The Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential is the most widely recognized credential in early childhood education (ECE) and is a key stepping-stone on the path of career advancement in ECE.

The Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential is based on a core set of competency standards, which guide early care professionals as they work toward becoming qualified teachers of young children. CDA’s have knowledge of how to put the CDA Competency Standards into practice and understanding of why those standards help children move with success from one developmental stage to another. In short, CDA’s know how to nurture the emotional, physical, intellectual, and social development of children.

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Create a portfolio of collection items to aid in preparing and applying for the CDA Credential.

• Identify the requirements needed to establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment.

• Comprehend methods that will support and advance children's physical and intellectual competence.

• Determine how to support children’s social and emotional development and to provide positive guidance.

• Recognize the guidelines needed to establish positive and productive relationships with families.

• Understand the components needed to ensure a well-run, purposeful program responsive to participant needs.

• Identify the requirements needed to maintain a commitment to professionalism.

Identify methods to advance physical and intellectual competence.

• Offer a variety of activities, which enable children to develop their large muscles.

• Offer a variety of activities, which enable children to develop their small muscle.

• Adapt program activities to meet individual and special needs of children with disabilities.

• Offer children opportunities to development their senses.

• Recognize and plan for individual learning styles.

• Provide throughout the day a variety of age-appropriate materials and activities that encourage curiosity, exploration and problem solving.

• Provide support for play, exploration and learning.

• Communicate with each child frequently.

• Encourage children to talk.

• Communicate with children in development appropriate ways.

• Respond positively to children’s attempts to communicate.

• Provide a developmentally appropriate, print-rich environment in which children learn aboutbooks, literature and writing.

• Appreciate individual expression and creativity.

• Provide many appropriate music experiences.

• Provide age-appropriate, creative art experiences.

• Provide dramatic play experiences with a variety of age-appropriate props.

• Provide a variety of age-appropriate block play opportunities.

1. Describe the Child Development Associate (CDA) process:

• Define terms associated with the CDA process.

• Outline stages and components of CDA assessment.

• Summarize the 6 competency goals and the 13 corresponding functional areas.

2. Promote the physical development of young children. Assess children’s large motor skills, and provide appropriate equipment & activities:

• Assess children’s small motor skills, and provide appropriate equipment & activities.

• Provide opportunities for children to develop their senses.

• Provide opportunities for children to engage in creative movement.

• Plan for variety of indoor/outdoor, active/quiet, and free play/organized activities.

• Provide variety of activities from children’s cultures.

• Communicate to children and families the importance of physical activity for healthy growth and development.

3. Promote the cognitive development of young children:

• Observe and document developmental levels and learning styles of young children.

• Provide activities and opportunities that encourage curiosity, exploration and problem solving, according to individual needs.

• Plan for opportunities to develop concepts through sensory exploration, hands-on experiences, and manipulation of a variety of materials.

• Utilize open-ended questioning to extend children’s thinking.

• Understand the importance of play, and frequently act as play partner and facilitator.

4. Promote communication skills of young children. a. Talk with children to encourage listening and speaking:

• Use books and stories to promote listening, speaking, and emergent reading.

• Provide developmentally appropriate materials and opportunities to support emergent writing.

• Provide support for children to verbally communicate thoughts and feelings.

• Promote children’s understanding and use of nonverbal communication.

• Recognize importance of home language/culture in development of communication skills.

5. Promote the creativity of young children. a. Incorporate opportunities for children’s play and individual choices, within the daily schedule:

• Provide opportunities and materials for children to engage in fantasy and dramatic play.

• Provide a variety of art materials and activities for children to explore freely.

• Encourage children to play with sound, rhythm, language, and movement through music.

• Become an active partner in children’s creative play.

• Recognize and support children’s individual expressions of creativity.

6. Utilize skills in technology, writing, speaking, problem-solving, creative thinking time management and teamwork to complete course requirements.

A variety of instructional methods will be used to reach course objectives. These will include but not limited to:

• Student reading, reviewing, and discussions of the text, materials, handouts, and other assigned readings.

• Classroom lecture by instructor.

• Classroom discussion led by instructor, involving all class members.

• Small group discussion involving class members and facilities by instructor.

• Written assignments by student as assigned by instructor.

• Small group activities and projects as assigned and facilitated by the instructor.

• PowerPoint Presentations, DVD’s and Additional Media Materials.

• Hands-on activities.

• 120 classroom hours of instruction.

• 480 verified work experience hours.

• Completed portfolio.

• 2nd Edition Essentials for Working with Young Children textbook

• 2nd Edition Essentials Workbook

• Infant-Toddler CDA Competency Standards book