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CDA Professional Portfolio

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The Professional Portfolio is a collection of materials that early childhood professionals use in their work with young children and their families. eCDA students prepare a CDA Professional Portfolio because as evidence of what the CDA candidate believes is valuable information to use in their work. This allows an opportunity for the CDA candidate to gain experience in locating resources and communicating skills and knowledge.

The completed CDA Professional Portfolio is a tool that the Early Childhood Professional uses during his/her career in early childhood education and can be used as a reference manual.

Three-ring binder with labeled files

The finished product can be in various formats:

  • three-ring binder
  • labeled file folders in a box

While there are no requirements for how the CDA Professional Portfolio should look, it is important the CDA Professional Portfolio be neat, organized, professional looking, portable, and legible. The CDA Professional Portfolio will be used daily, and updated with new materials.

3 Sections of the CDA Professional Portfolio

Professional Philosophy Statement

summarize your professional beliefs and values about early childhood education.

Statements of Competence

You must write six (6) Statements of Competence based on the six Competency Goals. You can access the CDA Competency Goals now here. You begin writing each Statement of Competence with the following six (6) Competency Goal Statements:

  • Goal 1: To establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment.
  • Goal 2: To advance physical and intellectual competence.
  • Goal 3: To support social and emotional development and to provide positive guidance.
  • Goal 4: To establish positive and productive relationships with families.
  • Goal 5: To ensure a well-run, purposeful program responsive to participant needs.
  • Goal 6: To maintain a commitment to professionalism.

Resource Collection

This part of the CDA Professional Portfolio consists of 10 specific items called the Resource Collection. These items must be organized by Competency Goal areas and numbered so that each item can be located easily during the Council Representative verification visit.