Program Objectives
The Early Childhood Education Techniques program prepares students to become early childhood
educators.
Early childhood educators are specialized in early childhood. It is their responsibility to ensure the
well-being, health, safety and global development of the children in their care. They provide constant
supervision and are vigilant throughout the day. They may also be required to provide physical and
hygiene care to young children.
Early childhood educators need to create and maintain a caring, reassuring and meaningful
relationship with every child in the group, and with the children’s families. They inform each family of
their child’s progress and of any challenges or needs that may require particular help. In addition,
when performing their various tasks and activities, they must take the educational program into
account and incorporate the steps of the educational intervention process.?
Early childhood educators observe the children continuously and identify their needs, fields of interest
and abilities. They plan, organize and apply educational actions designed to help the children achieve
their potential. They implement routines, ensure that the atmosphere is conducive to learning and
assist the children with their games and everyday activities, to help them acquire healthy lifestyle
habits and develop self-esteem, independence and creativity. In everything they do, early childhood
educators must demonstrate flexibility, creativity and initiative, by adapting to unexpected situations,
being innovative in their approach to education, and progressively developing their practice of the
profession.
Early childhood educators act as guides and support the children’s physical, motor, cognitive,
language, social, moral, emotional and sexual development. They prepare support plans where
necessary, and take part in the preparation and application of individualized education plans for
children with special needs. They also form partnerships with the child’s family, work closely with
their colleagues and resource persons, and demonstrate ethical behaviour when performing their
tasks.
Early childhood educators work mainly in childcare centres (CPEs), subsidized and non-subsidized
daycare centres, home childcare facilities, school daycare centres, drop-in daycare centres and other
environments that provide educational childcare services.
Length of training
Total length of training includes general training that is common to all programs for 420 hours, general training for this program for 150 hours as well as complementary general training courses for 90 hours.
Duration of training consists of theory and lab work for courses; personal time that the student invests is excluded.