Being an ECCE Teacher would have meant
that some training was done in special Education. My training was done at UWI
and the courses that were geared towards inclusion was very instrumental in
trying to assist each child in reaching their fullest potential. The courses
were designed to help us identify red flags associated with disabilities and to
formulate effective strategies to be implemented in order to overcome these
barriers and help disabled children to reach their fullest potential. We gained
knowledge in terms of developmental milestones and different learning/teaching
styles to cater for their individual needs. Prior to these courses, teachers
felt a sense of discomfort and experienced a sense of incompetence when it
pertained to interacting with disabled children. The attitudes of the teacher
were that of unwillingness and being doubtful about their competence. The
courses have equipped us with the type of training and knowledge that we needed
in order for us to help these children to do their best. We were sensitized to
various skills to empower us, skills such as teaching/learning skills,
classroom management skills, time management skills and social skills as we
interacted with each child. These skills helped us to develop a positive
attitude towards inclusion. We also learned about resources and support systems
which we can access to help us develop the disabled child overall performance
and equip them as well for our society. We were also taught that sometimes we
as teachers need to go beyond our call of duty in the classroom and this effort
goes a long way to improving the lives of all children in our care.