Child Development Associate

Eligibility and Course Fee

Eligibility:

• If you want to enroll for Atheneum Global's CDA training course of 120 hours, you must have a high school certificate or diploma.
• In the case that you already have an associate's degree in early childhood education, it means you're done with the 120 hours of training. Post this, you would require a bachelor's degree.
• But if you do not have the required 120 hours of training, then our CDA course could immensely benefit you.
• Eligibility to enroll for this CDA course through the Council is based on 120 documented hours of training. Of these 120 hours, at least 10 hours must be dedicated to each of the following areas.
• Planning for a safe and healthy learning environment.
• Steps for the advancement of the physical and intellectual development of children.
• Positive ways to support children's social and emotional development.
• Strategies to establish productive relationships with families.
• Strategies to manage effective conduction of the program.
• Maintaining a commitment to professionalism.
• Observing and recording the behavior of children.
• The principles of children's learning and development.

Eligibility requirements for CDA Council:

• Candidates who wish to apply for CDA assessment in one of the three settings- family child care, center-based, or home visitor- must satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
• They must be 18 years of age or older.
• It is essential to have a high school diploma or certificate.
• They must have 480 hours of experience working with children in the past five years.
• They should have 120 hours of formal child care education in the past five years.
• Candidates who wish to apply for a bilingual endorsement must not only meet the above requirements but should also be able to speak, read, and write English as well as the other language to properly understand and be understood by children as well as adults.
• Taking a CDA course provided by Atheneum Global will help you in your application process by assisting you with all the requirements of the CDA Council.
• One of the main areas which we will be helping you with is album preparation for the CDA credential through the CDA Council.

Course Fee:

• Atheneum Global likes to make its high-quality, industry-relevant courses available to all candidates who wish to have a successful career in early childhood education. We make this possible by providing our courses at reasonable prices to suit every candidate's financial condition.
• The CDA training relevant to the preschool field is ₹15,500 for Indian nationals.
• Apart from that, there are scholarships that we provide to our meritorious candidates.

Job opportunities for a certified CDA

• Being a qualified CDA helps candidates have a successful early childhood care career. CDA qualified people could pursue jobs in a daycare, a classroom setting, or even with families. They could work in any of the roles described below.
• Preschool teaching assistant-One could be an assistant to a teacher at a preschool or even at daycare. The role is as challenging as being the teacher herself as one has to manage students' records, analyze their progress and design activities and plan on techniques that will help guide and educate children the best.
• Head-teacher at a preschool or daycare-A CDA credential provides one with the ability to design curricula that are effective for learning in young children. It also enables one to create fun activities and schedules that children not only like but also benefit from. These abilities give candidates an edge over others and help them have a prosperous career in the domain of early childhood education.
• A certified nanny-A certified CDA could also be employed as a nanny and work closely with children and help in their development in a family setting.
• A special tutor-One could also be a teacher who would guide children in need of special and extra help in basic academic concepts and relevant areas.

Role of a Child Development Associate

• A CDA is required to observe and analyze every child. Their actions should be carefully noted to ascertain their physical, social, and emotional development.
• As a CDA, you will be required to build activities and processes to ensure a child's overall development. This will help to develop a unique skill set in every child.
• When you get work as a CDA, you will also need to be in contact with the parents of children so that you can discuss the children's progress and decide on ways to improve and enhance their development.

Salary of a qualified CDA

• Kindergarten teachers:- As per figures provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, school teachers in the kindergarten and elementary divisions teachers got an average salary of $59,420 per annum as of 2019.
• Preschool workers:- Another finding by the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that the average salary of a preschool worker was up to $30,520 in 2019.
• Childcare workers:- These professionals can earn an average salary of up to $24,230 per annum.
• Nannies:- As stated in the data provided by PayScale, the salary of a nanny can be between $19,000 and $53,000 per annum, with an average salary of $33,172.
• Hence, we find that being CDA certified not only helps to find work in diverse educational and child care settings but also helps to earn high salaries from those jobs.

The CDA credential framework

If you choose to enroll yourself for an Atheneum Global CDA certificate in Mumbai or any other branch, you may expect the below-stated qualification framework.

• The qualification will focus on different areas which are CDA training, and the observation and testing process.
• Every form of certification involves six Competency Standards and 13 Functional Areas. To apply, a candidate must enroll for 120 hours of formal training in the field of Early Childhood Education in an appropriate age group.
• Candidates will be required to have 480 hours of formal experience with children in the appropriate age group.
• There will be a formal assessment by a Professional Development Specialist (PDS) by the Council for professional recognition.
• A candidate will also have to face a computer-based CDA review.
• One of the essential requirements is a mandatory declaration of ethical behavior.
• There are other procedures like the funded training programs (Head Start), four-year schools, and community schools that could be used to complete the training.
• After getting approval from the Commission for Professional Recognition, a PDS will conduct a verification inspection.
• The PDS is expected to conduct the R.O.R. model during the verification visit. This will include an assessment along with an evaluation, reviewing the relevant documents which have proper proof of first aid certification for children.
• Once these essential processes are completed, the CDA Council will examine the application submitted corresponding to the results of the CDA Test and recommendations from the Professional Development Manager, and subsequently grant a CDA certification.

Subject areas of the CDA certified course

• We offer three courses with the following subject areas:
• Subject Area 1: Planning a fun and healthy learning environment, protection, first aid, fitness, education, spatial planning, equipment and materials, play, etc.
• Subject Area 2: Enhancing physical and mental growth of children, development of large and small muscles, language and literacy, exploration, art, music, mathematics, social studies, science, technology, and learning of dual languages.
• Subject Area 3: Supporting cognitive and emotional growth in children, adult training, self-esteem, self-regulation, cultural identity and socialization, and dispute resolution.
• Subject Area 4: Creating positive family partnerships, parent interactions, home visits, workshops, referrals, and communication techniques.
• Subject Area 5: Managing successful system processes, planning, record keeping, monitoring, and services to the community.
• Subject Area 6: Maintaining a dedication to integrity, advocacy, fair practices, issues with the workforce, career growth, setting targets, and networking.
• Subject Area 7: Tools and techniques for accurate assessment and evaluation of children's actions and learning to prepare curricula and individualization of instruction, developmental disabilities, intervention approaches, and individual education plans.
• Subject Area 8: Learning concepts of child development and learning, common developmental standards for children from birth to age 5, individual differences for children with special needs, and cultural impact on growth.