Division of Education

Who We Are

The Education program provides coursework leading to the completion of both the general education and professional core program requirements. The Education curriculum is dedicated to providing authentic learning opportunities and can be modified to fit the student’s educational planner in Associate of Arts-Education with an Emphasis in Early Childhood, Elementary Education, or Health & Physical. The Education learning environment maintains and provides opportunities for students to interact with other scholars (such as college instructors, classroom teachers, and students), encourage inquiry, develop critical thinking strategies, solve complex problems, and build practical communication skills. The program will prepare the students skills necessary to obtain employment or transfer to a four-year program.

AS Elementary Education

The BCC Elementary Education program prepares students for Montana K–8 Teacher Certification and employment as an Educator. The curriculum, pedagogy, and learning environment provide authentic and experiential learning opportunities to provide a comprehensive development for pre-service educators. Students engage in inquiry, develop critical thinking strategies, solve complex problems, practice what they’ve learned, and build practical communication skills. The focus of our paradigm is the Native American Indigenous worldview emphasizing concepts unique to the Piikuni Tribal Nation. Graduates may complete their Bachelor of Science degree at the BCC campus or transfer to partner institutions. Students majoring in Elementary Education are required to take 32 credits in the general core and 32 credits in Elementary Education for a total of 64 credits. Students must maintain a 3.0-grade point average to remain in the Teacher Education program

AAS Early Childhood Education

The AAS: Early Childhood Education Degree prepares students with skills to work with children from birth through age eight in a learning environment, which includes family, home, and community. The students will have the opportunity to interact with students, peers, and professionals in an educational learning environment. BCC provides a strong background for students seeking careers in a wide variety of settings, including childcare, home and centers, Headstarts, preschools, and other early childhood care facilities. This program is designed as hands-on training with classroom experience in areas such as early intervention with children with special needs, preschool special education settings, child services, and child-focused community agencies, state and federal agencies, and nonprofit environments that support children and families. Students majoring in the Early Childhood Education program, must complete the 25-General Core and 37Core-7credits (listed on the Academic Map). A total of 62 credits.

Certificate – Early Childhood Development Certificate

The purpose of the one-year Early Childhood Development Certificate is to enhance the quality of child care by defining, evaluating, and recognizing the competence of the child care providers and home visitor. Students will become knowledgeable and skilled professional teachers of young children through the integration of study and experience. Early Childhood Development (ECD) one-year certificate program can be used to meeting the National Credentialing Program Child Development Associate (CDA) requirements, 480 clock hours of field experience, and 120 hours of seminar professional education instruction. Students will have hands-on training to complete and present their CDA Portfolio, the 6 Competency goals, and 13-Functional areas. (ECD) One- Year Certificate transfers into an AAS Early Childhood Education Degree. The CDA is a requirement fort he Blackfeet Head Start, Blackfeet Childcare Center, and Browning Public School Childcare. Earning a CDA helps make students more employable for our community.