How do you build a sense of community and belonging during the COVID-19 pandemic? For months, folks everywhere from New York City to São Paulo, Brazil, assembled on balconies to bang pots, play accordions and clap for emergency health care workers. But the Council knows that clapping is not enough to get the early childhood field through this time of uncertainty and social isolation. So, we have reached out to our partners, recognized our own frontline workers, and recalled the common goals we’ve embraced over the years.
That’s why the Council and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) are partnering to advocate for our profession. We share a common mission to give all children the high-quality care they need to reach their potential. Together, we provide a resonant forum where our educators’ own voices can join to claim needed reforms and more funding for our field.
Our committed early childhood workforce also includes men, and we recently invited our community to nominate male teachers who stand out for their service to children. As a former preschool teacher, myself, I’m eager for all early educators—including these men—to get the kudos they deserve for helping our youngest children develop. I encourage you to meet the Men of ECE—even if it’s only online.
Though we can’t connect with you face-to-face, we’re providing fresh ways to guide educators and parents as centers get ready to reopen. We have resources to assist parents in asking the right questions as they decide if it’s safe to send their young children back to class. We now encourage providers to form networks so they can make bulk purchases of sanitizers and masks. We’re also suggesting that centers hold virtual meetings to stay connected with parents and support them in teaching their children at home.
The Council’s leaders—among them Carol Brunson Day—have long been responsive to parents’ concerns about their kids. Dr. Day handed over the reins of command in 2005. But her two-decade legacy lives on in the way she advanced the Council’s work and increased the status of the CDA. Now Day is back as our first Council for Professional Recognition Fellow, tasked with crafting a policy agenda for the Council’s future. Her fellowship is a tribute to our vibrant past and the pioneers whose high values have guided us in the 45 years since the start of the CDA.
As we look to the unknowns ahead, we should draw confidence from all we’ve already achieved. The Council has always been adept at facing challenges and change, as I recently showed in a brief history of the CDA. Together, we can adapt to the new normal in our field and continue to help children develop. The world’s youngest learners need us. So, we must strive to keep our sense of community strong.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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....
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...
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,...
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...
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,...
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.
CounciLINK is Your Connection
Read our monthly e-newsletter and keep up to date on all Council programs and services, as well as the latest news in the world of early care and education. Subscribe today to stay connected with us. You’ll receive timely information on events, webinars, special promotions, and more.