In the midst of a pandemic, many Idaho parents have found themselves thrust into the role of child care provider or teacher, without a map to guide them on how to effectively teach young children at home.

“I hear it all the time — ‘I’m not a teacher, I don’t know how to do this,’” said Beth Oppenheimer, executive director of the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children.

But there’s help.

“You’re not alone, as a parent or a caregiver,” Oppenheimer said.

As part of its mission to help child care providers improve their programs and help families improve school readiness at home, Idaho AEYC is offering the opportunity to learn from early childhood professionals in three free webinar sessions this fall, called the Early Learning Academies.

The webinars are available across Idaho to any person working with children under the age of 5, including parents and grandparents.

“We can provide opportunities to help support parents as they’re finding themselves at home more than they’ve ever been,” she said.

Each two-hour session tackles a different subject. The first webinar, scheduled for Sept. 26, will familiarize participants with strategies for developmental monitoring and screening.

“If child care providers are working with young children, it gives them the opportunity to learn the signs of a child who has a developmental delay,” Oppenheimer said.

The Oct. 10 session will explore the impact of trauma on human development, as well how to promote positive outcomes for children who have experience trauma.

The final session, scheduled for Oct. 24, is focused on literacy.

“I imagine this one will be popular,” Oppenheimer said. “It’s about how we can learn how to use materials within the environment to promote literacy and to promote positive adult-child interactions.”

She added that the webinar ties into Gov. Brad Little’s goal to promote literacy proficiency among Idaho students and help ensure they’re reading at grade level by the time they complete third grade.

Attendees can register for one, two or all three webinars. They’ll also receive a free kit of educational materials.

Though the webinars take place virtually, Oppenheimer noted that they’ll teach participants about aspects of early childhood development that don’t necessarily include a screen.

Attendees can receive professional development certificates at the conclusion of each webinar session.

The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the importance of early childhood development, which has often been “under the radar” in Idaho, Oppenheimer said. One of Idaho AEYC’s goals is to illustrate the impact that quality early learning environments have on a child’s development.

“Whether that’s in a child care center or at grandma’s house, early childhood development is critical to success,” she said. “The more we can have our children ready in developmentally appropriate ways, the more success they’ll have.”

To register for the Early Learning Academies, visit www.idahoaeyc.org/early-learning-academies