The Child Development and Care Dual Enrollment Course Series is a college/career readiness initiative. High schools can lease curriculum for four child development and education courses which are approved for twelve-semester units of UC Merced undergraduate credit. Courses may be transferable for academic credit at California community colleges, California State Universities and University of California.
Child Development Dual Enrollment courses meet the academic requirement for an early childhood associate teacher permit from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
These four-course dual enrollment courses cover the following core areas required to meet the qualifications for the California Teacher's Credentialing permit, Child Development Associate Teacher Permit (with School-Age Authorization). Students will be prepared with the skills and knowledge to work with children from birth to school-age while earning college credit.
The courses are delivered as an upper class, year-long elective by a highly qualified credentialed high school teacher. Elective students will experience world-class undergraduate course content while discovering new career opportunities. Nearly all juniors and seniors in the pilot program have successfully applied to two and four-year colleges.
If you are interested in bringing this program to your California-based school district, UC Merced Extension will work closely with school administration to ensure a successful partnership and streamlined process. Please contact us for further information.
The courses can be used to facilitate cross-age instruction throughout the community. In Chowchilla, high school kids are acquiring supervised early childhood permit hours by working in TK-6 after-school enrichment interventions.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
• Transitional Kindergarten
• Preschool Teachers
• Teacher Assistants
• K-8 After School Enrichment
• Daycare Provider
• Childcare Worker
"I would recommend the elective...it gets you in touch with how college is and makes you feel a little bit more comfortable, and now that I'm applying to colleges...I feel way more comfortable walking into a college campus and to go to college."
V. Romo | Chowchilla Union High 2019
"They earn twelve units which equivalent to a whole semester, that alone encourages students to say 'oh, I already have a whole semester under my belt, why not keep going' even if they had doubts."
Y. Benomar | Teacher | Chowchilla Union High
CULTURAL RESPONSIVITY AND VALUES
Demonstrate awareness, sensitivity, and responsiveness to diversity in every domain of learning, understanding values as an opportunity for respectful exchange, collaboration, and shared commitment to the greater good.
CONTENT KNOWLEDGE
Master content in child development, family and community studies, early literacy, and math readiness, along with the capacity to monitor and guide personal learning.
COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION LITERACY
Effectively convey information, engage in respectful dialogue, and share ideas through oral and written discourse, cultivating inquiry inclusive of self, others, and community.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Implement problem-solving skills capable of promoting justice, fostering collaborative leadership, and addressing community concerns with mature civic identity.
CHILD-CENTERED CARE AND INSTRUCTION
Cultivate professional expertise for care and instruction to promote the developing potential of infants, toddlers, preschool and school-aged children.
INCLUSION
Educate, assess, and support English language learners through an inclusive, positive learning environment.
LITERACY AND MATH READINESS
Nurture, assess, and support literacy and math readiness for infants, toddlers, preschool and school-aged children.
Students will complete all four courses with a grade of ‘C’ or better and at least 50 days of verifiable experience working a minimum of three hours in a day, within the last two years, in an instructional capacity in a childcare and development program. All students must purchase, or have provided by their school, online access to course materials and textbooks. Online textbook access is $120 per student per course.
EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT FOR PRACTITIONERS
This course considers early child development (0-6 years) through biological and ecosystemic perspectives. Readings and activities emphasize the applicability of course content through biology, developmental neuroscience, culture, and classic development theories.
INTRODUCTION TO CURRICULUM (BIRTH THROUGH PRIMARY)
This course introduces curriculum with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-aged children. The course considers developmentally (age-appropriate) curriculum and learning in terms of contextual, hands-on artifacts supporting artistic creativity, literacy, math readiness, and science learning.
CHILD DEVELOPMENT IN FAMILY, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY
This course considers school-aged development (6-12 years) through biological and ecosystemic perspectives. Readings and activities emphasize the applicability of course content through biology, developmental neuroscience, and culture. A positive development is emphasized in family, school, and community contexts through Baumrind, Bronfenbrenner, and Lerner.
TEACHING AND LEARNING (BIRTH THROUGH ELEMENTARY)
This course covers teaching and learning with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-aged children in multicultural settings. The course considers developmentally (age-appropriate) teaching and learning in terms of contextual, hands-on artifacts supporting artistic creativity, literacy, math readiness, and science learning.
85% OF THE CDC PILOT PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WENT ON TO 2 AND 4 YEAR INSTITUTIONS POST GRADUATION2
How did you identify your qualified and best fit teacher for this opportunity?
First, we established which of our teachers were qualified to meet the course qualifications as a teacher as provided by UC Merced Extension. Then, considering they are qualified teachers, we chose a teacher who has a great personality, go to attitude, and who all students want to take courses with.
We also had to ensure that over time, this teacher also met our school board requirements. At the time, our teacher was not currently teaching within the child development subject space. We were able to support our teacher in efforts to complete the CSET to become qualified in this subject matter to meet our school board requirements.
How do you engage students to complete their fieldwork requirements?
As students are required to complete their 150 hours of supervised hands-on learning practice, we have been fortunate to partner with our elementary school district to provide our students with a variety of opportunities to engage in certified fieldwork hours. We have identified periods of time where our high school students are available outside of class time when the elementary school has students in programs and/or class. Our students now have the opportunity to complete their fieldwork hours during the elementary schools’ summer school, after school/extended care program, as well as during their late start Thursday morning block.
What funds are you leveraging to bring the Child Development & Care courses to your campus?
Chowchilla Union High is utilizing Title I funds to pay for the courses and textbooks for students. There is other potential funding through Title IV and V that could potentially be allocated to cover the courses’ expenses.
"We are using Title 1 funds to support this program. Title V funds will also work. It's a big boost for the college/career indicator score on our School Dashboard. It's a huge win for the kids."
DOREEN CASTILLO
Principal, Chowchilla Union High
1. Taking college classes in high school can lead to more college success. (n.d.). Retrieved from edsource.org/2017/taking-college-classes-in-high-school-can-lead-to-more-college-success/588026
2. UC Merced Extension's Child Development and Care Dual Enrollment Pilot Program, Chowchilla Union High 2019
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