Handang Magbasa: Enhancing Learning Partners’ Skills through Workshops
Child development workers (CDWs) and parents play a pivotal role in Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD), nurturing and educating young children during their most formative years. However, they face significant challenges, as highlighted in EDCOM II’s Year One report, particularly a serious lack of programs designed to support their education and training.
According to EDCOM II (2024), there is a critical shortage of qualified CDWs in the Philippines, with only 52% holding college degrees and significant disparities in educational backgrounds and training opportunities. This gap undermines the effectiveness of ECCD, impacting both the quality of early childhood education and the professional development of CDWs.
AGFI’s Handang Magbasa program seeks to empower CDWs and parents through comprehensive workshops designed to enhance the reading readiness skills of children aged three to four. By focusing on capacity building and skill development, the program addresses the training gap identified by EDCOM II and equips CDWs with necessary tools to nurture young learners effectively
Throughout the school year 2023-2024, AGFI conducted nine workshops across partner communities. Each workshop covers a specific topic tailored to the needs of the community, with a total of six topics discussed. These topics include:
Mabisang Pagkukuwento (Effective Storytelling)
This topic discusses the positive impact of storytelling, effective techniques for engaging children, the role of teachers, and strategies for planning a storytelling session. It highlights the importance of voice modulation, facial expressions, and body movement in storytelling, encouraging authenticity and reflection.
Batayang Kakayahan sa Pagkatuto (Developmental Milestones)
This topic focuses on developmental milestones, their importance, and how they can guide educational activities for children aged 3-7. It covers various skills and behaviors: including physical, socioemotional, and cognitive abilities, and emphasizes the role of teachers in understanding and fostering these milestones.
Preschool Classroom Management
This topic discusses the importance of managing the children’s learning environment and the three aspects that constitute it: physical environment, temporal environment, and affective environment.
Malikhaing Pagtuturo (Creative Teaching)
This topic emphasizes the importance of creativity in early childhood education, highlights developmental milestones for ages 0-5, and stresses the importance of parental involvement and responsive care. The talk also provides practical examples of unstructured play activities that support language development and creative thinking.
Pagkatuto at Paglalaro sa Tahanan (Play in the Early Years)
This topic emphasizes the importance of storytelling and playing with children at home, underlining the essential role parents play in their children's learning. Common misconceptions about play are addressed; and various ways of interacting with children at home are demonstrated.
Ang Batang Handa sa Eskuwela (A School-Ready Child)
This topic focuses on the concept of school readiness and the importance of early childhood experiences and relationships in preparing children for school. It outlines key characteristics of a school-ready child and offers practical tips for parents to support their children’s transition from home to school.
Participants have provided positive feedback on the workshops, noting improvements in teaching practices and increased parental involvement in early childhood education. AGFI complements these workshops with supplementary training videos and guides for both CDWs and parents, enhancing their learning experience and application of essential skills. This holistic approach underscores AGFI's commitment not only to addressing the training gap identified in the EDCOM II report but also to expanding Handang Magbasa’s reach and fostering a supportive environment for lifelong learning among Filipino children.
Join AGFI in transforming early childhood education! For partnership inquiries and more information on how to bring AGFI’s programs to your community, email us at adarnagroupfoundation@agfi.com.ph.
Together, let’s make #EveryFilipinoChildAReader!