The CDA credential was developed in the 1970s as a way to insure that families could obtain consistent, quality childcare for their children in a variety of settings. During this period, it became clear that young children benefited from organized, developmentally-appropriate experiences that might not always be available strictly in their homes. Project Head Start addressed this perception on behalf of children growing up in poverty. A variety of Pre-K programs were created to help children with developmental delays and disabilities.
The CDA (Child Development Associate) Program was a response to two social issues: First, new programs needed a large number of new educators. Second, helping to improve the economic circumstances of families in poverty could be based on existing parenting skills, providing parents with professional work. The program was based on the still-true recognition that parents are children's first and often best teachers. Enhancing parents' abilities to teach benefited their families and other families as well.
The goal of the CDA Program is to provide consistent education for childcare professionals and consistent care for children. The program today is overseen by the Council for Professional Recognition and the National Association for the Education of Young Children, which work together to maintain and update standards.
The Program is available throughout the US and is conducted locally by a variety of community social-service agencies and most community colleges. Applicants without previous college experience are usually provided with necessary update-courses in reading, writing, and math. Courses often begin with requirements needed to obtain a GED, if the applicant did not finish high school. Courses then continue through the Associate's Degree level.
Applicants are sometimes put off by the following concerns:
1) I'm too old to go back to school. Not the case, and the CDA program has answers to your concerns. Also, there's nothing like learning new things to take years off your thinking!
2) I don't have time. CDA courses are given on a variety of schedules. Community colleges often schedule courses for people who work during the day, and some maintain childcare resources for students' childen.
3) I can't quit my job to go to school. No, you can't. The CDA program is paced for working people and can take between two and three years to complete. You don't have to do everything at once.
4) College costs a fortune! Yes, it does, but this program doesn't. Financial aid is available from a number of sources. Talk to the financial aid office at your community college, then keep searching. Social service agencies administering childcare programs often subsidize tuition for their employees. Sometimes private childcare facilities can offer help, because it is important for them to have credentialed employees.
5) I'm just a mom, not a teacher. Do your children walk and talk? Does your 3-year-old bring you a story to read? Can your toddler use a spoon, turn a doorknob, turn and smile when you say his name? Ha! Stop and think for a moment about how much you have already taught your children--millions of things! "Just a mom" is a great thing to be!
You will start noticing effects on yourself and those around you from the beginning of your CDA enrollment. One of the big effects will be on your family. The idea that Mom or Dad is back in school is startling but very interesting. Your family will look at you with new respect--and you can do your homework together, which sends your children a wonderful message about the value of learning.
What you learn in your courses also has an effect. One of the greatest effects is understanding how much you already know--keeping children safe, how one skill follows another, when a child is ready to learn something new. You will also learn why the parenting skills you used just because they seemed to make sense are so important. Putting the baby on a blanket to hold up his head and start crawling--you'll learn that you were encouraging muscle-development, the bilateral coordination needed for walking and balancing, and the head-and-eye control that eventually leads to reading. Wiping up juice-spills takes on a new significance when you know how the skills your baby developed to get his mouth around that open cup relate to his speaking clearly as a toddler.
You will learn new things, too. Safety for a large group of children takes practice and knowledge. Discipline strategies that may work one-to-one need to be adapted when you have several children in your charge. Not all children develop at the same rate. You will learn when to be patient and when to suspect a developmental concern.
The benefits of obtaining a CDA certification are becoming clear. Everyone benefits from your decision to do this: you, your family, and all the children who come into your care. As a certified professional, you have job opportunities in a steadily-growing field. Whether you decide to work in a childcare center, develop your own daycare business, or work as a home-visitor for a social service agency, you will be on your way to a career.