JACKSON PAT PROGRAM COVERS 400 FAMILIES

Brayden Martin, almost lost in the child-sized couch, enthusiastically shares his book at Parents As Teachers room in Jackson middle school.

Danna Lape is a Parents as Teachers parent educator.

Jackson's Parents as Teachers program, started 17 years ago with one parent educator, today has grown to cover more than 400 families and has four parent educators, Carolyn Beasley, Kathy Heise, Danna Lape and the newest, Keely Martin.

Parents as Teachers, an early childhood program, is a free, voluntary program offered children from the prenatal stage through age 5. It provides parents with information and support to give their children the best possible start in life.

The group is based on the philosophy that parents are their children's first and most influential teachers.

The program includes personal visits by professionally trained child development specialists, free developmental screening, group meetings on a wide variety of rearing topics and help finding resources.

The goal is to help parents learn new ways to foster their children's language, intellectual growth, curiosity and social skills.

PAT has received numerous accolades nationally for its successful and effective approach.

The success of the program, which started in Missouri in 1981, has enabled it to spread to 2,568 programs in 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as seven foreign countries.

Independent studies of the program have revealed that participating children showed significant advancement over their peers in language, social development and problem-solving skills.

Parents involved in the program are also more likely to be involved in their children's education in later years.

"Children don't come with a set of instructions" said Lape. Regardless of education or income level, most parents find issues like discipline, sleep patterns and communicating with their children somewhat bewildering.

The program offers alternatives, brainstorm solutions and helps parents detect potential developmental problems in those crucial early years.

PAT in Jackson is funded by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and Jackson School District.

To learn more about the PAT program or how to enroll, call 243-9540.