SPECIAL-needs teachers from seven institutions across the island recently benefited from a training programme organised by the Digicel Foundation.
The Foundation has been partnering with Special Needs Schools island-wide to create ‘Centres of Excellence’ by providing improved facilities, equipment, resources and on going training for teachers and caregivers. The project also seeks to create a training hub with Information Communication Technology links in each participating school, allowing students to learn by utilising visual auditory experiences and three-dimensional (3D) learning tools.Schools that partnered with the Digicel Foundation on this initiative included Early Stimulation Plus, Genesis Academy, Liberty Academy, the STEP Centre, Mustard Seed Communities and NAZ Children’s Centre in St James.The first phase of the project, dubbed “Improving Special Needs Collaboratively,” involved the training of more than 80 teachers and caregivers across the island over the period July 22 – 26 at Genesis Academy and Therapy Plus in Kingston.The training was conducted by three specialised therapists who worked with the teachers and caregivers to improve weak areas, while further improving existing areas of strength. Practical training and support was offered throughout the week-long session with the aim of empowering staff and parents to better care for special-needs children. Among the areas that were addressed were occupational therapy, academic enrichment, speech therapy, and behaviour therapy.Hilary Sherlock, Principal at the STEP Centre, was happy with the results of the training.“It was something that was well needed in terms of ongoing support for children with special needs. The Digicel Foundation has been very generous in providing us with a building, but the training will also help us to improve our programme,” she noted.Judine Hunter, programme manager for special needs at Digicel Foundation, said that the project received overwhelming support from participating teachers and caregivers.“We were only too happy to be working on yet another project to benefit children with special needs. This was our first such training project and we have been pleased to assist in providing the necessary skills and best practices. So far, the support has been tremendous,” she shared.Meanwhile, Samantha Chantrelle, executive director of the Digicel Foundation, has pledged the Foundation’s continued support for children with special needs in Jamaica.“It is the aim of the Foundation to continue providing assistance in areas where this is needed. The country’s youth are an important part of the mandate of the Digicel Foundation and we are pleased to be a part of this exciting project,” Chantrelle saidLisa Stoddart McDaniel Millingen (right), managing director of Therapy Plus, engages Lesandrea Archer of NAZ Children’s Centre in a balancing demonstration. Looking on are (from left) Panseta Simon, vice-principal of Liberty Academy; and Naz Children Centre Vice-Principal Carla Lake; Moneisha Williams, special needs teacher; Principal Alixann Narcisse-Campbell; and Nadine Bowen of Early Stimulation Plus. Lindsay Templer (centre), marketing and communications specialist at Digicel Foundation, jumps in for a photograph with educators of NAZ Children’s Centre in Montego Bay.Samantha Chantrelle (third right), executive director of the Digicel Foundation, and Alixann Narcisse (second right), Principal of NAZ Children’s Centre, share lens time with other educators from the Montego Bay-based school.View the original article here
Special-needs teachers get training
