Indiana Teacher is Committed to Giving Children A Quality Education
March 28, 2019
Home > Newsletters > Indiana Teacher is Committed to Giving Children A Quality Education
Published by CounciLINK on March 28, 2019
Alissa King knows “we need more passionate young people to commit to early childhood education as a career choice.”
She’s met many young people like this in the six years she’s spent teaching at Washington High School and Ivy Tech Community College, both in South Bend, IN. She strives to give them the hands-on experience they need to make informed decisions about their career goals and to see if early childhood education meets their long-term expectations.
King has inspired many of them with stories of the varied experiences she’s had as a Professional Development Specialist™ (PDS) evaluating candidates for the Child Development Associate (CDA®) credential. She’s also seen how fired up her students get when they put their classroom lessons to work while doing internships at local child care settings.
But she does have one complaint. In her program at Washington High, only college-credit eligible students are eligible to earn a CDA.
“Many of my best high school students,” she said, “are not eligible for college credit but deserve a chance to earn their CDAs.”
In fact, as she pointed out, “most of the high school students who remain employed in early childhood didn’t qualify for college credit while participating in my program.”
This misguided effort to professionalize the field makes it hard for many budding educators to earn a useful credential. So King does all she can to connect these promising young people with open positions in early childhood settings. And she’s trying hard to get Washington High to let all students pursue a CDA, whether they’re college-bound or not.
“My goal,” she said, “is to offer the CDA to all students who are committed, responsible and show they have the appropriate level of knowledge of what it means to be a quality educator of young children.”
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.