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10 April 2009

pre-kindergarten program - Teaching the basics

Programs aim to give pre-K pupils even start School: Preparation starts at home
Children who start kindergarten unable to recite their ABCs, identify shapes or even spell their names likely will remain behind academically throughout their school career, according to research. One reason many children in Mississippi start out unprepared is a lack of access to a state-funded pre-kindergarten program. Brain research says a lot of growth happens before children are 5 years old, says Laurie Smith, an expert in early childhood education. By third grade, if children haven't caught up, they are likely to have those problems for the rest of their lives, she said. Mississippi is one of 12 states with no state-funded pre-kindergarten program. Instead, there are several community-level programs scattered around the state aimed at giving students a foundation for their education. The programs, however, cannot reach all the children in need of the basics. Mississippi Building Blocks, a privately funded pilot program, is a new addition to the list of early childhood initiatives. Another, older program is the Okolona-based BabySteps Inc. Research shows many children who grow up in poverty know far fewer words than their peers by the time they enter kindergarten, said Smith, executive director of Jackson-based Mississippi Building Blocks. Within three years, Mississippi Building Blocks workers hope to reach 300 classrooms and 3,500 children. The childcare centers will be preselected and will receive individualized help from mentors, starting in the fall.

Source :www.clarionledger.com/article/20090410/NEWS/904100356/1001

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