Jacky Schwartz, a prekindergarten teacher in District 348, Mt. Carmel, Illinois, describes her school's early childhood program, which teaches children how to make wise choices and to feel good about themselves. Excerpted from the video series Schools That Work: The Research Advantage, videoconference #6, Preparing Students for Drug-Free Lifestyles (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, 1992).
"Our program meets the needs of the children totally. We look at the child from physically, emotionally, cognitively, all of their developmental ages and levels, and their parents. Their parents are an important part of the program. From the beginning of this new school year, we start out with self concept and I am special and things that I can do, and we build on what their family can do as a whole unit. The children are asked to make choices, choices that they critically have to think about in terms of their health, their safety, their well-being."
This Critical Issue was researched and written by Richard Brooks, Director, Health Promotion Project, University of Wisconsin at Madison.
Date posted: 1996