Para-Professional/Child Day Care Provider: Overview

The Para-professional and Child Day Care Provider curriculum at the Turtle Mountain Community College offers both a degree and certification option depending on the interests and/or career goals of the student. This course of study is designed to prepare students enrolled in the degree program for careers in the field of Education and Childhood Care. These courses are designed to combine theoretical and field experiences so that the students will acquire the necessary skills and techniques to provide students with the knowledge of regulations required of early childhood care providers and to develop career opportunity skills. The Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree program is designed especially for students who wish to complete a program of career courses, as well as for those who may wish to enroll in a specific mix of career and traditional transfer courses. While the AAS degree is designed primarily for students who wish to begin their careers after two years of study, options for transferring are available. The Early Childhood Education Certificate is offered for those who want to learn the basics and wish to be an effective assistant teacher. The Child Care Provider – Entrepreneur Emphasis provides students with the skills and knowledge to own or manage a business.

Program Outcomes:

1. To prepare para-professionals to meet the new federal No Child Left Behind Mandate for para-professionals.
2. To strengthen para-professional academic skills and to provide training in effective classroom practices while addressing the requirements for para-professional educators established by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002.
3. To apply techniques and knowledge that supports instruction, tutoring and supervision of individual students or small groups of students.
4. To prepare the para-professional to enrich the learning experience for students by assisting in the classroom and performing both administrative and instructional duties that complements and support the instructional plan and educational goals.
5. To understand the needs of their particular workplace, their role in an out of the classroom and how their skill are used in that role of preparing classroom materials, projects, demonstrations and visual displays, Monitoring and scoring tests and class assignments, clerical duties, such as keeping attendance records, operating audiovisual equipment and computers, and assisting with classroom management and monitoring of student behavior.
6. To provide a career ladder opportunity for para-professional educators.

Career Opportunities:
Typical positions available to graduates of this program are:

• Teacher aide or assistant
• Instructional aide or assistant
• Special education assistant
• Preschool or early childhood assistant
• Bilingual assistant
• Library assistant

Education paraprofessionals also work in a variety of settings that include:

• Preschools and day care centers
• Elementary schools
• Junior and senior high schools
• Vocational education centers
• Community colleges
• Adult education programs