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Allison Parker walks in the front door and immediately, 2-year-old Kylie runs up to greet her.
“She doesn’t talk, at least to me,” Parker said of the little girl. “But I know she is excited when I come. I think she enjoys our visits every few weeks.”
Parker is a 22-year parent educator veteran of the Parents As Teachers program in the Blue Springs School District. She said when she started in the program, she had no idea what kind of lasting impact it would have on her.
“Another parent educator that I knew told me about it, and I thought it would be fantastic to be a part of the program,” she said. “We are helping parents become the best teachers for their children. There are short- and long-term benefits to something like that.”
The beginning
Parents As Teachers officially began in 1984 after the Missouri Legislature passed legislation mandating the program in all Missouri public school districts. This came after a three-year pilot program in Missouri that included four school districts – Independence, Farmington, Ferguson-Florrisant and Francis Howell. The concept was simple – focusing on a child’s development from birth to 5 years old and teaching parents to be their child’s first and best teacher.
The program is now in all 50 states and six foreign countries.
“We know that parents are their child’s best teachers, so through Parents As Teachers, we give parents the tools they need to help their child learn,” said Patti Simcosky, director of early childhood education for the Independence School District. “It is also a families’ first connection to the school district, so we want to make sure this experience is positive and that everyone is learning in the process.”
Sherrill Callahan remembers what those early years were like. The only parent educator in Independence who started in 1984, she said she came into the program after being invited to a legislative breakfast hosted by the school district.
“I liked the philosophy, and it seemed to fit everything I believed in as far as parents and families learning together,” she said. “The demographics have certainly changed since I started, but the goals are the same.”
Through Parents As Teachers, families receive personal visits with a parent educator in which age-appropriate activities and information is shared as well as parenting tips and developmental milestones for parents to look out for. In addition, there are parent group meetings, development and health screenings as well as a resource network that links families to other community services.
Allison Parker walks in the front door and immediately, 2-year-old Kylie runs up to greet her.
“She doesn’t talk, at least to me,” Parker said of the little girl. “But I know she is excited when I come. I think she enjoys our visits every few weeks.”
Parker is a 22-year parent educator veteran of the Parents As Teachers program in the Blue Springs School District. She said when she started in the program, she had no idea what kind of lasting impact it would have on her.
“Another parent educator that I knew told me about it, and I thought it would be fantastic to be a part of the program,” she said. “We are helping parents become the best teachers for their children. There are short- and long-term benefits to something like that.”
The beginning
Parents As Teachers officially began in 1984 after the Missouri Legislature passed legislation mandating the program in all Missouri public school districts. This came after a three-year pilot program in Missouri that included four school districts – Independence, Farmington, Ferguson-Florrisant and Francis Howell. The concept was simple – focusing on a child’s development from birth to 5 years old and teaching parents to be their child’s first and best teacher.
The program is now in all 50 states and six foreign countries.
“We know that parents are their child’s best teachers, so through Parents As Teachers, we give parents the tools they need to help their child learn,” said Patti Simcosky, director of early childhood education for the Independence School District. “It is also a families’ first connection to the school district, so we want to make sure this experience is positive and that everyone is learning in the process.”
Sherrill Callahan remembers what those early years were like. The only parent educator in Independence who started in 1984, she said she came into the program after being invited to a legislative breakfast hosted by the school district.
“I liked the philosophy, and it seemed to fit everything I believed in as far as parents and families learning together,” she said. “The demographics have certainly changed since I started, but the goals are the same.”
Through Parents As Teachers, families receive personal visits with a parent educator in which age-appropriate activities and information is shared as well as parenting tips and developmental milestones for parents to look out for. In addition, there are parent group meetings, development and health screenings as well as a resource network that links families to other community services.
“I think what we have noticed over the years is how the program has evolved to having a more holistic approach to children,” Simcosky said. “It all starts at the beginning with that connection we have to the families. More and more families are needing help with other resources apart from child development. The world is changing, and I think Parents As Teachers is changing with it.”
The role of a parent educator
Sitting on the couch, Parker pulls a puzzle from her large, canvas bag.
“Do you like puzzles Kylie?” she asks the young girl, who is still not talking to her.
With a nod of Kylie’s head, Parker begins to lay the puzzle pieces out in front of Kylie, and then asks if she knows where the bus-shaped piece goes.
Kylie looks at the piece for a few seconds and tries one spot.
“No, not quite right. Let’s try again,” Parker said.
So Kylie looks at the piece again and after another couple of seconds, finds the right spot. A smile spreads across her face.
“This helps to teach kids about looking how to match pieces and distinguish colors to find the right spot for the puzzle piece,” Parker said. “She is seeing the shapes, so that is very good.”
During these parent visits, which depending on the age of a child can happen as often as every other month during the school year, parent educators use activities geared toward the child’s age to determine their skill and development level. Information is also provided to parents on what areas of motor, language or social development to work on with their child.
“It helps me to see where she is at and if what she is doing is age-appropriate,” said Angela Pope, Kylie’s mother. “I have three older children, who were all in this program, and I really feel like it has helped with their development. It helps me to become a better parent.”
The Greatest Benefit
Becky Rudd, a parent educator for 10 years in Independence, said the greatest benefit to the Parents As Teachers program is the realistic expectations it gives parents.
“I believe it helps parents to know realistically where their child should be at a specific age,” she said. “This is a great program for parents that provides so many opportunities.”
A former kindergarten teacher, Rudd said she became a parent educator because she saw so many kindergarten students not prepared to enter school. Another benefit of Parents As Teachers – helping children be as prepared as they can be for preschool or kindergarten.
“I think my favorite part of this job is seeing a child’s face when they learn a new skill and how the parents react to being a part of that experience,” she said. “This program started about child development, and that is still our main focus. I think Parents As Teachers is so important makes it helps kids get on the right track for when they are in school.”
The biggest change since it started 25 years ago – dealing with other family issues not related to raising children.
“Families are faced with so much more now than they were 25 years ago,” Rudd said. “We have learned to be good listeners with families because it does affect the children. Areas like finances and stress. It really is serving the whole family now, but I think that is why Parents As Teachers has been around for so long. It is about the family as a whole.”
Callahan said she could not be happier about her decision to became a parent educator 25 years ago. She said serving the children and families is something she continues to do.
“Parents are the first and important teachers for their children, and I don’t think that will ever change,” she said. “I like the people and I like that family connection. I can’t think of anything I would rather be doing.”
For more information on Parents As Teachers, visit the Web site at www.parentsasteachers.org.
