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Mineral Area College offers three career pathways to Early Child Development . The pathways will prepare the student in a career working with children birth to five years of age in a quality child care setting. The courses allow the student to establish a solid foundation in working with the developing child.
- The first pathway of Early Child Development prepares the student for the nationally recognized Child Development Associate credential (CDA) required by Head Start Classroom Aid and accredited programs within the community to work as an assistant or lead classroom teacher.
- Another pathway prepares the student as a Director of a licensed Child Development Program (Director’s Certificate).
- The third pathway prepares the student as an Assistant or Lead Classroom Teacher in public supported programs such as Head Start, Even Start, First Steps, Parents as Teachers program or an accredited, privately-owned program.
- The third pathway will also prepare the student as a classroom aid to an early childhood/ elementary classroom teacher in the public school system (Associate Applied Science Degree).
Note: Students may also pursue a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development on the MAC campus through Central Methodist College (2+2 program).
Specific information regarding the Associate of Applied Science Degree and the Director’s Certificate can be found on the Career and Technical Education page under Degrees and Certificates.
The Child Development Associate (CDA) plan has specific requirements such as experience working with young children. It recommends twelve hours of specific child development college courses to prepare the child care provider to implement a developmentally appropriate environment ofr children birth to 36 months, and three to five years. A resource notebook, three observations of student working with the appropriate age group, final oral and written tests administered by the Washington, D.C. CDA Council, and parent questionnaires of the CDA candidates child care group are to be presented to the CDA Council for consideration of the nationall CDA credential. The Mineral Area College Early Child Development will assign a Field Advisor to assist the college student in the final preparation and evaluation credentialing process.
Criminal Background Check Policy (PDF format)
A criminal backgound check must be completed BEFORE the student can complete any field experiences such as observations or practicums.
The Child Development courses at Mineral Area College are guided by the use and implementation of the constructivist approach theory as a guide to a developmentally appropriate curriculum for ages infancy, preschool, and school age children 5 to 12 years. The courses are designed to meet state licensing requirements, accreditation and Head Start standards of quality care. Partnerships with accredited community early care and education programs have been established and utilized for developmentally appropriate practice field and practicum experiences.
Contact information:
Patricia Fields
Associate Professor and Department Chair: Early Child Development (Career and Technology Department).
Educational Background:
Masters Degree in Education: Working with Children with Special Needs 1996. University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana
Bachelor of Science degree: Family and Consumer Sciences, 1990.
Southeast Missori State University, Missouri
Career Related Experiences
Associate professor; student and community advisor; and department chair at the post-secondary level since 2001: Mineral Area College.
Family and Consumer Sciences (grades 7-12) 1987-2001.
General Education (GED) teacher 1987-2001
Observational Studies of special needs preschool age children: Study on loan at University of Illinois May, 1995
Professional Experiences:
State Committees: licensing and accreditation working with state agencies involving child care licensing and accreditation regulations/requirements.
Education Committee work with the Coordinating Board of Higher Education as a liaison for the community colleges' early care and education programs. Committee work included the Head Start initiative that mandated two and four year degrees for the lead classroom teachers by the year 2008. The committee’s focus was a means of the transferability of two year Associate degrees and four year degree in Child Development.
Colobaration with Head Start education directors in order to facilitate the educational and training needs of teachers and classroom aids acciording to federal education mandates established in 2002.
Advisory Board: Developing course specific education and training to meet the needs of the community in early care and education.
Developing a seamless career pathway for early care and education providers to move from the CDA to the four year degree in Child Development.
Professional Memberships: Active Member in the National Association of Young Children (NAEYC); MoAEYC ( (River's Bend ).
Active member in the Missouri Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (MAECTE)
Elected officer (president) of MAECTE-2010-2011
Phone: (573) 518-2128
E-mail: pfields@MineralArea.edu
Office Hours: Monday through Friday- 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Arts and Science Building : Office 26
Early Child Development Faculty:
Davie Horn
Instructor/CDA advisor
Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood 2007
Central Methodist University, Park Hills, Missouri
Associate of Applied Science in Child Development
Mineral Area College, Park Hills, Missouri
Career Related Experiences
Program Director-St. Joesph Catholic Preschool. July of 2008 to 2009
Farmington, Mo.
Infant/Toddler Lead Teacher at Superior Child Care Center, 2003 to 2008
Bright Horizons, Superior Children's Center
Farmington, Mo.
Interim Field Assistant Director, April to September, 2007
Bright Horizons Vance, Alabama
Four years of experience working with community child care programs preparing for the CDA
CDA advisor and field rep
Karen Irvin
Instructor, Main Campus
Masters and Specialist Degree in Administration
William Woods University
Special Education Degree
Missouri State University
Bachelor of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education
Central Methodist University
Park Hills, Missouri
Career Related Experiences
Early Childhood Special Education and Lead Classroom Teacher
WL Johns,
Farmington, Missouri
Developmental Therapist
First Steps
Farmington, Missouri
Jane Moldenhaer
Instructor, Perryville campus
Masters Degree in Early Child Development
Teaching Certification-Early Childhood
Webster College-2007
Bachelor of Science in Child Development
Southeast Missouri State University-1990
Career Related Experiences
Preschool Director/Owner 1992 to present
M & M Kids-Perryville, Mo.
Adjunct teacher for Southeast Missouri State University
Parent Educator- Parents as Teachers, 1991
Perry County District # 32, Missouri
Jill Steffens
Instructor, Perryville campus
Masters Degree in Early Child Development-2007
Teaching Certification-Early Childhood
Webster College, Missouri
Bachelor of Science in Child Development-1990
Southeast Mo. State University, Missouri
Career Related Experiences
Preschool Director/Owner 1992 to present
M & M Kids-Perryville, Mo.
Adjunct teacher for SEMO
Parent Educator- Parents as Teachers, 1991
Perry County District # 32
Wendy Soderlund
Instructor/CDA
Masters of Science in Child and Family Development, 1979
Masters in Business Education, 1980
Bachelor of Arts, 1971
Career Related Experiences
Head Start Education and Training Coordinator
Ray Forshee
Insructor, Main campus
Masters in Elementay Administration, 2008-conferred in 2010
William Woods University
Reading Recovery Advocate 2005-2006
Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Bachelors of Science in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, 2003-2005
Central Methodist University, Park Hills
Associates Of Arts Degree, Elementary Education, 2000-2003
Park Hills, Missouri
Career Related Experiences
Kindergarten teacher (2006-2008)
Third Grade Teacher (2008 to present)
Annapolis, Missouri
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