Pre-K program a key component to early learning

Did you know there is a program in our state that, according to research, for every $1 invested results in a return of about $10 for the state and community? It is the voluntary pre-kindergarten program for 4-year-olds.

Research shows ?increased earnings for participants in the program, as well as reduced costs to society for remedial education and crime.?

Warren County?s Pre-K Advisory Council is led by Warren County Schools director of instruction Bobby Cox. The council is made up of parents, teachers, daycare representatives, Head Start representatives, local business and government leaders, as well as school administrators.

Last year, the school system was awarded grant money, requested through the council, for two pre-K classes. The council requested money for two additional classes this year and received the grant. School system officials hope to be able to request funds from the state each year until every school has a pre-K program on site.

If you think the pre-K program is babysitting at the school, you are quite mistaken. Quality pre-K programs are literacy-based and teach children through hands-on learning activities. Language development is a key component of the instructional day. Children learn to use language to communicate in order to solve problems, as well as to express ideas through expanded vocabulary.

Gross motor activities, like walking on a balance beam, skipping, throwing, and catching, are used to promote physical development of large muscles. Fine motor activities, like working with puzzles, blocks, or beads, and using scissors and other tools, are used to promote physical development of the child?s small muscles.

Children in pre-K classes learn to make sense of written language through activities that include drawing and printing, gaining knowledge of the alphabet, and writing numbers and letters. They use manipulatives, such as blocks and beads, to study math concepts. And, during science activities, the children explore simple concepts of earth and space science, physical science, and life science.

Our pre-K teachers, Susan Grandey, Julia Dyer, Nina Smith, and Desiree Hobbs, work closely with the parents and families of their students. They meet and talk with them each morning and afternoon as the parents come into the room to sign their child in or out. They visit with parents in their homes and they organize and plan for family nights at the school.

If you check out the Web site, www.tennessee.gov/governor/prek, you will find information on the research, the basic principles of pre-K programs, what children do in pre-K classes, and a link for parents to sign up for e-mail updates, news and information.

Bonnie Collier is director of professional and community development for the Warren County School System.