Supporting pregnant women and parents of young children during the first few years of a child’s life can have a direct impact on the child’s success in school. Many children struggle with basic reading and writing if the building blocks for basic literacy have not been provided during their infancy and toddler years. Years ago, Missouri educators took note of the varied levels of school readiness among children entering kindergarten, and the Parents as Teachers curriculum was created. The curriculum is now available internationally, and is offered in Sussex County through Project Self-Sufficiency. The program combines home visits with educational outings, and gives parents a variety of tools to help their children with literacy and health issues. The program also allows trained home visitors to assess crucial developmental delays which might otherwise have been overlooked before the child entered kindergarten.
“Meeting with these young parents in the comfort of their own homes allows us to be more effective as educators, because we can introduce and implement basic literacy tools immediately. Children and parents are more relaxed in a home environment, so learning together becomes a fun activity that can be shared,” noted Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency. The Parents as Teachers program at Project Self-Sufficiency combines weekly home visits with monthly Mommy Parties at the agency’s Newton campus. The gatherings combine presentations about health, wellness, parenting skills, household safety, and literacy, with crafts and activities for children. The events also allow young mothers to meet women in similar circumstances wthin a supportive environment.
Reading well by the time a child enters third grade is one key indicator of academic success. Children from families who have used the Parents as Teachers program, as well as those who have attended preschool, have fared remarkably well in school by third grade, regardless of income level. In fact, use of the Parents as Teachers program appears to level the playing field between those children who hail from different socioeconomic backgrounds, according to a 2007 study initiated by the Parents as Teachers Program. A large percentage of poor children (82%) who participated in both the Parents as Teachers program and in preschool entered kindergarten ready to learn, as compared to only 64% of low-income children who had no involvement in either service. A similar pattern was noted for more affluent children.
“This study says those states that wait to start early childhood education until age 4 are making a huge mistake,” noted Dr. Edward Zigler, Ph. D., Sterling Professor of Psychology, Emeritus, at Yale University, who participated in developing the report. “By starting at birth, Parents as Teachers starts at just the right time."
The Parents as Teachers program at Project Self-Sufficiency is funded by a grant from the New Jersey Department of Children & Families. Project Self-Sufficiency is a private non-profit community-based organization dedicated to improving the lives of low-income families residing in northwestern New Jersey. The agency’s mission is to provide a broad spectrum of holistic, respectful, and comprehensive services enabling low-income single parents, teen parents, two-parent families, and displaced homemakers to improve their lives and the lives of their children through the achievement of personal and economic self-sufficiency and family stability. Since 1986 Project Self-Sufficiency has served more than 19,500 families, including over 30,000 children.
To learn more about the Parents as Teachers program, or to receive information about any of the other services offered by Project Self-Sufficiency, call 973-940-3500.
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