News media reports reflected the
importance of brain development in the
early years; educational research showed
long term social benefits with preschool
attendance; financial analysis studies
displayed economic and social savings; an
increase in both parents working caused
many to seek daytime care. (p. 124)
According to Rivalland (1999) literacy
experiences are said to begin from the day a child
is born. She contends that “all of us, whoever we
are, if we have anything to do with children or
make decisions or policies about children, are
responsible for making children literate” (p. 3).
Importance of Preschool
Stuber and Patrick (2010) conducted a threeyear study to determine the skills and assets
children bring with them to kindergarten and
what they learn while they are there. Stuber and
Partick’s preliminary results from the follow-up
studies showed that early learning practices in the
home and in the schools have long-term effects.
Stuber and Patrick also found that children who
entered kindergarten with a high level of skills
maintained that level of skills through third
grade. They found that one thing parents can do
that had the most significant impact on third
grade achievement was talk to their children
about what happened during the day. In
kindergarten, the authors found that the most
powerful activity the parents did was read to
their children daily. Stuber and Patrick listed the
top five activities that positively affected
kindergarten students’ scores:
Someone reads to the child at home.
The parent and child talk about what
happened during the day.
The child reads along with or reads to
others.
Someone takes the child to a museum,
library, learning center or activity
center, or zoo.
Someone teaches the child a sport or
takes the child to a sporting event.
Not only do teachers have an impact on students’
success in school, but the parents play just as big
of a role in making that happen.
According to Xu and Gulosino (2006), the
difference between a child simply attending an
early childhood program and not at ѕ