In a collaborative effort to elevate early childhood education, Saint Louis University (SLU), through the leadership of SLU President Rev. Fr. Gilbert B. Sales, CICM, PhD, and Vice President for Mission and Identity Rev. Fr. Emery Mwako Ebumea, CICM, in partnership with the Local Government Unit (LGU) of San Quintin, Pangasinan, through the Hon. Mayor Farah Lee Lumahan, recently conducted a comprehensive capacity-building engagement program for local Child Development Workers (CDWs) on 18 July 2026 at the National Child Development Center, San Quintin, Pangasinan. This initiative aimed to bridge academic theory with grassroots practice and provide day care educators with advanced pedagogical tools to better serve their communities.
The training sessions were spearheaded and facilitated by masteral students Mr. Hamilton Macagne, Ms. Mary Chimpel Yu-ing, Sr. Jonalyn Vinluan, Ms. Joy Manzano, Ms. Jemima Falinchao, Mrs. Sharmaine Alvarez, and Mr. Wyers Malao from the Early Childhood Education (ECED) 218 course, titled “Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles of the Child,” under the facilitation of Joselito C. Gutierrez, PhD, course facilitator of ECED218 and the Executive Assistant to the SLU President.
The intensive training covered a diverse and forward-thinking curriculum designed to modernize early childhood instruction. Participants immersed themselves in lectures and workshops on the “Foundations of Child Development and Individual Differences,” “Howard Gardner’s Paradigm of Multiple Intelligences,” and various “Models of Learning Styles and Cognitive Profiles.” The program also emphasized modern leadership and evaluation through sessions on “Leading with Emotional Intelligence and the Authentic Assessment of Intelligences and Styles in the Early Years.” To prepare educators for the future, discussions explored “The 21st Century Learning,” “4th IR (Fourth Industrial Revolution),” and “Education 5.0 and their Impact to Early Childhood Education,” alongside a vital module on “Home-School Collaboration: Whole Community Approach in Developing Intelligences, Learning Styles, Disciplines, and Learning of Young Learners.”
These specialized topics played a crucial role in assisting CDWs to transition from traditional teaching methods to highly adaptive, learner-centered approaches. By understanding multiple intelligences and the societal shifts brought by Education 5.0, educators are now better equipped to identify and nurture the unique cognitive, emotional, and creative profiles of young learners.
Aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) and the CICM Advocacy of Justice and Peace, mastering community and home collaborations ensures that a supportive ecosystem surrounds these children. Ultimately, the partnership between SLU and the San Quintin LGU guarantees that the municipality’s youngest learners receive a robust, inclusive, and future-ready foundation during their most critical formative years. (Article and Photos by J.Gutierrez)
