Promoting Professionalism and High Quality in Child Care in Tennessee

TECTA is the leading statewide organization committed to providing high quality training and tuition assistance to early childhood educators.

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The TECTA Advantage

The TECTA Advantage

There are many reasons to choose a career in child care. As an educator, you get to work daily with young children during their early years, the most pivotal time of their growth and development. This is why academic preparation and ongoing professional development are needed to keep up, not just with the development of children, but also with the requirements for each branch of the child care field.

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TECTA Leadership Development

TECTA offers a variety of free professional development opportunities to strengthen the leadership skills of child care administrators and to improve the quality of child care and education programs.

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Support for High School Students

TECTA is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of educators, empowering them to seamlessly transition into the world of early childhood education. Our program ensures a solid foundation with college tuition support for high school students completing Career & Technical Education (CTE) ECEC I and II classes through the TECTA Orientation Equivalency initiative, specialized High School Child Development Associate® (CDA) CredentialTM guidance, and practical learning and confidence through our Pre-Apprenticeship Program.

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Online Training

The Tennessee Child Care Online Training System (TCCOTS) powered by ProSolutions offers free training for all early childhood education professionals, from new educators to program directors and administrators. TCCOTS is available at no cost to Tennessee residents. The course catalog includes training in Child Development and Learning, Health, Safety and Nutrition, Leadership and Professionalism, Organizational Development and Administration, and more. All courses are also available in Spanish.

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Credentials for Administrators and Infant/Toddler Educators

The Tennessee Early Childhood Program Administrator Credential (TECPAC) is an academic program designed for child care program directors. Training is provided through the Administrator Academy, a competency-based program that blends curriculum training with business and management education. Training begins in the Administrator Academy and ends with a professional portfolio and assessment on the Program Administration Scale (PAS) or Business Administration Scale (BAS).

TECTA offers a statewide Infant/Toddler Credential for caregivers of children birth to age three. Participants engage in a structured program encompassing the TECTA Infant/Toddler Orientation, a blend of hybrid training modules, creation of an online portfolio, accompanied by personalized coaching, reflective observations, and collaborative peer learning opportunities.

Who Is Eligible ForTECTA Support?

You are eligible for TECTA support if you:

  • Are currently employed or volunteering on a regular basis at a Tennessee state-licensed early care and educational program
  • Are currently a high school student enrolled in ECEC courses
  • Have completed a TECTA Orientation, or have completed High School ECEC I and II courses that have been approved by TECTA as equivalent to a TECTA Orientation
  • Have declared a major in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or a related degree program and have earned 3 credits of early childhood course work
  • Have enrolled in ECED courses or have completed ECEC I-IV and dual enrollment ECED courses at the secondary level and are looking for assistance with obtaining a Child Development Associate (CDA) CredentialTM
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TECTA Events - Coming Soon

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TECTA is currently hiring qualified applicants to join our Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program. Apprentices will receive on the job training, mentorship and coaching, and tuition support for higher education with pay starting at $15 per hour.

Visit indeed.com to apply!

If you live in the Memphis area, apply here: http://tinyurl.com/4heys67h

If you live in the Nashville area, apply here: http://tinyurl.com/5fsbfced

If you live in the Knoxville area, apply here: http://tinyurl.com/54ewjedm

To learn more, contact Caitlin Williams, TECTA Continuing Education Coordinator, at cwill328@tnstate.edu.
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TECTA is currently hiring qualified applicants to join our Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program. Apprentices will receive on the job training, mentorship and coaching, and tuition support for higher education with pay starting at $15 per hour. Apply now on indeed.com!

If you live in the Nashville area, apply here: https://www.indeed.com/job/education-and-training-early-childhood-education-apprentice-teacher-285939c37a25877b?_gl=1*7ab7u7*_gcl_au*MTA5NjY4MDIyMS4xNjk1MTU2NDYx

If you live in the Knoxville area, apply here: https://www.indeed.com/job/education-and-training-early-childhood-education-apprentice-teacher-6e293197e6f44725?_gl=1*oboj60*_gcl_au*MTA5NjY4MDIyMS4xNjk1MTU2NDYx

To learn more, contact Caitlin Williams, TECTA Continuing Education Coordinator, at cwill328@tnstate.edu.
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A child’s relationships with the adults in their life are the most important influences on their brain development. Loving relationships with responsive, dependable adults are essential to a child’s healthy development. These relationships begin at home, with parents and family, but also include child care providers, teachers and other members of the community. #ResilientTN ...

The Amygdala (uh-mig-duh-luh) is a very small brain structure that acts like a loud alarm clock when a stressor happens. It sends the signal out to freeze the rest of the body that tells a child`s brain to fight (arguing or temper tantrum), flight (run) or freeze (shut down). #ResilientTN ...

The building of a brain is like building a house. The earliest years lay a foundation for all future brain development. A solid foundation increases the chances of positive outcomes later. The building of a brain is like building a house. The earliest years lay a foundation for all future brain development. A solid foundation increases the chances of positive outcomes later. #ResilientTN ...

Neurons are nerve cells serving as information messengers in the brain and can connect together to form neural highways that get needed information out to the body. Most neurons are created by birth and are an important part of child development. National Institute Neurological Disorder and Stroke - Brain Basics: The Life and Death of a Neuron. #ResilientTN ...

FAMILY FRIDAY
Parents and families are children’s first teachers. Family Friday focuses on engaging families to support our youngest learners. Find family activities here: https://www.naeyc.org/events/woyc/plan-your-event
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ARTSY THURSDAY
Children develop creativity, social skills, and fine muscles with open-ended art projects that let them make choices, use their imaginations, and create with their hands. Find artsy activities here: https://www.naeyc.org/events/woyc/plan-your-event
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Positive and negative experiences matter for children. Genes can remember things from outside our bodies that affect how things on the inside of our bodies work. Positive and negative experiences matter for children. Genes can remember things from outside our bodies that affect how things on the inside of our bodies work. #ResilientTN ...

WORK TOGETHER WEDNESDAY
When children build together they experience teamwork and develop their social and early literacy skills. Grab some materials and create! Find ‘work together’ activities here: https://www.naeyc.org/events/woyc/plan-your-event
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TASTY TUESDAY
Tasty Tuesday isn’t just about eating your favorite snacks together. It’s also about cooking together and connecting math with literacy skills and science while introducing ways to incorporate healthy habits into children’s lifestyles. Use the tips, resources, and recipes below to get started. Find tasty food activities here.
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TCCY is hopping into the New Year ready to help Tennessee families and children expand their brain power and achieve their best! #ResilientTN ...

Music is a great way to engage the developing brain. Sing with or to your little one to fire off those neurons! #ResilientTN ...

Make something that smells delicious? Let baby take a tiny sniff! Engaging with a baby`s senses helps them develop and enhance. #ResilientTN ...

As the holiday shopping season is upon us, check out this helpful list of good toys for young children from naeyc.org. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/play/toys ...

Did baby make a funny face? Make one back! Responding to and interacting with your child helps stimulate the developing brain and creates new neural pathways. #ResilientTN ...

Caitlin Williams, TECTA Continuing Education Coordinator, recently spent the day with in White House, Tennessee with Heritage High School`s Early Childhood Education Careers I and II students discussing college and career pathways in the ECE field. A total of 12 students have earned their high school Orientation equivalencies from the school’s ECEC program! Next, students will be working towards CPR certifications to put them one step closer to a CDA credential. Contact Caitlin at cwill328@tnstate.edu to set up a classroom presentation! ...

TECTA is offering the 2022 Summer Research Institute Webinar Series as a free, 7.5-hour online STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) professional development for licensed educators. The theme is “Tinker Tank: Freely Learning Through Play, Creativity, Exploration, and Discovery.”

Registration ends this week on October 21st. To enroll, contact Dia Mimms at dmimms@tnstate.edu.
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