The Parent is the First Teacher

 Written by Mali Davis

  For the first 9 months of life mom's job is to nurture, feed, protect and make sure the child in her womb is growing healthy and protected. That job as a parent never really stops. As parents it's our job to give our children what they need to be physically, spiritually,  emotionally, and mentally happy in this changing world. We are their first teacher. They imitate us until they learn to develop their own personal identity. 

In my article Agendas Against Children I touched on School to Prison Pipeline and why literacy is important before a child is in third grade.

"The new pipeline to prison is if a child is not able to read by third grade.  It has been shown that children who aren't reading at grade level have a low self confidence,  will struggle more with learning in all subjects and will eventually drop out of school. I need to digress for a minute here and say that as parents you are the first teachers. Teachers and parents need to work as partners to help the child get to where they need to be. For a young child books should be ample in your home. They need to be read to to help increase their vocabulary and comprehension.  Here are  literacy rates for each U.S. state. Read to your babies. 

Here are more articles if you are interested in learning more about this issue.

History of the Prison Pipeline

Michigan Releases Report Identifying School to Prison Pipeline

The Relationship Between Incarceration and Low Literacy

Now to continue."

Let's talk a little about the Executive Function of the brain and why literacy is important to a child between the ages of 0 to 9.  They teach us as teachers the most important ages for a child is 0-5. I think it's 0 to 9.  Children develop differently. They don't all develop at the same rate. One child may be ready to physically read at 3 and another not until they are 7.

Reading to your child is still important. When a child is ready to read words let them read according to their interest. If it's the comics, a comic book, a book about sports. It's still literacy and it's their interest. For younger children I like picture books with no words or very little words like, Good News, Bad News. It let's your child describe what is happening in the pictures. Most may say this is not reading but it is.  The pictures are telling a story and they are describing what they see.

What is literacy? Literacy is the exploration of words. When we as parents read to our children it helps to increase their vocabulary and comprehension of words. 

The Executive Function of the brain is the development of the prefrontal cortex, a.k.a the front part of the brain. This part of the brain deals with working memory and inhibitory control. It helps with working memory, self-control, and mental flexibility.

This part of the brain starts to develop while we are babies and helps in play. Show a baby an object and then hide it. Even though they can't see it they know it's still there.

During socializing, babies learn through gestures and expressions you may use. This is how they learn to communicate.  By imitating you.

The Executive Function of a child works as:

The child can clean their room.

The child remembers chores that need to be done and does them. 

Reading and applying what you learned.

Finishing a project. 

Working in a group.

Waiting in line for your turn.

Working undistracted

Solving problems

Getting along with others even when they are upset.

Cooking.

Children use this function by talking with friends to solve problems. They can manage their time properly, keep School work organized.

As they get older they can organize plans with friends and follow through on those plans.

Parents can help their child by:

Engaging in creative thinking, painting with your child and talking about what they are creating.

Developing routines. These have to be done daily.  Anything done for 21 days straight is considered a routine.

Take them on errands and talk about what your going to do when you get there. Give them a list of things to look for as you shop.

Teach them to talk through their emotions when they become upset.

Focus on the good behavior.

Give babies age appropriate toys.

Talking to your child. I understand as a parent we have those moments when we are being touched on our last nerve.  This is where you show by example how to talk through your emotions.

Sourcekid

I touched on Executive Function so that one can understand that a child's brain is still being developed. It doesn't stop when the soft spot in the crown of the head is fully covered.

 According to research, " Keep in mind that the human brain takes around 25 years to fully develop. So, even at 18 years, or what we consider “adulthood”, the brain continues to develop… with the most notable developments happening in the frontal lobe, which is responsible for executive functions!"

The Childhood Collective

As parents we are the first teachers to our children. So, pour into them what you need them to have to grow into the adult you want others to experience as they journey through life.   Work along with their teachers. This is a partnership.