1. Parents as First Teachers
MEP tutor training

2. What the research says…..

3. A parents job
Before age six to help your child learn to make sense out of the world
Not to memorize material that has little meaning
Why? Why? Why?
Repetition

4. A parents job Sequencing Mental patterns Visual patterns-
Look at the tree with branches against the sky. Doesn’t it look as if it has arms? Maybe we could draw a picture?

5. Brain building homes Some factors to consider
Emotional and verbal responsiveness of the parent.
When a child vocalizes does the parent respond with kind, friendly words rather than gesturing or not responding?

6. Brain building homes Avoidance of restriction and punishment
Does the parent refrain from acting angry, shouting at, physically punishing, or needlessly restricting the child?

7. Brain building homes Organization of physical environment
Is the child’s world a safe place to be?
Do other adults come into the home regularly?
Does the parent and child get out of the house several times a week?

8. Brain Building homes Appropriate play materials
Are there toys that the child can manipulate and use to develop coordination, thinking skills, etc
Are there toys that require the child to be active rather than passive participant?

9. I Think I Can… I Think I Can…
“ I firmly believe children should be taught to not give up to easily. I see many little engines who didn’t make it to the top. Their gifts come in dull wrappings-unfulfilled promises, defeat- often with cards that say, If only you could try harder.” They droop with uncertaintly that they are inadequate and probably, even stupid. Yet they are often very bright children. Somehow they got derailed along the way.”- Jane M Healy. PH.D. “Your Childs Growing Mind”

10. I think I can! I think I can!
Children run on different developmental timetables. By age six, teachers expect up to two years’ difference in maturation among their students. Moreover, each child has a unique profile for strengths and weaknesses-physical, emotional, intellectual, and social. One of the hardest things for people to understand is that bright children are not necessarily on the fastest train…” Jane M Healy. PH.D. “Your Childs Growing Mind”

11. A problem that has no borders
Children ages 0-6 spend more time combined on entertainment media than on reading, being read to, and playing outside combined!
(American Psychological Society in 2003)

13. Play Learning
“Play provides children with the opportunity to maximize their attention spans, learn to get along with their peers, cultivate their creativity, work through their emotions and gain academic skills that are the foundation for later learning.”
Play=Learning How Play Motivates and Enhances Children’s Cognitive and Social-Emotional Growth

14. What makes a good parent?
You write the rules…

15. WHY? WHY? WHY?
Why is a parent better set up to be the child’s first teacher than anyone else? (Regardless of education, race, culture, and background…)

16. Alex and Leo

18. Who is best equipped to help our MEP preschoolers???