Parenting Education Program
(9 credits)

Program Description

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Do you want to increase your skills in parenting and experience a healthier family life? Being a parent is one of life’s most significant and rewarding challenges, but most parents receive little training to handle the task of raising a family. SPSCC is here to help you meet your needs – you will take part in a long-standing, successful program that educates parents and caregivers for their vital role while providing strong early learning experiences for the children in their care.

The Parenting Education Program offers a variety of parenting skills classes, parent-cooperative preschool classes and specialized programs to meet the changing needs of families. Students earning 9 credits in Parenting Education at South Puget Sound Community College who have demonstrated effective skills in parenting through participation at a co-op preschool or parenting education course are eligible for a Parenting Skill certificate. Students earning 21 credits in Parenting Education courses at SPSCC who have demonstrated leadership skills in addition to effective parenting skills through participation in coop preschool parenting education courses are eligible for a Leadership Skill certificate. These courses provide approved training for parents (or parent figures) and enhance individual skills in child development, family relationships, and related topics leading to effective parenting. Participants are involved in observation and classroom experiences that include laboratory sessions. These courses and certificates prepare students to be effective parents for children in their care. Some skills may transfer to the work force. For those students that elect to continue a program of study, some of the completed course credits may also be applied toward certificates or degrees in a related program area.

Career Opportunities

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• Education and Childcare Administrator, Preschool and Daycare
• Social and Human Service Assistant
• Preschool Teacher

Program Information

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Students enrolling in the PEP cooperative preschools must register online each quarter.

• Eastside Co-op (360) 754-3938
• Lacey Parent Co-op (360) 459-5297
• Steamboat Island Co-op (360) 866-1819
• Westside Co-op (360) 866-7383

South Puget Sound Community College believes that all students need to develop a broad range of abilities that will not only make them more effective in their professional pursuits but will enhance their capacity to relate well to others in their daily lives.

At the completion of the Parenting Education Program, the successful student will be able to:

• Implement healthy, safe practices for young children
• Explain and apply early childhood development and developmentally appropriate practices/environments for young children within a context of social and cultural influences
• Apply strategies for working with children, within a culturally relevant, anti-bias approach in order to promote social-emotional competence
• Determine and utilize appropriate resources for family support, within a social, cultural and anti-bias framework
• Demonstrate an understanding of how children learn symbolically through play

The SPSCC college-wide abilities are embedded into each program:

• Effective Communication
• Information Literacy
• Analytical Reasoning
• Multicultural Awareness
• Social Responsibility

The Certificates of Achievement represent participation between parent(s)/care giver and age-appropriate child(ren) in parent education courses or coops. It is comprised of industry-based skill courses. No general education courses and no minimum level of English or math are required.

Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Select any classes equal to nine credits from the following:		9
PEP 100	General Parenting
PEP 101	Parenting Your Infant I
PEP 102	Parenting Your Infant II
PEP 103	Parenting Your Toddler I
PEP 104	Parenting Your Toddler II
PEP 105	Parenting Your 3-4 Year Old
PEP 106	Parenting Children In Middle Years (5-10 Years)
PEPC 111	Parent Education
PEPC 112	Parent Education
PEPC 113	Parent Education
PEPC 114	Parent Education
PEPC 115	Parent Education
PEPC 116	Parent Education

South Puget Sound Community College has provided pathways and associated recommended courses for ease of student selection based upon a student’s career interest. Please review the pathway maps for required and recommended courses.