LUBBOCK, Texas — Early Childhood Intervention is a statewide program for families with children from newborn to 3-years-old.
It is designed to help kids with developmental delays, or certain diagnoses. To help, Lubbock Independent School District has their own ECI program. The district offers help in speech, occupational and physical therapy, among others. However, with the coronavirus, the services have gone virtual.
Misty Rieber, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for Lubbock ISD said the experience is very different.
“We’ve had to rethink things we use in school, you know alphabets, letters and all kinds of things you don’t have at home necessarily, and so we’ve had to think through how we do household items to do some of those things and be creative,” Rieber said.
Keeping kids focused, wifi and device access can be difficult, however, the district is working to help.
“It definitely doesn’t feel the same as getting to play together, but it’s fulfilling some of that need,” Rieber said.
The district is thankful for not only the educators, but parents as well.
“I wanna say a huge shoutout to our parents and teachers who are working incredibly hard to make the transition functional,” Rieber said. “Our parents are doing a great job.”
Rieber said a big component of what the educators focus on is play, sol although much of their work work transitioned to virtual learning, they are taking it slow.
“You learn a little bit more, and then you take another break and learn a little bit more, and then you play outside because there’s value in learning in those experiences,” Rieber said.
For more information about ECI or resources, visit the Lubbock ISD website.