The Infant Toddler Services program option will include five core ECE courses or a total of 13 credits from the current Early Childhood Major and 23 credits of specialized courses in infant-toddler services. Students pursuing this option will also be required to take two of the four courses that are prerequisites to any of the Early Childhood options or a total of 6 credits. This option will also include the 9 credits related to the key indicators for infant toddler teachers. These courses: ECE 210 Young Child Development, Behavior & Learning; ECE XXX Infant Toddler Curriculum & Programs and ECE 460 Working with Families of Young Children are already approved and two are currently part of the Early Childhood major. It will be a major without certification, such as Psychology or Sociology. The New Jersey Birth to Three Early Learning Standards, adopted in 2012 by the New Jersey Council for Young Children, were used to develop the program sequence and coursework (http://www.nj.gov/education/ece/guide/standards/birth/standards.pdf). (See Appendix B)

We have crafted this option so that students can begin the Early Childhood Education major and take 6 credits before making the decision of which option to continue. At that point, they can decide to complete the program option for:

• P-3 Certification
• Dual certification early childhood-elementary education P3-K6
• P-3 and Special Education Certification, or 
• Infant-Toddler Services 

Candidates will be able to complete the Early Childhood Education Major with a specialization in Infant-Toddler Services as their only major. Students must have a 2.5 cumulative GPA for admission and to continue in the program. They will need to achieve a B- or better in all ECE courses and have an overall 3.0 grade point average for graduation. This grade point average reflects the minimum grade point average a potential candidate for NJ teacher certification would need to be eligible for certification. This would ensure that graduates of this program could pursue initial teacher certification at a later date if they so choose. 
 

1. Learner Development The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.
2. Learning Differences The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.
3. Learning Environments The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self motivation.
4. Content Knowledge The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.
5. Application of Content The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.
6. Assessment The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.
7. Planning for Instruction The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.
8. Instructional Strategies The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.
9. Professional Learning and Ethical Practice The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.
10. Leadership and Collaboration The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.