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CDA Update: Send Help (and Snacks)


Hi hi 👋

I’m Johnnielynn, toddler teacher, professional snack opener, and certified chaos coordinator. I’ve been working in childcare for almost 20 years now. I actually started babysitting my niece and some other kids, and no matter what I tried doing in between, I always somehow ended up back with tiny humans. Apparently this is my calling.

Two years ago I took a job at a childcare center and honestly? Best decision ever. I work for a genuinely good company with an owner who actually cares about the kids and her staff (rare, we love to see it). I genuinely enjoy going to work, which feels illegal to admit.

About a year ago they asked me to get my CDA so I could officially lead my classroom. And because I apparently enjoy stress, I said yes.

For anyone who doesn’t know, getting your CDA means:

  • 120 hours of training

  • 480 hours of experience

  • A competency exam

  • A portfolio

  • A verification visit

  • Probably a few mental breakdowns sprinkled in for ✨growth✨

Last January I went absolutely feral on Care Courses. It’s self-paced and gives you up to a year. I finished in THREE WEEKS.


I woke up at 5am to do coursework while getting ready. Did classes during nap time. Studied between work and cheer practice. Studied until I fell asleep. I was doing about 40 hours a week of training… while working full time… and coaching part time.

Looking back? Slightly unhinged. But effective.

Then came the portfolio. Oh. My. Word.

Writing lesson plans. Meal plans. Family communication samples. Competency statements. Organizing everything exactly how they want it. Figuring out how to use the YourCouncil website (which might have been my villain origin story).

At one point I was ready to submit — just needed to pay. Didn’t have my debit card. Of course.

Went back later to submit and surprise! Now they also needed the entire portfolio uploaded digitally.

Thank GOODNESS I did everything in Google Docs. That single decision saved my sanity. I could work on it from my MacBook, my iPad, my phone, even my work iPad. When it was time to upload, everything was already organized and easy to download. For once… technology did not defeat me.

I still have to add a few final pieces after my verification visit, but the big stuff is DONE.

Now all that’s left:

  • Take the exam

  • Hopefully pass

  • Do the verification visit

  • Cry tears of relief

                                            

If I score high enough, I might not even have to do the verification visit — which would make my PD Specialist very happy because there’s basically no one local who does infant/toddler and nobody wants to travel this far. Rural teacher problems 🙃

Anyway. I’m almost there. After months (okay, a year) of grinding, stressing, and aggressively typing in Google Docs at 5am.

Please send good vibes.
And if you’ve taken the CDA exam, drop your study tips below because I will take all the help I can get.


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