100% ONLINE · SELF-PACED · SCENARIO-BASED
Learn by Doing
CDA Training - Through Real Classroom Scenarios
Taught by a 30-year early childhood leader, this 100% online, self-paced course walks you through real classroom scenarios — so the knowledge actually sticks and the portfolio practically writes itself.
100%
ONLINE & SELF-PACED
Learn from anywhere, on your schedule
3 Months
BE CDA-READY IN AS LITTLE AS
Without quitting your job or rearranging your life
30 Years
OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE
Scenario-based curriculum from a proven leader
THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE METHOD
Why “Scenario-Based” Changes Everything
“The most effective way to learn is through real-life scenarios and this course offers exactly that.”
— Dr. Lilla Dale McManis, MEd, PhD
Early Childhood Education Researcher
Traditional CDA courses ask you to memorize. This course asks you to practice. Each module places you inside a real classroom situation. Your brain processes it as genuine experience — which is why our graduates walk into their verification visit with real confidence, not just test-ready facts.
What You Get Out Of This
Four Things You Won't Find Anywhere Else
Finish Faster.
Most students complete the coursework in under 3 months — without quitting their job or rearranging their life.
Actually Be Ready.
You don't just learn the 13 CDA subject areas — you practice applying them through realistic scenarios so you walk into your verification visit with real confidence.
Portfolio, Handled.
Every module builds your portfolio as you go. By the time you finish the course, your portfolio is essentially done.
Real Support.
You're not doing this alone. Email support, live Q&A sessions, and a private student community mean you always have someone to ask.
About Your Instructor
Mary Wardlaw, Ed.S.
Early Childhood Leader · Founder, National CDA Training
Mary created this course so that learning the CDA feels like real classroom experience — not memorizing a textbook. Training should make you better in the classroom, not just on paper.
With 30 years as an early childhood educator, center owner, and director, she understands exactly what it feels like to manage a classroom, work with families, and prove your competence. Every module she built reflects that lived reality.