Moving to kindergarten from pre-k is a big step for many kids, particularly given the learning loss many experience over the summer. Project Lift Off, a new program developed by Carin Neitzel at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of education and human development, aims to ensure that students retain the skills they learned in pre-k and are ready to transition to kindergarten.
“Project Lift Off is a pre-kindergarten curriculum with a summer camp feel,” Neitzel, assistant professor of early childhood education, said. “We partnered with the Downtown YMCA of Middle Tennessee’s Urban Services office to offer a program that combats summer learning loss, boosts language and literacy skills, promotes the importance and fun of reading, and supports a smooth transition to kindergarten.”
The camp, which took place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 30 through Aug. 12, included story sharing, theme-related group lessons, a variety of projects, child-centered playtime, fine arts, dance and music, health and nutrition activities, free swim lessons and field trips to the Nashville Zoo and the Adventure Science Center.
“I have rarely seen a program in my over 30 years at the YMCA that combines education and fun as well as this program,” J. Lawrence, executive director for urban services for the Middle Tennessee YMCA said. “The curriculum and lesson plans are innovative so that the children are learning a lot in an environment that is very non-traditional and illustrates that the YMCA is much more than just a fitness center. Our staff and members have embraced the program.”
Project Lift Off is one of the few summer programs of its kind in the nation. It was funded as part of the U.S. Department of Education’s $3.4 million Early Reading First grant awarded to Peabody and Metropolitan Nashville Metro Schools launched this year.
Sixty-four students who had participated in ERF-supported pre-kindergarten programs at Warner Elementary, Glen Enhanced Option Elementary, Glenview Elementary, Alex-Green Elementary and Cumberland Elementary took part in Project Lift Off, which was free of charge. Lunch was provided and children traveled to and from the camp on a YMCA bus.
The $3.4 million ERF grant supports the “Enhance Language and Literacy Success” project, which provides professional development, literacy coaches, classroom materials and other programmatic supports for pre-k teachers and their students. Classroom implementation in Nashville schools began in January 2009. Deborah Rowe, associate professor of early childhood education, and David Dickinson, professor of education, are the project’s co-leaders.
Neitzel and her colleagues plan to conduct follow-up research with the participating students both on the impact of their pre-k curriculum and of the camp on their transition to kindergarten and future academic success.
Media Contact: Melanie Moran, (615) 322-NEWS
melanie.moran@vanderbilt.edu