GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A recent report breaking down the first year of a program aimed at making sure youngsters are ready for school — socially, emotionally and intellectually, highlights the need and demand for the service.
The Early Learning Communities initiative launched last year by First Steps, Grand Rapids Public Schools and the Great Start Collaborative served more than 1,527 children. Children living in the neighborhoods around Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Academy and Burton Elementary Schools were targeted.
On Tuesday, a site was launched on the Northwest Side at Harrison Park School.
The communities supplement the learning environment and experiences of young children by increasing the early childhood and literacy skills of their caregivers and educators.
Organizers used four approaches: professional development and training for educators and caregivers, Play & Learn Groups, Kinder Camp and one-on-one coaching for relative and aide childcare providers to help them increase their skills in creating an early literacy enriched learning environment for the children in their care.
Besides for the 1,527 children served in the ELC Play & Learn Groups, nearly 1,000 adults participated in the program. Nearly 700 hours of literacy enrichment opportunities for children and their caregivers.
"Children with pre and post-test assessments do demonstrate positive program impact," according to a key finding in the report.
Eighty-five percent of parents and providers that responded to a survey report that they have seen Play & Learn leaders demonstrate new activities that they can use with the children in their homes.
Over 500 parents, providers and early childhood educators attended the ELC workshops. Twenty-eight providers and parents received over 250 ELC or Bright Beginnings sponsored home visits in 2011.
According to the report, 68 percent of providers that have participated in three to six months of the full ELC program report that parents have noticed improvements in the kindergarten readiness of their children.
More than half of caregivers reported having more knowledge than their peers about the ways they can support the development of a child’s early literacy skills.
Kinder Camp was a summer 2011 intervention for children, ages 3 to 5. It was one week with a five-hour schedule each day. "The findings indicate that important socialization and academic skill development occurred for the limited number of children who participated in the Kinder Camp pilot."
Findings from the report about the camp were:
• Children are more prepared for kindergarten because of Kinder Camp.
• Gains occurred in socio-emotional, literacy and math
The report, prepared by Phillips Wyatt Knowlton management and measurement resource group in Battle Creek, offers a status snapshot of the people reached and progress toward desired outcomes.
Seventy-four percent of participating parents and providers are people of color. Believe 2 Become's Baby Scholars program and the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative show no structured early learning opportunities exist for the majority of black and Hispanic families in low-income communities in the city.
“Many of our children enter kindergarten without previously attending a preschool,” said Joanne Kelty, director of Early Childhood for Grand Rapids schools, earlier this month when the Northwest hub was announced. “Early Learning Communities offers a quality early learning experience that strengthens children’s language and literacy skills as well as their social skills – all of which are critical to success as they begin school.”
More than 80 percent of kindergarteners entering Grand Rapids schools are not kindergarten ready, prompting multiple efforts.
The parent and provider Surveys provide evidence of the kindergarten readiness and early literacy knowledge and practices reported by ELC participants after three to six months of participation.
More than half of caregivers indicate knowledge of their role, school expectations, child readiness and preparation needs related to Kindergarten Readiness.ELC stakeholders made the following suggestions for improving the program: Spanish language materials and assessments, transportation and childcare for events, increased outreach and promotion, provide more materials/resources—address logistics, reduce group size and serve adult literacy.
More than half of caregivers report the having more knowledge than their peers about the ways they can support the development of a child’s early literacy skills.
More than three-quarters of caregivers indicate reading three or more times each week to children in their care.
More than half of caregivers report using practices that support the development of a child’s early literacy skills more frequently than their peers.
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