On December 10, 2022, the two-part training series on Inclusive Practices concluded, attended by child care teachers from five Saipan facilities. The training series was presented by Ms. Nerine Villagomez from Evergreen Learning at the Evergreen Learning Center in Chalan Kanoa.
In this eight-hour total training series, childcare providers engaged in effective inclusive teaching practices and skills and learned the significance of the federal and local laws, the different disability categories, the current CNMI regulations and standards from Caring for Our Children (CFOC), and the community resources offered to children with special needs. These attendees also heard first-hand experiences from a guest speaker on how to include children with a disability, the barriers they may face, and possible solutions they can take in their centers. With the right mindset and the use of People First Language, the training aimed to help broaden participants’ perspective on creating an inclusive and safe learning environment.
During the training, attendees participated in activities that involved meaningful discussions, reflections on video clips, and discovery of diverse exemplars of inclusion that identified the importance of access for all students in the childcare setting. The participants were made aware of the importance of inclusion while using the Ages & Stages Questionnaires, 3rd edition (ASQ-3), Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional, 2nd edition (ASQ:SE2), and the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) guides to better their teaching approaches and their use of appropriate materials.
This training was made possible through funding from the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Care, CNMI CCDF Program, under the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs.
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