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Professional Development
Acquire the core knowledge, management skills, and leadership tools necessary to build and advance high-quality early education in any learning environment.
In accordance with Harvard University policy, Professional Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education affirms the right of all individuals to equal treatment in education without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Early education plays a critical role in children’s learning and development. To create and sustain a high-quality learning experience, early education leaders must combine effective leadership skills and strategies with a broad base of core knowledge.
The Certificate in Early Education Leadership (CEEL) provides leaders with the core knowledge, management skills, and leadership tools necessary to build and advance high-quality early education in any learning environment. CEEL is presented by the Zaentz Professional Learning Academy at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and led by Zaentz faculty directors Nonie Lesaux and Stephanie Jones. The certificate welcomes interest and registrations from all practitioners in the field.
“The more we learn about promoting children’s healthy development and laying a strong foundation for later learning and development, the clearer it becomes that one of the best investments for young children is an investment in the adults who shape the settings where they learn and grow.” Saul Zaentz Early Education Initiative
“The more we learn about promoting children’s healthy development and laying a strong foundation for later learning and development, the clearer it becomes that one of the best investments for young children is an investment in the adults who shape the settings where they learn and grow.”
Saul Zaentz Early Education Initiative
CEEL is comprised of three learning series containing five modules each. In each series, four Learn modules help participants build core knowledge in key areas. A conclusive Plan and Apply module supports participants in creating and implementing a plan tailored to their learning environment.
Each Learn module runs for three weeks and requires approximately 10 hours of work. The Plan and Apply modules run for four weeks and require approximately 15 hours of work. To earn the full CEEL certificate, you must complete all 15 modules. You can begin with any Learn module and take these modules in any order. When you successfully complete four modules within the same series, you are eligible to take the fifth module for free. Please contact us after registering for the fifth module so we can zero out your tuition.
The materials are interactive, case-based, and include facilitated cohort discussions. CEEL offers working professionals in early education an opportunity to deepen their core knowledge, enhance their skills, and add to their leadership toolkit through a flexible, online, and job-embedded learning experience.
Develop foundational knowledge, skills, and tools necessary for cultivating optimal learning environments and experiences.
Integrate innovative work from the Harvard Business School and beyond to build leadership and management skills that can transform professional settings.
Learn how to help educators develop their competencies, improve their effectiveness in classroom management, and support children’s cognitive growth.
Nonie Lesaux focuses on promoting the language and literacy skills of children from diverse linguistic, cultural and economic backgrounds.
Stephanie Jones focuses on the effects of poverty and exposure to violence on children’s development and assesses the impact of social-emotional learning interventions.
CEEL is designed for early education leaders and practitioners, including:
This certificate welcomes both individuals and teams. First-time registrants need to create a Professional Education account to register.
Individuals: Click the "Register" button at the top of the individual CEEL program's page to log into your Professional Education account and access the registration page. Proceed with the individual form until submission. Invoices will be immediately available upon the submission of the form.
Teams:
Designate one participant or an administrative staff member as the Coordinator.
Professional Education is excited to offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for your successful participation in this program. The Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is a nationally and internationally recognized unit of measurement for non-credit continuing education programs. As an IACET Accredited Provider, Professional Education offers IACET CEUs for learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard.
Requirements to be eligible to earn CEUs:
Upon successfully meeting all requirements outlined above, you will be notified via email that you have A) earned the certificate of completion for the program and B) are now eligible to earn CEUs. This email will contain the link to complete the required reflection assignment if you wish to receive CEUs, along with a submission deadline and time frame for receiving your CEUs. After submitting your reflection assignment, we will notify you via email of your CEU status, and if you have met all requirements, you will be able to download and view your CEU certificate at this point in time.
Note: Professional Education is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes the quality of continuing education and training.
Each CEEL module is $245. Please contact us to receive your discount codes. Please note that the discounts cannot be combined. Tuition assistance is not available for this program.
*Groups for the Series must register for all five modules at once before Learn A’s registration deadline and pay for the entire amount before Learn A starts.
What is the format, and what work is involved in this certificate program?
CEEL occurs exclusively online and offers participants a flexible and job-embedded learning experience. CEEL is comprised of three series. Each of the three series includes four instructional Learn modules that build participants’ core knowledge in key areas, including early learning and development, adult learning, and leadership and management. The fifth module is a Plan and Apply module designed to support participants as they map key learnings and create and implement a plan tailored to their site and work. Participants who complete all modules across the three series will earn the Certificate in Early Education Leadership.
Each Learn module is three weeks long and will require approximately 10 hours of work. The Plan and Apply module runs for four weeks and requires approximately 15 hours of work. To receive more information and updates, please click here.
Do I need to take the three series in a specific order?
CEEL is designed to support flexibility; you can begin with any series and complete them in any order. Participants pursuing the full certificate must complete all three series in their entirety.
Do I need to take modules within a series in a specific order?
Participants can begin with any Learn module and complete them in any order. However, we strongly recommend that you complete all four Learn modules in a Series (A through D) before taking the Plan and Apply module within that series. At the very least, you should have taken two out of the A through D modules before taking the Plan and Apply module.
If I am already enrolled in one of the CEEL Learn modules, do I need to register again to enroll in the next module?
Yes, you must register for each module.
How long does it take to complete the Certificate in Early Education Leadership?
Depending on when you begin your participation and how many modules you take simultaneously, it can take between 5 and 18 months to earn the certificate. We recommend that you take one module at a time and earn the certificate in approximately 18 months.
What is the cost of the program?
Each CEEL module is $245. When you successfully complete four modules within the same series, you are eligible to take the fifth module for free. Please contact us after registering for the fifth module so we can zero out your tuition.
Is financial aid available for this program?
No, financial aid is not available for this program.
Are there on-campus or in-residence opportunities for participants enrolled in CEEL?
CEEL is offered exclusively online and does not involve any on-campus participation. However, the Zaentz Professional Learning Academy offers a variety of in-person institutes; click here for more information.
Can teams/groups register for this program? Is there a discount for teams/groups?
We encourage participation from both individuals and teams/groups in all of our professional learning institutes. Professional learning can be very impactful when teams engage in learning together.
In support of team/group participation, we offer special pricing for districts or networks registering groups of ten or more looking for large-scale professional development opportunities. Click here to contact the admissions team and learn about our special CEEL group rates.
What will I receive upon completion of each module?Upon successful completion of an individual Learn module, you will receive documentation of participation and a letter confirming clock hours awarded (10 hours). Upon successful completion of a Plan and Apply module, you will receive documentation of participation and a letter confirming the clock hours awarded (15 hours).
What is the certificate that I will receive upon completion of all three series?Participants who successfully complete all modules within the three CEEL series will receive the Certificate in Early Education Leadership.
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