Oregon-Howell Parents As Teachers Program
What is Parents As Teachers?
Parents As Teachers (PAT) is a nationwide program designed to provide children from prenatal to 5 years the best possible start in life.
Mission: To provide the information, support, and encouragement that parents need to help their children develop optimally during the crucial early years of life.
PAT offers personal visits, group connections, and free screenings.
About the Program
The Missouri Parents As Teachers was formed in 1981 with a vision that still holds true today – all children will develop, grow, and learn to their full potential. We believe that parents and caregivers are their earliest and BEST teachers.
What does Parents As Teachers provide for your family?
PAT is a voluntary, free program that provides practical, effective help for all Missouri families with children prenatal to kindergarten entry.
It offers:
• Personal Visits – a certified Parent Educator helps you understand each stage of your child’s development and offers practical tips on ways to encourage learning.
• Group Connections – PAT group connections provide times for parents to get together, to gain new insights and to share common experiences, concerns, and successes.
• Screenings – PAT offers a periodic screening of overall development, language, hearing, and vison.
• Referral Network – PAT helps link families with special services or outside agencies if needed.
Research has shown that parents who were involved in Parents As Teachers:
o Were significantly advanced over their peers in language, social development, problem-solving, and intellectual abilities.
o Scored significantly higher on standardized measures of reading and math achievement than comparison children.
Join Today
Oregon-Howell PAT is a free and fun program, designed to give parents an understanding of how young children grow and develop during the most important first years of life, where more is learned than any other time. Parents As Teachers can assist parents in being the BEST first teacher for their children.
You can contact us at: Valerie Pitts 417-867-5601 or vpitts@koshk12.org or you can fill out the Registration Form.