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Parents As Teachers
Parents As Teachers (PAT) is a nationwide program designed to increase parental knowledge of early childhood development, improve parenting practices, provide early detection of developmental delays and health issues, prevent child abuse and neglect, and increase children’s school readiness and school success.Twin Cedars Youth & Family Services, Inc. began its Parents As Teachers program in 2006, focusing strictly on pregnant and parenting teenagers. The program consists of two Parent Educators who conduct bi-weekly, in-home visits with the clients from pregnancy until the child turns 3 years old. The Parent Educators cover Troup, Meriwether and Heard Counties.
Research has shown that children involved with PAT are more advanced in language, social development, problem solving, and other cognitive abilities at age three. They also score higher on kindergarten readiness tests and on standardized tests given in the first through fourth grades. Parents involved with PAT have shown to have more confidence in their ability to parent and later become more involved with their children’s schools as opposed to parents not involved with PAT.
Why PAT?
- Research has shown that the early years are critical in a child’s development and lay the foundation for success in school and in life.
- Parents are the most influential people in their children’s lives; they are their child’s first teachers.
- To invest in our future, we need to give parents the education and support they need to promote their young children’s healthy development and prepare them for success in school and in life.
- Brain development that takes place before age 1 is rapid and extensive.
- The influence of the early environment on brain development is long lasting.
- There are developmental “windows of opportunity” when children are especially adept at learning specific skills.
- After these “windows of opportunity” close, progress can still take place, but it is much more difficult.
- Parent education helps the parent to understand what to expect during each stage of development and how to promote the best development in their child.
- Research shows that parental involvement in their child’s learning is linked to the development of the child’s academic skills, including reading and writing.
- At age 3, PAT children are more advanced in language, social development, problem solving and other cognitive abilities.
- PAT children scored higher on kindergarten readiness tests.
- PAT children scored higher on standardized reading, math, and language tests in first through fourth grades.
- PAT parents are more confident about their parenting and are more involved in their children’s schooling.