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National Accreditation Professional Child Development Accredited Birth to Early Childhood Certification 1 Slide 2 Accredited Birth to Early Childhood Accreditation The applicant must meet the following eligibility requirements and submit records as instructed on the Direct Assessment Application Form: 2 Slide 3 3 Slide 4 4 Slide 5 5 Slide 6 6 Slide 7 7 Slide 8 The Candidate must present evidence of her/his competence through written documentation. Five components make up the documentation. 1.) The Professional Resource File Prepared by the Candidate for Teacher Certification 2.) The Parent Opinion Questionnaires Collected by the Candidate 3.) The CDA Assessment Observation Instrument Completed by the Advisor 4.) The Early Childhood Studies Review Completed by the Council for Professional Recognition Representative 5.) The Oral Interview Conducted by the Council for Professional Recognition Representative 8 Slide 9 The Professional Resource File 1. The Autobiography 2. The Statements of Competence 3. The Resource Collection 9 Slide 10 10 Slide 11 11 Slide 12 In the Candidates own words, s/he describes the things s/he does with children and families. The description should demonstrate the Candidates ability to meet the specific needs of children and families in each of the six CDA Competency Goals and 13 Functional Areas. The description in each statement of competence should be 200 500 words in length and should state the Candidates goals or objectives for children and give specific examples of what s/he does with the children (activities) to achieve those goals. 12 Slide 13 Remember, each statement of competence should contain no more than 500 words. While the Candidate cannot describe everything s/he does in such a limited space, s/he should choose the most important goals for children and the best examples of practices that represent her/his competence. The Candidate is to write about current practice, using examples of her/his work within the past six months (the six months before the time s/he submits the Direct Assessment Application Form). Examples can be found in Part III of the CDA Book 13 Slide 14 3. Resource Collection The third part of the Professional Resource File consists of 17 specific items called the Resource Collection. They should be organized by Competency Goal areas and numbered so that each item can be located easily during the Council Representative verification visit. Do not mix the 17 specific items with your statements of competence. 14 Slide 15 Arrangement of the Resource File The material of the Resource File can be arranged in any one of many create ways (for example, bound in a notebook or contained inside folders in a file box). It should be professional looking, manageable in size and legible. It should be easy to add to or delete from. There are no requirements about how it should look. Whatever its physical form, the Professional Resource File should be portable; in other words, designed to be carried to and from a work site, on a home visit, or to a meeting. 15 Slide 16 Contents The Professional Resource File has three major sections: (1) Autobiography; (2) Statements of Competence; (3) Resource Collection. Below is an explanation of what CDA Candidates must do to prepare the Resource File. 16 Slide 17 Autobiography The Candidate writes a statement about her/himself of about 300 words. In the first part, the Candidate tells who s/he is, and in the second part, tells what things about his/her life influenced the decision to work with children. If the Candidate wishes, s/he may attach a formal resume of education and work experiences. For Bilingual Candidates, the autobiography may be written in either language. 17 Slide 18 Statements of Competence The Candidate writes six statements of competence based on the following six Competency Goals. The Candidate begins each section by writing out the Competency Goal Statement: (1) To establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment. (2) To advance physical and intellectual competence. (3) To support social and emotional development and to provide positive guidance. (4) To establish positive and productive relationships with families. (5) To ensure a well-run, purposeful program responsive to participant needs. (6) To maintain a commitment to professionalism. 18 Slide 19 19 Slide 20 Competency Goal I 20 Slide 21 Competency Goal I 21 Slide 22 Competency Goal I 22 Slide 23 Competency Goal I 23 Slide 24 24 Slide 25 Competency Goal II 25 Slide 26 Competency Goal II 26 Slide 27 Competency Goal III To support social and emotional development and to provide positive guidance 7. Provide the titles, authors, publishers, copyright dates, and short summary of ten age-appropriate childrens books that you use to support development of childrens self-concept and self-esteem, and to help children deal with lifes challenges. Continued on next slide 27 Slide 28 Competency Goal III To support social and emotional development and to provide positive guidance 7. (Continued) These books may support develop of cultural and linguistic group identity; gender identity; children with disabilities or special needs; separation, divorce, remarriage, or blended families; everyday activities and routines; and/or the cycle of life from human reproduction to death. 28 Slide 29 Competency Goal III To support social and emotional development and to provide positive guidance 8. Use the internet, public library, or your programs professional library to obtain at least two resources designed to assist teachers in constructively dealing with children with challenging behaviors (such as aggressive behavior like hitting or biting, or shyness). 29 Slide 30 Competency Goal III To support social and emotional development and to provide positive guidance 9. Provide the name and telephone number of an agency in the community where you work for making referrals to family counseling. 30 Slide 31 Competency Goal IV To establish positive and productive relationships with families 10. Fin out where to obtain resources, materials, and translation services for families whose home language is other than English. Provide the agency name and contact information. 31 Slide 32 Competency Goal IV To establish positive and productive relationships with families 11. Document your programs policies that specify parents responsibilities and what the program does for parents. 32 Slide 33 Competency Goal V To ensure a well-run, purposeful program responsive to participant needs 12. Provide three samples of record-keeping forms used in early childhood program. Include an accident report, emergency form, and a third form of your choice. 33 Slide 34 Competency Goal VI 34 Slide 35 35 Slide 36 36 Slide 37 Competency Goal VI To maintain a commitment to professionalism 13. Use the internet, public library, or your programs professional library to obtain the name, address and phone number of your states agency that regulates child care centers and homes. These regulations are available electronically at the website of the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care: (www. http://nrc.uchsc.edu/STATES/states.htm) 37 Slide 38 Competency Goal VI To maintain a commitment to professionalism 13. (Continued). Make a copy of the section(s) that describes qualification requirements for personnel (teachers, directors, and assistants). Describe two important requirements related to your job responsibilities. 38 Slide 39 Competency Goal VI To maintain a commitment to professionalism 14. Review the websites of two or three national early childhood associations (one with a local affiliate) to obtain information about membership, their resources, and how to order (Use the Life Skills Writing Center in Sabathani Community Center, or the public library for Internet access if necessary). Download at least two resources from the Internet that will enhance your work. 39 Slide 40 Competency Goal VI To maintain a commitment to professionalism 15. Obtain four pamphlet(s) or articles (may be downloaded from the Internet) designed to help parents understand how young children develop and learn. Articles must help parents understand how babies and toddlers (birth to age 3) develop and learn. At least one article must relate to brain development. 40 Slide 41 Competency Goal VI To maintain a commitment to professionalism 16. Locate an observation tool to use in recording information about childrens behavior. One copy should be blank; the other one should be filled out as a sample of your observation of an individual child. (The childs name should not be included.) 41 Slide 42 Competency Goal VI To maintain a commitment to professionalism 17. Obtain contact information for at least two agencies in the community that provide resources and services for children with disabilities (in most communities, the local school district provides these services). 42