Write goals that are developmentally appropriate for the children you are working with, in terms of age, individual development, culture and background. Focus the goals on their needs, since they are the reason you’re in this line of work. The goal statements should describe the specific practices you use and why they are appropriate for the children and families you interact with.
All of the specific goals you address in the competency goal statements should be geared toward the setting in which you work. Whether you work in a family day care or a much larger facility, the specific goals should match your specific needs. Writing goals that are focused upon your situation adds relevance and authenticity to the certification process. These goals should be useful to you even if you were not applying for the CDA certificate, since they are designed to make you a better professional child care provider.
Examine what you do in the child care setting, and why you do it. If what you are doing makes sense, and it can be linked to one of the Functional Areas, then incorporate it into your specific goals. Provide specific examples of what you do with the children and explain why you think each one is important. The CDA process encourages creativity in the application process, and this is one way to show it, as long as you meet the guidelines.
There are 13 functional areas in six competency goal areas. Make sure to address every functional area. This is required for all applications, and you will not be certified if any are not addressed. Addressing the functional areas helps as an organizational tool for the task of writing the goals. Professionally speaking, it also helps you understand what issues are deemed important by national child care experts.