Isla Vista Youth Projects – Pre-K Institute Stories
2009-10 Year End Report
Edith is a pre-kindergartner with disruptive behavior. During the school
year and for one month during the summer Edith, her family and teachers
participated in the CATCH program through the Santa Barbara County
Education Office. The goal of the program is to help children learn to
manage their behavior and to assist parents and schools in following
consistent routines and procedures.
Edith's parents and teachers thought it
would benefit Edith to attend the Summer Pre-Kindergarten Institute to
assist her transition to kindergarten and maintain consistent routines.
Her parents were concerned that without continued participation in
preschool programming, her behavior would regress and her transition to
kindergarten would be more difficult.
Edith enrolled in the Summer Pre-Kindergarten Institute where she
continued to progress in peer interactions and social skills. Because
she was familiar with the program, it allowed staff to focus particular
attention on social interactions as well as to gently help Edith get
used to the idea she would soon go to a new school. Edith was
apprehensive about kindergarten, but began to enjoy playing on the
kindergarten playground. The teachers helped her see that many things in
the kindergarten classroom were just like her preschool classroom.
Edith successfully started kindergarten the week after the
Pre-Kindergarten Summer Institute ended. She transitioned smoothly into
kindergarten as she was familiar with the new classroom, playground and
teacher. Her parents were pleased that she received additional preschool
experience to help her learn to manage her behavior.
George lives with his younger sister and parents in Isla Vista. He
attended full day preschool briefly during the school year, but lost
eligibility when his mom was temporarily laid off from her job. George
was able to attend the Pre-Kindergarten Institute during the summer,
where he was able to gain social skills, increase competency in literacy
and math as well as familiarize himself with his new kindergarten class
and playground. He eagerly started school at the end of August with many of
the same children he attended Pre-K camp with, and his mom was able to
return to her job at a restaurant in Isla Vista.
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