FARMINGTON – Early childhood teachers, developmental therapists and others working with children from birth to age 5 who have special needs and their families are being encouraged by the state to obtain a teaching endorsement that will permit them to serve children with disabilities. The University of Maine at Farmington will be helping individuals in central and western Maine meet the endorsement requirements by offering two courses this summer that have been difficult to locate.

These two courses are Exploring Math and Science with Young Children and Collaborative Partnerships Among Individuals with Disabilities, Families, and Professionals. They are being offered beginning the fourth week in June and will continue intermittently through the end of July. Dolores Appl, the course instructor, said, “We are offering these courses in the evenings and on weekends to meet the special time constraints of those working in the child care field.”

The math and science course will focus on concepts that can easily be integrated into the regular curriculum offered in any early childhood learning environment. Adaptations for children of varying ability levels will be discussed.

The collaboration course will offer techniques for building supportive teams of parents, teachers and other professionals including psychologists, administrators, counselors, paraprofessionals and other related service providers in the school and community. This course also may be useful for parents of children who have special needs as they seek to encourage a supportive environment for their children.

Participants do not need a college degree to enroll. For more information on the courses themselves, interested individuals should contact Appl directly at 778-7507 or e-mail her at dappl@maine.edu. Individuals interested in how to register for the courses should contact Pam Wilson at 778-7186 or e-mail her at pwilson@maine.edu