delivered
• Earn twelve semester hours credit per semester to
  complete the 60 hour program
• Curriculum was developed based on the seven core
  content areas of Early Childhood Core Knowledge
  and Skills as identified by the Professional
  Development Advisory Council

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Curriculum Content Area

• Child growth and development
• Health, safety and nutrition
• Observation and assessment
• Curriculum development
• Teaching/learning interactions and environments
• Family and community relationships
• Professional development

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Program Outline

• Semester 1 Families in Crisis
• Current Issues in Child Care Advocacy
• Nutrition and the Young Child
• Current Issues in Child Care Family Systems
  
• Working With Families of Exceptional Children
  
• Food Sanitation
• Semester 2 Addictions and the Family
• Learning Environments
• Children and Loss
• Working With School Age Children
• Technology in Early Childhood Environments
• Enhancing Childrens Learning
• Program Marketing Through Grant Writing and
• Public Relations
• Semester 3 Parent/Child Study
• Family and the Law Childrens Issues
• Establishing a Center
• Sex Education
• Family and the Law Family Dissolution Issues
  

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Program Outline

• Semester 4 Facilitating Brain Development and
  Concept
• Formation in Young Children through Activity
  Planning
• Professionalism in the Early Childhood
  Profession
• Consumer Education
• Computer Use for Child Care Administrators
  
• Administration of Child Care Programs
• Child Care Issues
• Semester 5 Curriculum for Home and Center
  Programs
• Program Base
• Family Child/Home
• Personal and Professional Self Awareness
• Cultural Awareness
• Early Childhood Program Internship - 6
  credits
• a portfolio documenting related work
  experience
• may be submitted to request a waiver of three
  (3) credits.
• Online courses

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Certification

• The ABC Program is an Illinois Director
  Credential entitled program. Successful
  completion of the ABC program entitles you to
  apply for the Illinois Director Credential Level
  II.

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Additional Certification

• In addition, completion of the ABC program
  qualifies you to apply for the Early Childhood
  Professional Level IV as identified by the
  National Association for the Education of Young
  Children (NAEYC).

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AND . . .

• Qualifies you to apply for the Infant/ Toddler
  Credential Level V, and the Early Care and
  Education (ECE) Credential.
• For more information on professional development
  visit www.ilgateways.com

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Upgrade your degree with the ABC Program

• If you hold an Associate of Art or an Associate
  of Science degree, you may earn a bachelors
  degree with weekend and online study at EIU.

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Who is the degree for?

• Childcare professionals
• Head start programs
• Early childhood educators
• Family childcare providers
• Childcare center staff

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Why should I upgrade my associates degree?

• You might be getting along fine with your current
  degree, but consider these facts
• All DCFS licensed programs anticipate increases
  in training requirements for childcare education
  providers.
• Programs such as the Illinois Department of Human
  Services tiered-reimbursement rate system
  provides rewards for educational milestones. A
  higher degree provides potential for increased
  income.

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Why upgrade?

• 3. A higher degree increases your level of
  professionalism and marketability.
• 4. The Head Start program has set a 2011 goal for
  50 percent of all its teachers to hold a
  bachelors degree.
• 5. Illinois Early Learning Standards recently
  adopted a goal to ensure an adequate and stable
  supply of highly qualified and diverse early
  childhood professionals to provide high quality
  early care and education.
• 6. Families are demanding higher quality
  programs. Many families are concerned with the
  education of the child care provider.

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For More Information on ABC

• Contact Donna Coonce, ABC Program Director
  School of Family and Consumer Sciences
• Eastern Illinois University
• 1435 Klehm Hall
• Phone [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• Email djcoonce_at_eiu.edu
• http//www.eiu.edu/abcpgm