Application Requirements

Applicants wishing to apply to this program must have:

• Grade 10 or equivalent or achieved mature student status.
• In the absence of the listed entrance requirements, the Nunavut Arctic College Academic Placement test may be required.
• Applicants must have a doctor’s certificate indicating that they are in good health and a current immunization schedule.
• RCMP clearance is required.

Employment Opportunities

Graduates of the Program can expect to find employment in day care centres, nursery schools, classroom teaching assistant or as operators of their own day care homes in communities throughout Nunavut. While program completion does not ensure employment, graduates do have more options.

COURSES IN THIS PROGRAM

Core Courses

Students are required to have an additional 6 credits from two or more electives:

Elective Courses

Course Descriptions

016-208 Curriculum I
The focus of this course is on planning and delivering the childcare curriculum in a group setting. Students will be introduced to a variety of curriculum approaches used in universal early childhood practice. Students will explore the meaning of play as a learning activity, define stages of play, examine the role of the environment and the adult in learning and play, art and creative development. This course will be a practical application of theories learned in Basic Methods and Child Development. Six learning centres: sensory, dramatic play, storytelling, toys and music will be explored with special emphasis on how to incorporate these activities into early child development programs in a Nunavut community.

016-109 Basic Methods
In this course students are introduced to the field of early child development and will examine how early childhood settings are organized in order to provide both safe care and education to young children. Students will examine quality from a number of perspectives (a child’s, parents, educators) and through the lens of culture.) They will discuss specific components of quality in early child development programs. Emphasis will be placed on creating effective learning environments that are developmentally appropriate and reflect Inuit values, language and traditions. This course will focus on the early childhood practitioner roles and responsibilities as teacher and leader. Students will focus on building meaningful relationships with children, guiding their behaviour, family partnerships and meeting the special needs of children.

016-108 Child Development
This course examines the normal development of children between the ages of one month to 6 years. Discussion will focus on sensory-motor development, social, emotional, physical, cognitive and brain development, with attention to the emergence and development of speech. Adult/ child interactions are emphasized with a focus on caring through the establishment of routines. This course provides theoretical background to practical applications in the Curriculum 1 and 2 courses.

016-215 Traditional Child Rearing
In this course students will explore ways to incorporate traditional Inuit knowledge, practice and experiences in childcare programs. Emphasis will be on the partnership of family and community, culturally relevant learning environments, preservation of language, storytelling, music, elder teachings, nutrition and the importance of play in learning as it reflects Inuit values and culture.

016-106 Seminar I
This course is intended to provide a forum for the discussion of practices and experiences working with children and staff/ students in the childcare centre practicum. Attention will focus on developing interpersonal skills and professional awareness as early childhood educators. The need for discretion and sensibility towards others while working with parents, children and other colleagues is examined. Students will be assessed on their ability to integrate in the childcare setting the concepts, skills and knowledge learned in the fall semester. The seminar is taken concurrently with the field placement.

016-107 Field Placement I
The purpose of the first practicum is to introduce the students to the work of the early childhood educator. Under the direction of the centre’s supervisor and the seminar instructor, students will have opportunities to observe and interact with children throughout the day and to attempt methods learned in the program when responding to young children. Ongoing discussions and evaluation of the field placement with instructors and fellow students will assist each student to examine and internalize practical skills. Seminar is taken concurrently with field placement.

016-209 Curriculum II
In this course students will identify the importance of a child-centred curriculum. Emphasis is placed on planning, organizing, implementing and evaluating developmentally and culturally appropriate and relevant activities and learning environments for children. The role of literature and language in the development of young children is given greater emphasis. Six learning centres: books, music and movement, cooking, math and science and outdoor play will be explored, with emphasis on how to present activities so they are relevant to children in the context of a Nunavut community childcare centre. .

016-156 Seminar II
This course continues to focus on the integration of classroom learning and practical application of those ideas and methods in the childcare setting. Students will be expected to use critical reasoning to examine how and why methods and practices are used in the context of child development. This pertains to guiding and providing for children, keeping records, involving parents and working as a member of a team. The student will take on increasingly greater responsibilities for planning and implementing daily programming in the childcare centre.

016-157 Field Placement II
During the second semester, students are expected to take a more active part in the daily program of the centre. This will involve planning and presenting activities to the children as well as supervising routines.

016-101 Health, Safety & Nutrition
This course will develop an awareness of health, safety, and nutrition practices necessary to ensure the well-being of children in child care setting. Students will learn to use the Nunavut Food Guide and knowledge from elders towards planning daily menus in childcare programs. Students will learn how to handle emergency situations and will receive training and become certified in First Aid and Infant CPR.

016-207 Field Placement III
The focus of the third semester field placement is on team work. Students will work in pairs or small groups to gain experience in the process of collaboration, communications, planning, and presentation of assigned activities to pre-school children. The skills and sensitivities vital to productive staff relations will be looked at in light of their impact on the childcare environment.

079-420 Portfolio Development
Learners will create a prior learning portfolio that identifies and provide evidence of the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that they have learned from all areas of their lives. This will be accomplished by reflecting on formal and informal education experiences related to all areas of life, including family, community, land, traditional activities, work experiences, and education/training. Portfolio documentation will vary from learner to learner, depending on their specific life experience, but it will usually include narratives, samples of work, photographs and transcriptions of information about the learner’s life experiences. The focus of the first half of the course is the exploration and identification of life learning. The second half of the course is to analyze life learning, identify personal strengths, and create a plan to achieve personal goals, and explore the use of portfolio in various contexts.

016-153 Storytelling & Literature
This elective course aims at promoting in children an appreciation of reading and listening to stories. Students identify and examine the value of books and story-time and learn motivational techniques for presenting stories to children. This course also introduces the student to a wide variety of children’s books including those books available in the Inuit language and from other cultures around the world. First language development and storytelling will be emphasised.

016-204 Art & Art Materials for Children
This course is designed to develop awareness of the creative process through visual art materials and to understand how interaction with these materials contributes to the development of the child. A wide variety of art materials and techniques is introduced and connections are made between child development and visual art. The focus is on the use of inexpensive, culturally relevant and locally available art supplies and materials.

012-316 Music for Children
This course will introduce the students to the fundamentals of music in early childhood education and develop an appreciation of children’s music in the childcare setting. Students will develop and practice basic skills on at least one instrument (xylophone, guitar, recorder, voice, drum etc.) The use of instruments in the classroom will be explored both for accompaniment to singing and for music instruction. A variety of music and songs will be presented with the main emphasis on Inuit children’s songs and music. Students will explore rhythm instruments and the use of rhythm, dance and movement in the childcare setting. Students will create hand-made instruments and learn how to incorporate music activities in early childhood education. Students will be expected to demonstrate their competency through performance, practice in the childcare environment and class presentations.