

Pathways
Foundations
The foundation consists of the first six weeks of employment. After orientation, staff who are new to our approach spend their first six weeks immersing themselves in our pedagogy by training in each of our six classrooms for a week. This unique approach to training allows more experienced staff to coach, train, and serve as mentors for new staff. Staff also participate in virtual pedagogical training during the foundation period.
Certification
Once an employee has successfully completed the Foundation portion of the Grow Your Own Teacher program, they are eligible to enroll in professional undergraduate certification from Portland State University at no cost to them. Eligible staff will complete a one-year Early Childhood Education Certificate through Portland State University at the undergraduate level, with the option to transfer the certificate credits into an undergraduate program, with the cost covered entirely by Cobb Children’s Learning Center.
College
Upon successfully completing the Early Childhood Education Undergraduate Certificate from Portland State University, eligible employees are able to roll their earned credits into a partner undergraduate program, earning their bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. Employees who already hold a bachelor’s degree may be eligible to earn their master’s degree in early childhood education at no cost to them.

