WATERVILLE, Maine - Three local teachers from The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers, Robin Richards, Carol Rowe and Rachel Cummings have each been awarded a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential in recognition of their outstanding work with young children. The credential was awarded recently by the Council for Professional Recognition in Washington, D.C., which represents the early childhood profession.
| Two children from The Children's Place pretend to be working dads, just one of the many activities designed by the early care and education teachers. |
All three recipients are assistant teachers at The Children's Place early care and education program at The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers in Waterville.
"I have watched these three women grow as early educators and their impact on our program is strengthened by their professional commitment to challenge themselves educationally. The teaching staff at The Children's Place average between 45 to 90 hours of continuing education each year. The dedication and focus from our staff for each child's growth and development is a major reason why our teaching team at The Children's Place is known for quality early care & education," said Cindy Manson, program director at The Children's Place.
To qualify and apply for the CDA credential, each teacher was required to have at least a year and a half to three years of training, including 180 hours of continuing education work, plus a completed portfolio of their work showing their commitment to advancing early care and education.
After applying for the credential, each individual went through the extensive CDA assessment process. The candidates for the CDA credentials were evaluated by an early childhood professional in an early education environment for 4-6 hours, required to complete a written exam, and observed and interviewed by a CDA representative. In addition, the candidates had to demonstrate the ability to work with families to develop children's physical and intellectual capabilities in a safe and healthy learning environment.
The CDA credential is valuable for the teachers that choose to continue their education through Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC). KVCC may accept a CDA credential as three completed courses in their Early Childhood associate degree program.
The CDA is the only major national effort to improve early care and education by evaluating and recognizing the skills of individuals providing care. The first credential was awarded over 30 years ago and now 49 states, plus the District of Columbia include CDA in their child care licensing regulations.
Carol Rowe of Waterville, is the assistant teacher in the Dragonfly preschool room. She also designs and facilitates a Movement Program two times a week for each of the Preschool rooms.
"I enjoy the responsibility of creating an environment to help the children build a positive sense of self-esteem. We are here to support them. Most children will show you (sometimes in little ways) what they want to learn and I think a good teacher picks up on that," said Rowe.
Robin Richards of Winslow, is an assistant teacher in the Firefly preschool room and continues to advance her child development knowledge by observing the children in her classroom. She also helps in the curriculum planning process.
"I've worked at The Children's Place for over seven years and we continue to work with a variety of age groups in each classroom with a staff that really cares about the children. I'm proud to work for a place that has built such a great reputation," said Richards.
Rachel Cummings of Waterville, is a floating assistant teacher at The Children's Place. In her position she is required to know all the children enrolled and be flexible enough to work with many different teachers in any of the five classrooms.
"For me, earning the Child Development Associate credential means that I'm growing professionally and that is an important part of my life," said Cummings.
The CDA credential is having a positive effect on the quality of early care and education. Its impact is evident in center-based care and home visitor programs as well as family child care, the most common form of care for children under 5 years old.
Cindy Manson, program director at The Children's Place and the three teachers are available for interviews about their recent CDA credentials. To arrange, contact Greg Glynn at 207-623-4177. |
