Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 22, 1995 TAG: 9502220052
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-14 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: SCOTT BUCKO CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: RINER LENGTH: Medium
A child's education is rooted in this basic relationship and Riner Elementary School is seeking to further and better it with the aid of a literacy program through the Virginia Education Association.
The 300-pupil, K-5 school applied for a $1,000 grant for "Project Jumpstart," and received the award earlier this year.
The program is designed to prepare preschoolers and kindergartners for learning how to read as they move on in their schooling. Parents and their children meet in workshop format to discuss how to prepare their children and promote reading in the home.
Heading up the program are the three kindergarten teachers, Melissa Kile, Ann Mumaw and Treva Kent, along with several parents and Virginia Tech students.
Parental involvement is a key component to Jumpstart. Parents are the initiators, the examples. The workshops provide a chance for parents to exchange ideas.
At a workshop a few weeks ago, "parents got together in different discussion groups and talked about things that they have done and have found to be successful with helping their children with literacy," said Kent who earned her master's degree from Radford University.
Ray Gross, father of 5-year-old Jeffrey, says his son began reading Dr. Seuss books but is now more into the story books which have chapters.
"It's great!" Gross says of Jumpstart. He thinks it's "important to get [children] interested now," in reading, making it easier later on in a child's schooling.
Dennis Moses, father of Angela, likes the idea of the workshops because the kids get a chance to meet each other.
There have been three workshops to date and all have had large, enthusiastic turnouts of both parents and children.
A recent workshop had about 70 parents and kids.
Kent stood in front of the parent/child audience reading a story, as the children chimed in the memorable lines.
Later on, parents and their children worked on a hands-on project which entailed cutting pictures and words from magazines.
"Print is important," Mumaw said, adding that what children observe in their surroundings is influential. The purpose of the exercise was to have kids recognize common objects and words in their environment.
When asked what makes a preschooler ready for kindergarten Mumaw explained, "When they come to school and they have a good handle on their environment and what's around them and know that print is important ... it makes a good, inquisitive mind going into kindergarten."
The highlight of the workshop was when three Radford University baseball players came to read informally to the kids.
There will be three more workshops for Riner parents and their children: Feb. 27, March 6 and 13. The workshops will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the school.
by CNB