Child Development - Educational Paraprofessional - Certificate of Achievement

Program Code: CSZ.35763

Child development teachers work in a variety of settings providing care and guidance of young children. This includes concern for the mental, social, physical, and emotional growth and development of the child. As a child development teacher, you should be able to work under supervision and work cooperatively with other personnel. Each employee should gain the respect, confidence, and cooperation of children, maintain discipline, and enforce as well as deal with emergency situations calmly. Physically, you must maintain good health and be able to stoop, kneel, crouch, and crawl. Good vision and hearing are necessary as well as being able to lift up to 40 pounds. Applicants for child development positions are to be free of communicable diseases including a negative TB test. A DHS clearance for child abuse/neglect is required, as is a criminal background check.

The Educational Paraprofessional Certificate of Achievement is designed to assist students in obtaining the skills necessary to work as paraprofessionals in pre-K and early elementary classrooms. This certificate stresses the importance of understanding child and family diversity, special needs populations, and developmentally appropriate discipline. By completing the certificate, a student can supplement the Advanced Certificate or Associate in Applied Arts degree or use it to directly gain employment