If you enjoy working with children, a career as a professional caregiver might be the one for you.
This certification program in Childcare and Education will allow you to earn a Child Development Associate (CDA) certification. The CDA is a nationally recognized credential for those in the early care and education field, and it may be earned for preschool, infant/toddler, and family child care professionals. The CDA certification program at Esperanza College of Eastern University provides students with the knowledge needed to begin or continue their careers in the early childhood education field and the opportunity to earn nine college credits. You must complete 120 hours of formal education training, covering the growth and development of children in the age group for which you are seeking the credential, with no fewer than 10 training hours in each of the following subject areas:
- Planning a safe and healthy learning environment.
- Advancing physical and intellectual development.
- Supporting children’s social and emotional development.
- Building productive relationships with families.
- Managing an effective program operation.
- Maintaining a commitment to professionalism.
- Observing and recording behavior.
- Understanding principles of child development and learning.
You must meet the following criteria to register:
- Have at least 480 clock hours working directly with children ages birth to five
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have a high school diploma or GED
- After completion of the Child Development Associate (CDA) program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the importance of working with parents as partners in the classroom.
- Summarize the role of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and outline the tools it makes available to early childhood educators.
- Select and apply age and developmentally appropriate materials, equipment and activities for lessons designed to meet the needs of young children.
- Develop strategies for fostering children’s cognitive, physical, social, emotional and language development
- Identify the requirements necessary to obtain the CDA credential and prepare a plan to meet those requirements.
- The curriculum encourages you to meet CDA certificate objectives, giving you a head start toward certification.
