Our mission is to empower, support, and encourage parents as their child's first and most influential teacher, in order that their children may have the optimal opportunity to succeed in school and in life.

Birth to Kindergarten Parent Education Program
Fair Garden Family Community Center
400 Fern Street
Knoxville, TN  37914
Phone: 865-594-1159

Susan Barrentine, Program Coordinator
Email: susan.barrentine@knoxschools.org

Birth to Kindergarten offers parents a choice between two nationally recognized and research based parent education programs,    Parents As Teachers and READY! for Kindergarten.

Both programs are designed to provide information, education, activities, materials and encouragement to families from pregnancy until their child enters Kindergarten. 

By understanding what to expect during each stage of a child’s development, parents can easily capture the teachable moments in everyday life to enhance their child’s language (pre-literacy), intellectual (pre-math), motor, and social development.

Individual Classes
Through the individual classes, you will partner with a trained parent educator focused on your child's healthy growth and development. Your educator will use and personalize the Parents As Teachers curriculum to fit with your family's needs, concerns and hopes. Together you will discuss goals for you as a parent and for your child. During your class, you will focus on parent-child activities, developmental topics and Kindergarten readiness skills. The targets, materials, activities and most tools used in the individual classes are yours to keep at home and enjoy with your child.
Classes are held monthly for about an hour in the convenience of your home.

Qualifications for Individual Classes: Families with children prenatally to 23 months of age who live in Knox County and are <225% of the Federal Poverty guidelines.
Call: 865- 594-1159 to Enroll Today!

Group Classes
READY! for Kindergarten classes encourage you to talk, sing, read and play with your child in simple ways that foster essential pre-literacy, pre-math and social-emotional skills. Age-appropriate activities are designed to start at birth and continue through age five.  Parents and caregivers choose activities from READY! classes to enjoy at home based on their child's personality, abilities and interests, and their family's values and culture. 
Classes are held three times per year (Fall, Winter and Spring) and parents choose from one of five classes depending on their child's age. Each class is a 60-minute interactive lesson led by a trained instructor. The targets, materials, activities and tools used in class are yours to take home and enjoy with your child.

Qualifications for Group Classes: Families with children age birth to 5 who live in Knox County and live in a Title One school zone.

Please Call 865-594-1159 to Enroll in Individual or Group Classes!

                             

 

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Want to Have More Fun Reading with Your Child?  
Use Reading Activity Sheets with your free Imagination Library books.

It's as easy as C.A.R.!

C - Comment and Wait   A - Ask Questions and Wait R - Respond by Adding More

The Reading Activity Sheets below show you how to use C.A.R. with the free Imagination Library books.  Just select a book, review the Reading Activity Sheet, and start having fun reading with your child!

So click on a book cover, print a Reading Activity Sheet, pick up an Imagination Library book, put your child on your lap, and start reading!

Books From Birth of Middle Tennessee launched this Family Literacy Program with Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt and United Way of Metropolitan Nashville. C.A.R was developed by Washington Learning Systems as a simple way to have a conversation with your child about a book. Research shows that using this method expands the child's language skills, and also teaches an appropriate way to have a conversation.

Click here to see all the Imagination Library Reading Activity Sheets