In order to create better quality control for the nation’s Pre-Schools, the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development has begun training several Pre-school teachers from various districts, nationwide, in the use of a new early childhood developmental checklist.
The checklist instrument, which was developed by the Early Childhood Unit, will enable teachers to determine the strength and challenges of students in the attainment of basic skills, as well as inform the planning of appropriate intervention strategies in other to maximize students’ potential. This new instrument will be provided to schools, replacing the one presently used.
At the opening session of the workshop, held on Thursday, 23 April, the Chief Education Officer, Mr Elvis Morain, applauded the self-development efforts of Pre-school teachers.
“I am inspired by what I am seeing now at the Pre-school level,” he said, commending the teachers for embracing available training opportunities. Morain encouraged them to share the knowledge they gain via these educational opportunities, with others in the field, and pledged his commitment to supporting these efforts.
The training of practitioners within the last three years has placed much emphasis on best practices from the HighScope Curriculum, which resulted in improvement in the quality of learning activities and teacher/child interaction. This is supported by the findings from the National Survey conducted in 2013. In recognition of this, the Ministry authorizes the use of the HighScope in all our preschools to support the variety and depth of learning experiences children need.
Bernadette John, Early Childhood Education Officer, in her remarks to the teachers present, said, “The idea is that we are all in this together.” She continued by reminding them that, “Good is not good enough. We want the best and that is why we’re doing so much training for us.”
During the Trinity term the pilot testing of the Early Childhood Developmental Checklist will be conducted in the following schools:
- Green Street Pre-Primary School
- St David’s RC Pre-Primary School
- Snell Hall Pre-Primary
- Sauteurs SDA Private
- St John’s RC Pre-Primary
- Victoria Pre-Primary
- St Matthew’s RC Pre-Primary
- Paradise Pre-Primary
- Brizan Pre-primary
- La Borie Pre-Primary
- Petite Martinique Pre-Primary
- Mt Pleasant Pre-Primary
- Marquis Pre-Primary
- St Michaels’s RC Pre-Primary
- Mileage Private Pre-Primary
On completion of the pilot, the instrument will be introduced to all preschools and this process will be supported by professional development and the inclusion of parents.
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