With the opening of the STEPS program to 3 new groups of 3- and 4 year olds, we are also expanding the early childhood learning program to Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao, the South of the Philippines. Momentarily, we have 2 teachers and 2 Barangay officials visiting to observe and learn the STEPS preschool program in order to use it to teach the preschoolers in Carmen, the poorest, most populated and biggest Barangay in Cagayan de Oro city.
On Monday, June 5, the parents of over 60 new STEPs students attended the compulsory orientation meeting, with the teachers and government officials from Mindanao observing. The next day it was the students turn. The first group of children was quite agitated and many of the children were crying for their mommies, but in anticipation of it, the teachers had prepared lots of toys, videos and activities to help the children get acquainted with each other and the new surroundings. The second group apparently had no need of getting eased into school and jumped right in to the program! Our third group will consist of the students from STEPs course 2016/2017 that are too young to enter Kindergarten.
We are very happy and thankful for this opportunity to share and pass on the STEPS program to other parts of the country. It's been our hearts' desire to expand, and we have made a digital version of our curriculum with all its teaching aids, videos, documents, readers etc, available to the teachers and the Barangay.
On Monday, June 5, the parents of over 60 new STEPs students attended the compulsory orientation meeting, with the teachers and government officials from Mindanao observing. The next day it was the students turn. The first group of children was quite agitated and many of the children were crying for their mommies, but in anticipation of it, the teachers had prepared lots of toys, videos and activities to help the children get acquainted with each other and the new surroundings. The second group apparently had no need of getting eased into school and jumped right in to the program! Our third group will consist of the students from STEPs course 2016/2017 that are too young to enter Kindergarten.
We are very happy and thankful for this opportunity to share and pass on the STEPS program to other parts of the country. It's been our hearts' desire to expand, and we have made a digital version of our curriculum with all its teaching aids, videos, documents, readers etc, available to the teachers and the Barangay.
