Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential Preparation

This undergraduate certificate program helps students fulfill the 120 hour educational component and compile the required portfolio of items necessary to obtain the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential, the most widely recognized credential in Early Childhood Education. The college-level course work and the CDA credential are key stepping stones on the path of career advancement in this field.

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

Infant/Toddler

• 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

Preschool

• 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

Family Child Care

• 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

Succeed by learning how to use your Penn Foster program, and learn how to be an effective child care professional.

Objectives:

• Understand how to use your Student Portal, including your My Homepage and My Courses pages.
• Access the Penn Foster Community and use it to find answers.
• Connect with Penn Foster on various social media sites.
• Understand the components of quality child care and the responsibilities of the caregiver.
• Reflect and develop your own child care beliefs and principles.
• Determine where you best fit in the child day care industry.

Each day seems to bring more dire news about health, especially children's health. However, early childhood educators and staff have the potential to create enormous, positive changes in the way children eat, exercise, and avoid injurious habits.

Objectives:

• Understand the components of a healthy lifestyle.
• Develop programs designed to promote healthy lifestyles.

Textbook: Healthy Young Children: A Manual for Programs

Early childhood educators should be advocates for children and practitioners of best practices for working with children.

Objectives:

• Positively connect the children’s world to the greater realm of adult society.
• Use current research on interactions among families, schools, and communities to form a practical guide for early childhood educators.
• Complete two graded projects to practice your knowledge and skills.

Textbook: Child, Family, and Community

Child growth and development is impacted by both genetics and environment.

Objectives:

• Understand the basics of child psychology.
• Recognize the interplay of both genetics and the environment on child growth and development.

Textbook: Child Development

Setting 1: Infant/Toddler

 

ECE120-Infant and Toddler Care

Few things are as rewarding as seeing a child’s life unfold before your eyes. As we now know from brain research, the first three years of a child’s life are critical to all future development.

Objectives:

• Understand the importance of the first three years of a child’s life.
• Make your practice individualized and inclusive.
• Complete a case study project and a final project.

Additional Course Material:

• Textbook: Infants, Toddlers, and Caregivers

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Setting 2: Preschool

 

ECE223-Working with Preschoolers

The preschool years are a special time in the life of young children. It's essential that teachers learn about and provide the types of activities and experiences preschool children need.

Objectives:

• Understand how preschool children 3–5 years old learn and develop.
• Create an appropriate learning environment for preschool children.
• Complete two graded projects to practice your knowledge and skills.

Additional Course Material:

• Textbook: Creating Environments for Learning: Birth to Age Eight

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Setting 3: Family Child Care

 

ECE225-Family Child Care

This course includes the practical consideration of issues and responsibilities in providing family child care for infants and young children. Topics include developmental domains, developmentally appropriate practices, curriculum and creating a successful environment.

Objectives:

• Define the needs of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
• Identify recommended practices for managing a multiage environment.
• Identify the components of an effective, developmentally appropriate early childhood curriculum.

Additional Course Material:

• Textbook: Family Child Care Curriculum: Teaching Through Quality Care

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