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,...
Deputy Director of Child Development Services
Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity
Birmingham, Alabama
In 1991, I was a teacher’s aide for the Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity in Birmingham, Alabama. Acquiring a CDA was a professional development requirement for the teacher’s aide job – every teacher’s aide had to earn one.
Getting the CDA turned into a lifesaver for me because it was a competency-based credential and it provided me with the opportunity to document what I was doing in the classroom. I then developed a passion for working with young children and that inspired me to continue my education. Today I have a PhD.
I went on to train teachers across the United States and share my own personal insights about education. It marked the beginning of a career that I hadn’t even thought about up until that point. And it all started with the CDA. Acquiring my CDA gave me the confidence to do more — which is so important early in a career.
Recently Posted:
Should Teachers Talk About COVID? Lessons From the Past
Teachers aren’t keen to bring up the topic of COVID, according to their Facebook posts. “I don’t think we are allowed to,” one teacher wrote. “There’s no way I’m going near that subject since it’s...
New Year, Improved You: Why Earning Your CDA Should be at the Top of Your Resolutions List
CDA®. These three little letters can change the entire trajectory of your career. The Child Development Associate® (CDA) credential is the most widely known and valued credential in early childhood education. By earning your CDA,...
The Value of Education and Preparation: How the CDA Helps Early Educators
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Bill Makes Its Way to the Senate
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The Build Back Better Act is a Critical Step Forward for Education
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New School Year, New Ways to Engage With Your Families
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Being Neighbors on 9/11
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