Education

The basic tenets of our philosophy apply to learners of all ages. These tenets are:

• Every person has inherent dignity and worth and should be treated as an individual
• Students of all ages are active learners
• Students learn best in a nurturing and safe environment
• Students will rise to the expectations of the educator
• Educators must honor and support the diverse backgrounds and abilities of each student
• Educators should be constantly aware of the potential life-changing effect they have on their students
• Educators are aware that they are serving as role models
• Education is a reciprocal process
• Education is required for making informed decisions
• Education should entice people to become lifelong learners

The Early Childhood Education Department program bases outcomes on the five standards set forth by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

• Standard 1: Promoting Child Development and Learning
• Standard 2: Building Family & Community Relationships
• Standard 3: Observing, Documenting & Assessing to Support Young Children & Families
• Standard 4: Teaching and Learning
• Standard 5: Becoming a Professional

The past and present strengths of the Early Childhood Education Department include a dedication to quality instruction, a supportive college administration, community respect, responsiveness to community needs, quality field placements, articulation agreements with local universities, a partnership with Buncombe County Smart Start, and instructors dedicated to students and their families. These strengths result in well-prepared graduates who have a positive influence on the lives of the children and the families with whom they work.

The Early Childhood Education Department strives to build on past and present strengths while continually seeking to improve the quality of the educational experience for our students. We are committed to ongoing assessment of our curriculum/courses, making necessary improvements to meet the needs of our students and the evolving field of early childhood education.

Contact Tamara Reynolds

• Email: tamaraereynolds@abtech.edu

• NC Division of Child Development
• NC Rated License Assessment Project
• National Association for the Education of Young Children
• NC Association for the Education of Young Children
• TEACH Scholarship
• North Carolina Institute for Child Development Professionals (Early Educator Certification)

Meet the Faculty and Staff of the Early Childhood Department

Tamara Reynolds, Department Chairperson

• Email: tamaraereynolds@abtech.edu
• Phone: (828) 398-7372

Education:

• B.A. - UNC-Chapel Hill
• M.Ed. - Union Institute and University

Biography:

For the last two decades, Tamara has taught a diverse group of learners from pre-k through college. A Morehead-Cain Scholar, she received her B.A. in Child Development and Family Studies and Birth to Kindergarten licensure from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Tamara was then trained to work with students with autism through the TEACCH program at the UNC School of Medicine. Her love of reading and books led her to pursue her M.Ed. in Reading and Pre-K/Primary Education.

Tamara has presented at local, regional, and national conferences for teachers and has provided professional development at numerous public and private schools. She twice presented at the NISOD International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence and was also recognized as a NISOD Excellence Award Recipient. Locally, Tamara has served as a mentor for NC Pre-K teachers in Buncombe and Madison Counties and worked on multiple early childhood projects with Buncombe Partnership for Children and Children First/Communities in Schools. She is a member of the Buncombe NC Pre-K Advisory Committee.

TBA/Vacant, Instructor

• Email:

Suzanne Hughes, Adjunct Faculty

• Email: marthashughes@abtech.edu

Heather Logan, Adjunct Faculty

• Email: heatherrlogan@abtech.edu