Invisible Child: A Spotlight on Life in the Shadows
Dasani wakes up before dawn each day at a homeless shelter in Brooklyn, New York. After slipping out from under the covers, she goes to the window. On a clear day, she can see all...
MaryEllen Fritz’s 20 year career in early childhood education began with a simple question: Why are some children more engaged than others?
As a nurse at a tribal clinic in rural Alaska, MaryEllen said she would routinely see children come to the clinic that were happy and inquisitive while others hid behind their parents and had poor social skills.
MaryEllen’s soon learned the difference was in a child’s early childhood education.
“Teachers who had their CDA had a curriculum on developing social skills and responsibility, while those who didn’t often struggled with behavioral problems,” she said.
When she became the director of her local Headstart center, MaryEllen said she wanted to ensure that all students could grow from having a CDA Certified teacher in their classroom.
“When I first started as a director, only one teacher had a CDA and all of the other teachers went to her for advice. A year later we had six CDA’s in the center,” Fritz said.
“We saw a jump in the quality of education. As teachers were gaining their credentials, we would see children who were initially scoring low on national exams, score higher.”
Inspired by the progress of her teachers, MaryEllen decided to earn her own CDA.
“I saw the benefits of the CDA in my classrooms and I wanted it for myself. I wanted to understand how children learn, even though I was a director and not in the classroom.”
Since earning her CDA, MaryEllen has gone on to earn her Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education. Today, she serves as the Program Director and Administrator of the Anchorage Vineyard Early Learning Program where she oversees multiple centers throughout rural Alaska and continues to advocate for the CDA and early childhood education for Alaska’s tribal community.
“I really fell in love with the way the process helps families and new teachers grow and learn,” Fritz said. “The CDA is a great first stepping stone for the professional development of early educators.”
– MaryEllen Fritz
Anchorage, Alaska
Recently Posted:
CDA® Advisory Committee Continues to Provide Guidance to the Council
The CDA Advisory Committee was created to provide insights, perspectives, and best practices to the CDA community and other early childhood professionals. Established during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the members’ first-hand experiences...
Council Alumni Network: A Place Where Connectivity Happens
Where can you connect with CDA® holders and the wide range of folks who serve them? Turn to the Council Alumni Network (CAN), an online community that brings together current and past CDA earners, CDA...
Catch Some Rays (and Professional Development Hours) this Summer!
Professional development is absolutely critical to your success, as well as the success of all the children in your care. Not to mention in most states, you’re required to complete a minimum number of training...
Reflecting, Regrouping and Reenergizing
This month marks my second year at the Council for Professional Recognition. When I first arrived at the Council, I was no stranger to the organization or its mission, as I had been involved with...
A Big Dream that Begins Small: Building Empathy in the Early Childhood Classroom
Schools are microcosms of the world beyond their walls. Factors like race, culture, class and gender set the stage for what takes place in our schools as learners from different groups interact. The conflicts that...
Helping Children Embrace Their Resiliency
There is no denying the academic and emotional impact of the pandemic on children. News websites and TV newscasts are full of stories about the unknown long-term effects of the past two years on kids....
CDA® Advisory Committee Learns About Professional Development Offerings
Finding informative and trusted early childhood educator resources online can be a challenge. That’s why the CDA® Advisory Committee met virtually to learn more about the nonprofit, The Source for Learning (SFL) and its ECE...
Navigating Your Career Path
Each year I update my professional bio and pause at the part where it says, “Rachel Robertson has worked in the field for over X years”. Not because I can’t believe it or can’t remember,...