Parent and Child Development

Services : Parent and Child Development

Parent and Child Development

The first five years are an amazing time of rapid development. It is at this young age that a child’s brain is most open to learning. Positive, enriching activities actually strengthen the electrical network in the brain, making learning in school and throughout life easier. Way to Grow teaches parents about child development and shares activities that help children develop while they play.

Reach & Teach. Early literacy begins at birth and develops on a continuum. Language development and literacy development are intrinsically connected. The goal of Reach & Teach is to address a gap in the early education system by delivering a parent-centric early literacy program to families whose children are most at risk for low school achievement. Reach & Teach promotes the learning of both parents and children by implementing intentional early literacy instruction in both home-based and center-based learning environments. Child and parent outcomes guide the early literacy instruction and hold Way to Grow accountable for results.

*Way to Grow would like to thank the following sponsors for helping to make Reach & Teach* possible:**
-	Bush Foundation

-	Cargill Foundation

-	Curtis L. Carlson Family Foundation

-	HB Fuller Company Foundation

-	Deluxe Corporation Foundation

-	McKnight Foundation

-	Jay and Rose Philips Family Foundation

-	Sheltering Arms Foundation

In the year before children enter kindergarten they are given the opportunity to enroll in the more intensive Club Reach & Teach. Families in Club Reach & Teach are provided individualized, in-home learning experiences and given priority in registering for the center-based parent-child classes. All instruction and assessment are research based and goals are set accordingly. Using Read Together, Talk Together, a research based early literacy curriculum designed by Dr. Grover Whitehurst, Ph.D., Family Educators teach parents strategies to support their children in expressive language development, sound and letter identification, emergent writing skills, and knowledge of print concepts.

Children enrolled in Club Reach & Teach are evaluated every three months using the research based Individual Growth and Development Indicator (IGDI) in three different areas 1) vocabulary level through a picture naming exercise, 2) alphabetic principle through knowing letter names and sounds, and 3) phonemic awareness through recognizing rhyming and alliteration sounds. Between evaluations, Club Reach & Teach families receive bi-weekly visits with a literacy curriculum custom tailored to the needs of each child as indicated by his/her results from the quarterly IGDI outcomes-based assessment. Lessons includes conversation, vocabulary and background knowledge, book and print rules, phonological awareness and alphabet knowledge.

Three girls playing at a Play, Learn & Grow class

Play, Learn & Grow. Way to Grow holds four weekly parent-child classes at three locations across Minneapolis. The environments in these classes are designed based upon the standards of the Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation Tool Kit (ELLCO). The environment includes developmentally appropriate opportunities for children to talk, read, and write within six theme based learning centers. Play, Learn & Grow classes implement the research based and field tested Opening the World of Learning Curriculum (OWL) which is designed to develop oral language and early literacy skills in the context of mathematics, science, and social studies. The classes are taught by Way to Grow's Family Educators who received special training by the OWL Curriculum developers.

Preschool Pals. In 2007, Way to Grow designed and implemented a preschool program for children ages 3-5. The Preschool Pals classes provide programming for 60 children 3 days a week for 2.75 hours each day. In collaboration with Little Earth of United Tribes, Way to Grow is providing this class to current WTG families as well as residents of Little Earth Native American Community. The program is currently in the process of being licensed by the state of Minnesota. When that license is received we will begin the process for national accreditation.

In early 2008, Preschool Pals classes began in North Minneapolis in conjunction with the Center for Families. This class will follow the model of the program at Little Earth and provide 30 more openings for children ages 3-5.

In addition to the OWL Curriculum, both Play, Learn & Grow and Preschool Pals classes include a partnership with the the Walker West Music Academy. Walker West provides a musical component to the classes that is vital in diversifying the avenues of learning. Begun as a pilot program in Spring 2007, after very positive feedback it was expanded to all of the classes in Fall 2008.

Growth and Development. Way to Grow works with parents using a Child Development Chart developed by Dr. Harry Ireton, University of Minnesota child psychologist. This chart helps parents learn about typical development in the first five years. It helps reassure parents about their child’s development and can raise awareness about possible developmental delays. Way to Grow also uses the Individual Growth and Development Indicator (IGDI) tool to track the early literacy and language skills of preschoolers and guide their instruction.

Screening. If there are developmental delay concerns for a child under three years old. Way to Grow connects the family to 348-TOTS for additional resources. Starting at age three, Way to Grow partners with Minneapolis Public Schools for expert assessment of school readiness through their Screen at 3 program.

Early Literacy Partner:

Parent and Child Development - Health Education - Family Support Services