Council Letter

August 24, 2022

Preparing for a New School Year!

Dear Colleagues,

Emotions are always high when it’s back-to-school season. Excitement fills the air as children try on new clothes and test out their backpacks. Parents feel the jitters as they wonder whether they have every item on their assigned school supply list. Meanwhile, teachers are preparing for the year ahead and looking for ways they can motivate even the littlest of learners.

Both parents and teachers can be a bit anxious as they get set for the back-to-school transition. The good news is everyone’s feeling less uncertain about this new school year than they have in recent times, according to a survey by market researcher One Poll. Parents look forward to getting more accomplished and having more time to focus. Teachers are excited about refreshing their classrooms with new supplies and tools to promote learning.

And you can get some fresh ideas by attending the Council’s ECE Practitioners Day this fall. The tips you’ll pick up can also work for parents. And children learn best when parents and teachers put their heads together. So, parents should stay informed about what’s happening in the classroom and connect with their children’s teachers to identify how to bring out the best in their little ones.

Another key component of a successful school year is the two-way communication between teachers and families. Both parents and teachers want children to succeed in school, and parents can provide teachers with insights on ways to meet their children’s needs. It’s also important that teachers encourage families to participate in their children’s education and provide a welcoming atmosphere for family engagement. This partnership is key to our youngest learners’ growth and educational achievement.

Educators who’ve earned a CDA® have an edge since their training includes partnering with parents and initiating family involvement. And this month, we profile two professionals who have joined us as members of our CDA Advisory Committee, where they provide guidance to our community members nationwide. Our two featured teachers have also guided many students in earning their CDA and believe firmly in the value of the credential.

April Woodard brought the CDA to Perry Career Academy in Georgia and went through the CDA process though she already had a college degree. “Gaining a CDA,” she says, “helped me be a better teacher for my high school students because it put me in touch with what they needed to succeed. Besides, the students were less anxious about the CDA process since they knew I had gone through it, too.”

Reassurance like this especially matters for rising teachers with children, and there are many students like this at Columbus State Community College in Ohio, where Charvella McKaye teaches early childhood development and education. She’s now working on a study to show the concerns of single Black moms on campus. “My plan is to explore the role of family and friends, employers and professors in helping them toward degree completion,” she explains. And it’s a subject that brings Charvella back to her own days as a single mom struggling to get an education.

Dr. Moore also takes a walk down memory lane this month when he talks about Doing Double Duty as a Parent-Teacher. “Being a dad,” he recalls, “made me see how complex it is to help children advance, whether you’re a parent or teacher. There’s no manual that can prepare you to shepherd another human being into the world.” Still, parents and teachers who work together can double the impact they make. Their partnership will smooth the back-to-school transition and guide children to success all year long.

Looking forward to connecting with you,
The Council for Professional Recognition

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