COLUMBUS — Parents across central Ohio are being invited to refine the way they prepare kids for school and families are receiving free resources to help.
“Last year my first child came to kindergarten here. When they did the kindergarten assessment I left very devastated,” said parent Amara Thompson. Now she works with her youngest daughter to read more and shift her kindergarten preparation strategies and she’s getting help from Columbus City Schools.
“They gave me the tools to succeed with her,” said Thompson. "They gave us flashcards and had a packet of letters you cut out and would glue them and make flashcards out of them."
The free games were given to pre-kindergarten students to promote literacy learning at home. Pre-K teacher Margaret Allen said she can see the difference in the classroom between kids who are exposed to many books at home and children who are not.
“You can tell the students who come in with letter recognition and know how to write and spell their name,” said Allen.
In addition to a free bag of resources including books, flash-cards and 3-D letters, Columbus City Schools has been hosting several literacy meetings. Parent Community Engagement Coordinator Lisa German said the sessions are open to parents from all central Ohio school districts because they want to equip all kids with ideas and games that boost literacy.
“One example we give includes a method parents can try with household items,” said Allen. “You can get a tub, pour in some sand and hold up a card with the letter 'A'. They can use their hand and trace the letter 'A' in the sand and see what it looks like and what it feels like to make that number."
Some parents who have tried the literacy games said they notice a change in their child.
"The kids are at home more than they're at school,” said a mother named Paige. “Teachers only have a certain amount of hours. They have so much stuff they're trying to cram into these little brains. It's not going to work if the ball drops when the school bell rings."
Columbus School leaders said they close out the meeting with one request for parents.
"Read with their child. 10, 15 minutes a day and more if time allows," said German.
The next early education meeting will be held at Parsons Elementary School Thursday from 6 p.m.-7p.m. To eliminate barriers for busy parents the school will provide childcare during the meeting.
To learn more: www.ccs.oh.us