How to Compile Your...

How to Compile Your
CDA
Professional
Resource
File
What is the CDA Professional Resource
File?
 A collection of 17 specific resource materials to help you in your work with children and families
 A way to provide experience in locating and gathering resources useful to your daily practice
 One part of the CDA assessment process and a CDA program requirement  A way for you to demonstrate your competence
 A way for the National CDA Council to evaluate your competence
 A way for you to show the National CDA Council who you are and what you value in your work with children and families
 An opportunity to reflect on and describe your personal view on working with children and families
What Does the CDA Professional Resource
File Contain?
 Autobiography (300-600 words):
Your autobiography describes who you are and why you chose to work with young children.
 Documentation of required CDA training (120 hours) and work experience (480 hours).
 Six Competency Goal statements (250-500 words):
The statements describe what you do with young children, why you do it, and how you incorporate these practices into your daily routines.  Resource Collection (17 items):
The Resource Collection shows the seventeen resource items requested by the National CDA Council, arranged by competency goal areas and numbers.
Organizing the Professional Resource File
 The CDA Professional Resource File is typically organized in a 4-5 inch 3-ring binder, with divider sections and plastic sleeve-protectors to hold your autobiography, documentation of training and work experience, your competency statements, and the seventeen resources. You will need the following materials for your Professional Resource File:
 4 or 5 inch 3-ring binder
 6 tabbed dividers (buy the kind that are already 3-hole punched)
 25-35 plastic sleeve protectors
 A pack of stick-on tabs in at least 7 different colors
 A pack of stick-on white mailing labels
An alternate