Download Level 1 Standard Information

REQUIREMENTS: Individual Cost for New Level 1 Certification is $25.00, U.S. currency.

1. ECMMA membership.
   • Please Note: Applicant must have his/her ECMMA membership number to apply. You will enter it on the Formstack Application. If you do not know your number, go to www.ecmma.org, log in or create an account and you will find your number at your account page.
2. 30 hours of basic level training workshops or courses in early childhood music and movement education from an approved training program (see information below). If workshops or courses are less than 30 hours, CEUs or their equivalents may be submitted to complete the hour requirement. Please submit copies of the document of completion for workshops or courses (i.e. letter or certificate). Hours must be listed on the document. If not listed, the applicant will need to provide other documentation showing hours or a letter from organization/workshop offering the program.
3. One (1) additional Continuing Education Unit (see description below) (or its equivalent) related to music and/or movement education for children ages 0-7.
4. A minimum of one-year teaching experience in early childhood music and movement, ages 0-7. This can be verified with a letter from a parent in your studio or by a colleague in the early childhood music and movement field. The letter must be signed in writing by such person.

Workshop credits and CEUs must be earned within the ten years previous to the certification application date. The Certification Committee must approve any exceptions to this requirement.

Already Level 1 certified? Scroll down for renewal requirements.

Approved Preparation Programs
(Bold text represents organizations that feature specific ECMM training and licensure.)

• American Orff-Schulwerk Association (AOSA)
• Come Children Sing Institute (online training and curriculum with Mary Ellen Pinzino)
• Dalcroze Society
• Education through Movement
• Gordon Institute for Music Learning
• Harmony Road
• Kids Music Round
• Kindermusik, International
• NAfME (National Association for Music Education)
• Music for Young Children (MYC)
• Music Rhapsody (Lynn Kleiner)
• Music Together
• MusicPlay
• Musikgarten
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
• Nurturing Pathways
• Organization of American Kodaly Educators (OAKE) – preschool level
• Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA)

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) One CEU equals 10 contact or class hours. Examples include:

• Ten hours guided observation of three classes of young children (0-7 years) equals one CEU. Teachers of these classes shall have a minimum of five years teaching experience. Applicant must submit a 500 word written evaluation of the classes observed. The paper should include the teaching setting, name of teacher, dates and a brief summary of each session.
• Applicant should express how ideas, concepts, or research from the session might be incorporated into his/her teaching or practice, along with any meaningful critiques of the session.
• The teacher/professor that you have observed must sign and date the written paper before submission.
• Attendance at additional workshops, trainings, conferences or seminars related to early childhood music and movement. One CEU equals 10 hours of attendance at an event. For instance, a workshop of 13 hours is equal to 1.3 CEUs and the extra hours can be used for future certifications or renewals.
• Semester credits granted by colleges or universities in Early Childhood Music and Movement Courses carry one-for-one value: 1 credit = 1 CEU. Please submit transcript and information on course title and description.

Note: CEUs used on one level’s application may not be resubmitted on subsequent levels or renewal applications.

DURATION & RENEWAL of Level 1 Certification:
 The Level 1 certificate is valid for five years. Progression to the next level or renewal of the current level is necessary at that time. If a member chooses not to renew, and after six months wishes to be re-certified, he/she must satisfy all requirements for Level 1 again.

RENEWALS for LEVEL 1 Certification: A reminder notice will be sent 6-12 months in advance of the renewal date. Keep track of needed documentation, i.e. workshop certificates, course transcripts, conference sessions attended, etc. If an extension is needed, contact the chairperson of the level for which you are applying. There is a possibility that you will need to complete additional hours for renewal at the discretion of the committee.

RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS for Level 1: The fee for RENEWAL is $25.00 US currency.

• Membership in ECMMA for at least three of the past five years.
• Documentation of actively teaching early childhood music and movement classes for children ages 0-7 at least two consecutive years of the past five years (in the form of a letter from administrator, parent of student, studio affiliate, etc.).
• Documentation of Two Continuing Education Units (CEUs), ( i.e, twenty hours, including at least one live regional conference, or live national convention, related to early childhood music and movement.
• One (1) additional Continuing Education Unit, (CEU or ten hours, related to music and/or movement education for children ages 0-7.Renewal applicants may view the 2010 virtual convention or any subsequent ECMMA Virtual Conventions to meet the ten-hour requirement. Should the applicant choose to apply for Level 2 certification, rather than renewal, this virtual CEU may be applied to Level 2 requirements.
  • When viewing a Virtual Convention, at least 1 keynote/general Session and a variety of breakout sessions should be selected for viewing. The applicant should then write a 300 word paper on the keynote/general session viewed, and a 150 word paper on each breakout session viewed. The papers should include the session title, speaker, date and a brief summary of each session. The applicant should express how ideas, concepts, or research from the session might be incorporated into his/her teaching or practice, along with any meaningful critiques of the session.

QUESTIONS ABOUT NEW LEVEL 1 CERTIFICATION? HAS YOUR CERTIFICATION LAPSED?
For information, contact the Managing Director, Robert Olinger, rolinger@ecmma.org.