Five Reasons to Earn Your CDA
SPONSORED BLOG Whether you’re just starting out in the early childhood field, or you’ve been teaching for years, chances are you’ve heard the term CDA at least a few times. The Child Development Associate® (CDA)...
Photo credit: Kaydee Riggs-Johnson
The Council for Professional Recognition had the opportunity to speak to Tabatha Rosproy, the first-ever preschool educator to be named National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers.
Tabatha takes her responsibility as Teacher of the Year very seriously, as she’s a trailblazer by being the only early childhood educator to date to receive this prestigious award. She knows how hard it is for teachers, especially during the global pandemic, and she wants to empower teachers and elevate their voice. Tabatha told the Council that it is important to remind administrators, school districts and others to engage teachers in the decisions that are being made.
Her world was made a lot bigger by receiving this award, and she feels incredibly fortunate. She is looking forward to continuing to build visibility for early childhood educators long after her tenure as Teacher of the Year is over in July 2021.
Tabatha teaches preschool at the Winfield Early Learning Center (WELC) in Winfield, Kansas. Her school is housed in Cumbernauld Village, a local retirement community and nursing home. This intergenerational program provides preschoolers and senior residents the opportunity to interact with one another and build relationships. WELC is the first public school preschool program in Kansas to use this unique approach. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the students and “grandparents,” as the village residents are affectionately called, have paused in-person activities. But they are finding new ways to connect, including using technology, mailed letters and window visits.
Photo credit: Tabatha Rosproy
“This is an extremely difficult time that none of us ever thought we would be facing,” said Tabatha. She hopes educators do not get discouraged, because she knows they are making a bigger impact than they realize. Her biggest piece of advice is to partner with families. “You are not only helping your students, but you are helping their families who are in this new situation with obstacles and problems to overcome, and you can be a valuable resource for them,” she said.
She added that it’s more important than ever to adopt a family coaching model. Tabatha has always been passionate about working with families, but the pandemic has amplified the need for this approach. “We always want to have good relationships with our students, of course, but focusing on our families will help us be in a better place for the future,” she says.
While Tabatha thinks children are particularly resilient, she has seen how hard it can be for teachers to keep our youngest learners engaged in new models of remote/hybrid education. Yet teachers are rising to the occasion. She joked that to keep children engaged, sometimes you may have to be willing to make a fool of yourself.
Since coming on board as the Council’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr. has shared his desire to encourage more men to pursue careers in early education. Tabatha echoed this notion and said she believes our students need to see themselves in their teachers. She has seen children respond differently to male educators, not because women are lacking in their abilities, but because men’s and women’s approach to nurturing children can be different. She believes our children need to have as many positive role models as possible.
The greatest advice Tabatha ever received was: “behavior is information.” In early education classrooms, a lot of the time is spent regulating behaviors. When Tabatha was a young teacher, she recalled taking it very personally when kids misbehaved. Once she recognized that her students needed help rather than discipline, she began to approach her teaching in a new way.
More details about Tabatha are on Twitter @TabathaRosproy, Instagram at ntoy2020 and Facebook at ntoy2020.
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Chief Operations Officer
Andrew Davis serves as Chief Operating Officer at the Council. In this role, Andrew oversees the Programs Division, which includes the following operational functions: credentialing, growth and business development, marketing and communications, public policy and advocacy, research, innovation, and customer relations.
Andrew has over 20 years of experience in the early care and education field. Most recently, Andrew served as Senior Vice President of Partnership and Engagement with Acelero Learning and Shine Early Learning, where he led the expansion of state and community-based partnerships to produce more equitable systems of service delivery, improved programmatic quality, and greater outcomes for communities, children and families. Prior to that, he served as Director of Early Learning at Follett School Solutions.
Andrew earned his MBA from the University of Baltimore and Towson University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland – University College.
Chief Financial Officer
Jan Bigelow serves as Chief Financial Officer at the Council and has been with the organization since February of 2022.
Jan has more than 30 years in accounting and finance experience, including public accounting, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. She has held management-level positions with BDO Seidman, Kiplinger Washington Editors, Pew Center for Global Climate Change, Communities In Schools, B’nai B’rith Youth Organization and American Humane. Since 2003, Jan has worked exclusively in the non-profit sector where she has been a passionate advocate in improving business operations in order to further the mission of her employers.
Jan holds a CPA from the State of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lycoming College. She resides in Alexandria VA with her husband and dog.
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