Building social skills before kindergarten is important for future achievement and ParentCorps helps Pre-K families encourage positive behavior and learn how to give their children social support. A small study suggests that when children in low income families receive extra help in building social skills before entering school, they may behave better and receive higher grades.
The focus of the study was low income minority children in 10 public schools in high poverty areas of New York City. Half the schools participated in ParentCorps, which teaches kids skills such as sharing and expressing their feelings. ParentCorps also works with parent by coaching them on encouraging positive behavior.
The children at schools with ParentCorps programs were half as likely to have mental health problems by second grade than their peers at schools without the programs. They also had higher academic performance reported by their teachers, according to lead study author Laurie Miller Brotman of New York University Langone Medical Center.
“This suggests that ParentCorps delivered as an enhancement to pre-k programs serving primarily low-income children of color has the potential to improve population health and reduce disparities,” said Brotman.
Recent Comments