Usma Mohamed
news@cdacouncil.org
WASHINGTON — The Council for Professional Recognition, the nonprofit organization that supports early childhood education professionals and administers the Child Development Associate® (CDA) credential, has released new guidance for training and preparing early educators in the latest edition of Essentials for Working with Young Children.
More than 30 years ago, the first edition of the Essentials was released. Since then, the world has seen many changes and has experienced an increased focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). The mission for the Essentials has always been to provide an inclusive, structured way for educators to highlight the competence and confidence they need to support our youngest learners.
Recent events led the Council to be even more committed to advancing equity in the early childhood classroom. In the past few years, there’s been a rise in racial and ethnic tensions, pointing to the need to teach tolerance when young minds are most open. The shortage of early childhood teachers is equally pressing, a persistent issue that took the spotlight during the pandemic. The gap between supply and demand is especially glaring in low-income communities and those of color—precisely the ones that suffered the most significant losses from the pandemic.
The Council partnered with the Children’s Equity Project to ensure that equity was embedded throughout the new edition of the Essentials. This includes a focus on the type of books recommended, techniques for settling conflicts and how best to talk with families. The Essentials also focuses on how teachers can use the microcosm of the classroom to make a macro impact by giving children a sense of social justice when they are young.
“The goal for the new Essentials handbook is to guide teachers in helping young children master skills, develop friendships, grow in independence and move to new levels of thinking and understanding about the world,” says Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr., CEO of the Council. “The result is a curriculum to help build a model world based on tolerance and inclusion.”
To learn more about the latest edition of Essentials for Working with Young Children, visit our most recent article.
The mission of the Council is to promote improved performance and recognition of professionals in the early childhood education of children ages birth to 5 years old through the CDA. The CDA is the most widely recognized credential in early childhood education and is a crucial stepping stone to career advancement in early childhood education. To date, close to one million CDA credentials have been issued around the world.
ABOUT THE COUNCIL FOR PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION
The Council for Professional Recognition promotes improved performance and recognition of professionals in the early childhood education of children ages birth to 5 years old. The Council recognizes and credentials professionals who work in all types of early care and education settings including Head Start, pre-k, infant-toddler, family childcare, and home visitor programs. As a nonprofit organization, the Council sets policies and procedures for assessment and credentialing. To date, close to one million Child Development Associate (CDA) credentials have been issued around the world. For more information, visit www.cdacouncil.org.
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Chief Operations Officer
Andrew Davis serves as Chief Operating Officer at the Council. In this role, Andrew oversees the Programs Division, which includes the following operational functions: credentialing, growth and business development, marketing and communications, public policy and advocacy, research, innovation, and customer relations.
Andrew has over 20 years of experience in the early care and education field. Most recently, Andrew served as Senior Vice President of Partnership and Engagement with Acelero Learning and Shine Early Learning, where he led the expansion of state and community-based partnerships to produce more equitable systems of service delivery, improved programmatic quality, and greater outcomes for communities, children and families. Prior to that, he served as Director of Early Learning at Follett School Solutions.
Andrew earned his MBA from the University of Baltimore and Towson University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland – University College.
Chief Financial Officer
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.
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