Early Childhood Education Associate of Applied Science

Coursework is grounded in Montessori philosophy & practices, Anti-Bias-Anti-Racist Pedagogy and whole-child centered learning. By completing coursework through St. Kate’s, adult learners gain university credits within an Associate’s degree program. These credits could later be transferred into a Bachelor’s program, giving the student options for professional growth and all the implications that come with more advanced degrees including pay raises and more elevated positions. 
 

In this Associate Degree program, you can expect to: gain critical knowledge to help you be a more effective classroom teacher; to engage in critical self reflective activities to engage in personal transformation to become ethical and influential educational leaders informed by the philosophy of Maria Montessori and her vision of peace and social justice to develop a greater understanding of themselves, children, and the world. You will gain real world experience to prepare you to develop your teaching pedagogy with an individualized, anti-bias and anti-racist teaching approach influenced by Montessori philosophy that honors the whole child. In order to do this, you will also learn how to navigate the demands of teaching and learning; in order to be an effective teacher the mind, body, and spirit must be nurtured, supported, and integrated into all courses are strategies for sustaining yourself in the field through a holistic approach to the field of education. This includes a commitment to serving in, learning from, and collaborating with diverse communities who share a common vision of educational equity.

Through this program, you will deepen your understanding of key developmentally appropriate practices of the Preparation of the Adult and Observation skills with an Anti-Bias, Anti-Racist lens. Your courses are taught by instructors who are experts in the field of Early Childhood Education.