(ECE) is an Initial Teacher Education (ITE) degree. An ITE qualification is the requirement to become a beginning teacher in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Approved and monitored by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand, this degree is designed for those who would like to pursue a career as a qualified early childhood education teacher.In addition to class time, students will spend a minimum of 12 hours per week in a licensed early childhood education setting, putting skills into practice.

Besides weekly practical experience in an ECE setting, students will also undertake a block practicum in a different setting from their weekly practice. Students are required to find their own practicum. The block practicum requirements are:

Year one: Three weeks

Year two: Four weeks

Year three: Four weeks

By the end of the programme, students will have learnt how to build and maintain relationships with children and adults, know how children learn, how to teach, and what to teach. Students will also learn vital leadership, planning and organisational skills.(ECE) will teach students an understanding of a range of valuable skills: from how children learn and what to teach to building relationships and strategies for advocating for children and families.

Students will also learn:

Professional knowledge

What to teach

Learners and how they learn

Contextual factors

Influencing teaching and learning

The unique place of Māori as Tangata Whenua

Professional practice

Planning for a safe, high-quality teaching and learning environment

The use of evidence to promote learning

Inter-relationships between theory and practice

Professional values and relationships

Development of positive relationships with learners and the members of learning communities

Being committed members of the profession

Professional leadership and advocacy

Application of effective leadership strategies

Strategies to advocate for children, families, society and the teaching profession