Minister Highlights Importance of Early Learning

Good morning Madam President,

I believe that we all want children to be given the best start in life.

This is why, as Minister I am committed to the modernisation and promotion of early learning in Bermuda.

The Ministry of Education, along with its partners have a responsibility to support high quality early learning, also referred to as early childhood education and development.

Within the Government of Bermuda, early learning is a partnership between the Ministry of Education, The Ministry of Health and Seniors and the Ministry of Community, Culture and Sports.

Early learning ranges from birth through to 8 years of age, but it really begins earlier due to the impact of maternal health on a child’s future success.

Early learning is so important because it takes place during a time where prevention and early intervention can have the greatest impact on children, setting them up for success in school and in life.

Thoughtful approaches to early learning are vital for individual children, for families, schools and the larger community because they help to develop the path that our children will take.

These years are some of the most meaningful in a child’s life as science shows that the brain develops the most rapidly from birth to 5 years, and because the interactions and experiences during this period of time help to shape what children will be like and their capabilities as adults.

The section of the Ministry of Education that supports early learning consists of an Assistant Director for Early Childhood Education, the Child Development Programme, Early Childhood Special Education and will eventually include a focus on support and supervision for private nurseries and daycare centres.

The work of this section is intended to be fully child-centred. This means that staff espouse and put into practice the philosophy that holds at its foundation the need to put children at the centre of learning and development.

In other words, parents and educators take their cues from children, drawing upon their interests, needs and natural curiosities. In child-centred learning, a rich learning environment is created where children are viewed as strong, capable, independent, curious, and full of imagination.

Children are not taught to simply be seen and not heard, but instead are empowered to think, question, investigate, and explore as the basis for learning.

Child-centred learning views development as holistic and complex, and focuses on the domains of emotional, social, cognitive, communication, language and physical learning, growth and well-being.

The Child Development Programme [CDP], which is an early intervention programme provides important prevention and early intervention services for young children and their families. This is done in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Seniors so that children have access to key services through a single point of delivery.

CDP has a child-centred and family-centred approach in order to cultivate good relationships with families and children. This creates an environment where continued intervention and success for children and their families is more likely to take place.

CDP has a number of key programmes designed specifically for young children and their families. One of its larger aims is to help ensure that all children on-Island are appropriately prepared for preschool and primary school.

To be clear, readiness doesn’t mean that all children are academically ready to get the best grades on day 1 of school, but that they begin school with some of the skills that will ensure that they are able to learn, the social, emotional and behavioural skills that will allow them to receive knowledge, in their first years of school and throughout their school career.

CDP staff are now in the process of being certified in the Family Service Credential which “is a comprehensive, competency based training experience, designed to support direct service staff in their work with children and families.”

The “training is appropriate for any staff who work intensely with young families” and is “designed to support staff in the refinement of skills and strategies to incorporate the core values of being family-centred, relationship focused, strengths based, ecological and reflective.”

This training, which is being provided locally by CDP staff will improve the quality of direct service and interactions that CDP staff have with children and families.

The Child Development Programme and the Environmental Health Section of the Department of Health have introduced a quick reference guide to help early years professionals monitor healthy child development and identify when a child is at risk of not meeting his or her health and developmental milestones. CDP is currently carrying out training with childcare providers for the purposes of full implementation.

Within Government preschools, the Ministry of Education has previously introduced a research-based, developmentally-appropriate curriculum for early learners called the Creative Curriculum. Preschools are currently increasing its implementation and are using the curriculum to engage parents through preschool to home connections.

The creative curriculum has an online component, which allows parents to access key information on how their children are doing in preschool at any time. It is also focused on physical, language, social-emotional and cognitive development so that young children receive well-rounded curriculum.

I would encourage all parents to go online to view the curriculum, as well as the strategies and activities that are designed specifically for parents, to help bring enriching preschool experiences home.

The Ministry of Education has also adopted and adapted the Preschool Teaching and Learning Standards of the National Association for the Education of Young Children to help guide the quality of teaching of early learners.

Early learning now also encompasses a service delivery model to provide intensive instruction and related services to students on the ASD spectrum. Already in two schools at the primary level, it was recently expanded to a third school specifically for children in lower primary school, from P1 to P3.

Parents of children with ASD, who were often frustrated by the options provided by schools, now have the opportunity to have their children receive research-based and world class instruction that is specific to their children’s needs.

The programme is being continuously improved, and parents who have children who are diagnosed with ASD are encouraged to contact the Ministry of Education. Additionally, parents who may children without a diagnosis, but are nevertheless concerned, should also contact the Ministry of Education in order for appropriate early intervention to be considered.

Criteria are currently being developed to clarify for educators, parents and service providers which preschoolers require special education. The criteria will also provide information about special education services and how to access them.

Additionally, individual education plans for preschoolers are being redeveloped to expand beyond literacy and numeracy so that they will be based upon language, social-emotional, physical, and cognitive development, the four cornerstone areas of early learning.

Madam Speaker, good things are happening in the Ministry of Education. I am thankful for the opportunity to share with my colleagues progress and initiatives being undertaken in the area of early learning, which is near and dear to all of our hearts.

Thank you.

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