CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – The foundation for life-long learning is often laid in pre-school, but for people that young, learning has to be fun. That’s exactly where Preschool story time comes in. Let’s head to Chattanooga’s Downtown Public library for a page turning example of “What’s Right With Our Schools.”
“Preschool story time focuses on early literacy skills, pre-literacy skills, which is the foundation for learning how to read and write. So, children are learning sounds, phonetics, rhythm, rhyme, all of those aspects that build our language and help them learn to read and write better. They are gearing up to be ready for kindergarten. So there are many aspects of the program that we use to help prepare them for a kindergarten setting. So they sit on a carpet square during story time. They practice listening skills. There’s a lot of back and forth conversation, answering questions, sharing ideas, making connections to their personal lives and the world that they have experienced,” Erica Debin, Chattanooga Public Library Services Specialist, said.
“We want them to be set up for success for kindergarten. We want them to have those foundational skills, um, you know, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, um, in addition to some literacy skills as well. I was a former kindergarten teacher and so that’s really, really important to kind of have that foundation,” Lindsey Butcher, Downtown Public Library Services Specialist, said.
“We love the library. We come almost every week since he was about a year old. We love the story times. We love the crafts. And we love the books and the librarians,” Meghan Graybeal, Parent, Chattanooga resident, said.
“Just the learning to the love the books. They love the books. They love the art, the songs. They love everything. It kind of gets them ready for when school is about to begin. Oh, it does. Absolutely. It gives them They learn to sit to sit and listen to other grown-ups,” Becky Suttles, grandparent, Chattanooga resident, said.
Debin says, “Music is a very important part of the program because it is so tied to memory and movement also enhances memory as well. So we do a lot of music and moving and it helps them remember things better like the alphabet song. Everybody knows alphabet song because it’s set to music.”
“Well, he’s really um enjoyed learning how to follow directions and learning how to be part of a group. He also has loved the scavenger hunts and how they help him follow a series of directions. With that,” Graybeal said.
Debin continues, “We have a lot of regulars that don’t miss a week. We have people that drive from Georgia and 30, 45 minute drives just to come to this program because it is free and it is open to everybody in the community whether or not you have a library card.
“I want them to be confident in themselves and what they can do. I want them to love the library and to be excited about learning and to love books and just to grow their minds so that they are going to be wonderful, precious adults when they grow up,” Debin said.
