Children’s Home Network plants SEEDS of learning
By Philip Morgan – Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Some preschoolers aren’t ready to advance. They don’t know the basics: colors, shapes and numbers.
Tosha Johnson runs a program that helps them catch up. She’s director of the Children’s Home Network’s Supporting and Empowering Educational and Developmental Services (SEEDS) program, which helps kids from birth to third grade who are behind in reading, written communication and math to get on and stay on grade level. She says specialists who work with the children also help parents create an environment for learning in their homes.
“I would remind our parents that basically, they are the first teachers,” Johnson says. “I think some parents rely on the educational system to do that. You’re the first teacher, and creating that learning environment or space at home is critically important.”
Parents should use everything available to get young children school-ready, Johnson advises.
“We go as far as closed-captioning on a television,” she says. “That’s exposure to some of the letters and words. Helping to make the grocery list. Reading the back of a cereal box. Having that child immersed in learning at home first. On car rides, trips, we do educational games and encourage parents to do that.’’
Games such as I Spy, as in “I spy something green” can help teach them colors, she says.
“Introducing them to names and letters even with a grocery store,” Johnson says. “‘Okay, that’s Publix. What’s the first letter?’ Incorporating learning into every aspect of their daily living is what I recommend.”
