Fundamentals Modules - Vermont Northern Lights Career ...

Fundamentals Course 04-10 Page 1 of 6
Fundamental Modules
1
Explanation of the CDA subject area codes and the five Northern Lights Core Knowledge Areas are on
page 5-6 of this document (Reading the codes for the workshop sessions)
2
In addition to the assignments listed, there are two required assignments that are due at the discretion of
the instructor: a project or presentation, and the observation of the practitioner. A complete list of
assignments is in 1B: Required student assignments for the Fundamentals Course
Module
(see also course objectives)
Module 1
Introduction to Fundamentals
for Early Childhood
Professionals
Health, Safety and Nutrition
Objectives 1, 3 & 4
CDA & Core Competencies Assignment Due 2
Covered 1
CDA subject area 1: Planning a safe,
healthy, learning environment
Northern Lights Core Knowledge areas
Healthy and Safe: A. Healthy
environments and Health Needs, B.
Safe Environments, C. Nutrition, D.
Physical Activity
Child development: A. How children
develop
Reflection/writing
This class session will introduce the course requirements and forms. It will also introduce
developmental milestones, Developmentally Appropriate Practice and important health and safety
procedures in working with young children in group settings. Students will learn common causes of
injuries and illness, be introduced to nutrition as it relates to child development and how to
communicate this effectively with families.
Module 2:
The Early Childhood Learning
Environment
Objectives 3 & 4
CDA subject area 1 Planning a safe,
healthy, learning environment
Northern Lights Core Knowledge areas
Teaching and Learning: A. Interactions,
B. Learning Environment
Child Development: C. Individual
Differences
Reflection/writing
This session will focus on creating inclusive and welcoming environments for all children and families.
Room arrangement, selecting materials, learning centers, safety considerations as well as evaluation
and assessment of the environment will be addressed. Outdoor play areas will also be discussed.
Module 3: Part A
Child Development:
Emotional development
Introduction to Observation
and Recording Behavior
Objectives 2 & 6
CDA subject area 3,7 & 8
Positive Ways to Support children’s social
and emotional development; Observing
and recording children’s behavior,
Principles of child development and
learning
Northern Lights Core Knowledge areas
Child Development: A. How Children
Develop. B. Influences on Child
Development
Teaching and Learning: A. Interactions,
D. Assessment
Reflection/writing
This session will discuss milestones in the emotional development of young children. Activities will
include how and when children develop self-control and appropriate responses to typical
developmental stages. The role of observing and recording children’s behavior is introduced.

Fundamentals Course 04-10 Page 2 of 6
Module 3: Part B
Child Development:
Emotional Development
(continued) and the
Influence of Culture
Objectives 1& 5
CDA subject area 3,7 & 8
Positive ways to support children’s social
and emotional development; Observing
and recording children’s behavior,
Principles of child development and
learning
Northern Lights Core Knowledge
Areas
Child Development: A. How Children
Develop, B. Influences on Child
Development
Teaching and Learning: A. Interactions,
D. Assessment
Reflection/writing
1st written observation
of a child
This session will continue to look at the emotional development of young children. Activities will focus
on how culture and other characteristics influence emotional development. Additional methods for
observing and recording children’s behavior will also be addressed.
Module 4:
Child Development:
Cognition and Intellectual
Development
Objective 1
CDA subject area 2 Steps to advance
children’s physical and intellectual
development
Northern Lights Core Knowledge Area
Child Development: A. How Children
develop
Reflection/writing
2nd written
observation of a child
This session will focus on cognitive development. Activities and discussion focus on developmental
milestones and brain development. Strategies that children use to organize information, learn new
concepts and develop the variety of skills we associate with intelligence will be covered.
Module 5:
Child Development:
Language and Literacy
Objective 1 & 3
CDA subject area 2 Steps to advance
children’s physical and intellectual
development
Northern Lights Core Knowledge
Areas
Child Development: A. How children
develop
Teaching and Learning: A. Interactions,
C. Curriculum and Content
Reflection/writing
First reaction paper
(Practice Competency
statement)
This session will identify milestones related to typical language and literacy development. It will also
discuss how language and communication are related. Students will learn strategies for encouraging
communication with children and how literacy supports communication.
Module 6:
Communication:
Building Relationships
CDA subject area 4, 6 Strategies to
establish productive relationships with
families; Maintaining a commitment to
professionalism
Reflection/writing
Objective 2
Northern Lights Core Knowledge
Areas
Families and Communities: B.
Communication
Program Organization and
Management: A. Professionalism, B.
Working with Staff and Colleagues

Fundamentals Course 04-10 Page 3 of 6
This session addresses the skills needed to effectively communicate with adults. Strategies for
creating an environment that promotes and encourages respectful communication with colleagues and
families will be discussed. Students will also learn how to approach families and how to discuss
difficult topics.
Module 7: Part A
Child Development:
Social Skills and a Sense of
Oneself
Objectives 6 & 1
CDA subject area 3:
Positive ways to support children’s social
and emotional development
Northern Lights Core Knowledge
Areas
Child Development: A. How Children
Develop, B. Influences on Child
Development, Individual Difference
Teaching and Learning: A. Interactions,
C. Curriculum and Content, D.
Assessment
Families and Communities: A.
Relationships
Reflection/writing
second reaction paper
(practice Competency
statement)
This session will explore how children form a sense of themselves. The concepts of attachment and
resiliency will be addressed. The class will address positive guidance, coping with transitions and
other strategies that support children’s social development and developing sense of self.
Module 7: Part B
Child Development:
Social Skills and
Understanding Others
Objectives 6 & 3
CDA subject area 3:
Positive ways to support children’s social
and emotional development
Northern Lights Core Knowledge
Areas
Child Development: A. How Children
Develop, B. Influences on Child
Development, C. Individual Variance
Teaching and Learning: A. Interactions,
C. Curriculum and Content
Families and Communities: A.
Relationships
Reflection/writing
In this class session students will learn strategies to support the development of positive social skills in
children. Conflict resolution and social development milestones will also be discussed, including
supporting children with challenging behaviors.

Fundamentals Course 04-10 Page 4 of 6
Module 8: Part A
Child Care Licensing
Regulations
Objectives 7, 1, 4
CDA subject area 5,3, 1
Strategies to manage an effective
program operation, Principles of child
development and learning, Planning a
safe, healthy, learning environment
Northern Lights Core Knowledge
Areas
Healthy and Safe Environments: A.
Healthy Environments and Health
Needs, B. Safe Environments
Professionalism and Program
Organization A. Professionalism, B.
Working with Staff and Colleagues, C
Program Organization and
Administration
Child Development A. How Children
Develop, B. Influences on Child
Development, C. Individual Variance
Teaching and Learning: B. Learning
Environment
Reflection/writing
This 2 hour interactive presentation by the Child Development Division Licensing Unit will provide a
review of the Vermont child care regulations and discuss how they are linked to developmentally
appropriate practice. This hands-on workshop uses case scenarios to help participants develop
strategies to apply child care licensing regulations. The other hour of class will follow up on material
covered in earlier classes.
Module 8: Part B, C
Basic Specialized Services
CDA subject area 3 Positive ways to
support children’s social and emotional
development
Reflection/writing
Objectives 7, 1, & 4
Northern Lights Core Knowledge
Areas Basic Specialized Care
Child Development: A. How Children
Develop, B. Influences on Child
Development, C. Individual Variance
Families and Communities: A.
Relationships, B. Communication
Professionalism and Program
Organization A. Professionalism, B.
Working with Staff and Colleagues, C
Program Organization and
Administration
This 6 hour session is an introduction for early childhood providers who plan to support children and
families who require additional support (as identified by the state of Vermont). It is required for all
programs wishing to attain the "Basic Specialized Child Care Provider" status. Basic Specialized
Services training is essential for serving children who have been victims of abuse or neglect. Topics
covered include: typical child development, the impact of stress and abuse on development, red flags,
working with families and the system, as well as mandated reporting responsibilities. Working with
children with special needs is also touched upon.

Fundamentals Course 04-10 Page 5 of 6
Module 9
Positive Workplace
Environments
Family Centered Practice
Objectives 2 & 3
CDA subject area
Strategies to establish productive
relationships with families; Strategies to
manage an effective program operation
4,5
Northern Lights Core Knowledge
Areas
Families and Communities: A.
Relationships, B. Communication
Professionalism and Program
Organization: B. Working with Staff
and Colleagues
Reflection/writing
This session expands on the topic of effective communication with adults, begun in module 6. This
module focuses on understanding the needs of adults and how to work successfully with peers and
families. Family-centered practice is defined and how adults change and develop is addressed.
Module 10: Part A
Professionalism
Objective 5
CDA subject area 6
Maintaining an Commitment to
Professionalism
Northern Lights Core Knowledge
Areas
Professionalism and Program
Organization: B. Working with Staff
and Colleagues
Reflection/writing
This session will focus on your professional development and growth. Ethical practices will be
discussed. Students will learn the components of and begin to outline their own Individual
Professional Development Plan (IPDP), and will receive more information about the Child
Development Associate Credential (CDA).
Module 10: Part B
Professionalism
Objective 5
CDA subject area 6
Maintaining an Commitment to
Professionalism
Northern Lights Core Knowledge
Areas
Professionalism and Program
Organization: B. Working with Staff
and Colleagues
Reflection/writing
Individual Professional
Development Plan
(IPDP) part I
Portfolio
This session will continue the topics covered in Module 10: Part A. As the last class of the series,
there will also be a review of selected topics covered in previous modules, with an emphasis on
reflection and continuing to apply topics covered in the Fundamentals course to workplace
experiences and situations. Final evaluations will be completed and collected.
Reading the codes for the workshop sessions
CDA subject area number: The Child Development Associate Credential requires applicants
for the credential to have completed at least 10 hours of training in each of 8 subject areas.
They are:
1. Planning a safe, healthy environment to invite learning;
2. Steps to advance children's physical and intellectual development;
3. Positive ways to support children's social and emotional development;
4. Strategies to establish productive relationships with families;
5. Strategies to manage an effective program operation;

Fundamentals Course 04-10 Page 6 of 6
6. Maintaining a commitment to professionalism;
7. Observing and recording children's behavior; and
8. Principles of child development and learning.
Vermont Northern Lights Career Development Center Core Knowledge Areas are listed
below. They encompass the knowledge and skills early childhood professionals should have
while working with young children (birth to six) in group settings.
• Child Development
• Healthy and Safe Environments
• Teaching and Learning
• Families and Communities
• Professionalism and Program Organization
These five areas are described in detail on the Northern Lights website:
www.northernlightscdc.org under CORE COMPETENCIES. The Core Knowledge areas are
broken down by subheadings and within each subheading are specific competencies. You will
see these same Core Knowledge areas and subheadings on the documentation forms you
receive for attending workshops around Vermont. Many early childhood professionals also use
the core competencies to guide the development of their Individual Professional Development
Plans (IPDP). You can download a copy of all of the competencies including the levels they fall
into, on the website. The course Fundamentals for Early Childhood Professionals was designed
to meet the all the Core Knowledge areas at Level I.