Pre-schoolers get a leg up on kindergarten

Four-year-olds sit in a semicircle at a table in Ruth Barreraz’s class at the Odessa YMCA Day Care Center. The teacher places colorful plastic fruits — lemons, limes, raspberries and bananas — on the table. The children lean forward in their seats.

The teacher explains their objective. “We’re going to identify the fruit, tell what color it is and count how many of each fruit,” she says.

Barreraz is a T3 teacher in the TSR (Texas School Ready) program. The program focuses on the skills needed to achieve success in kindergarten and beyond. Joe Pinner Branch Day Care, the west side branch of YMCA Day Care Centers, was recently certified as TSR.

The curriculum focuses on skills such as identifying shapes, colors, letters and numbers. Math and science are an important part of the curriculum. The lessons are age appropriate and taught in an engaging manner.

“Certification is not easy to get,” says Victoria Cruz, Curriculum Coordinator for the YMCA. “The program is evaluated three times a year, in May, September and December. Children are tested to make sure they are progressing, and teachers are held accountable.”

The program, administered by Region 18 Education Service Center, requires that teachers go through extensive training before they qualify as T1 — a level one TSR teacher. Training continues with teachers rising to higher levels with each year completed.

“The Odessa YMCA currently has six teachers in TSR in all stages of this process, first-, second- and third-year  teachers,” Cruz says. “The curriculum is structured, but the kids have fun with it. Kids can be kids while they’re learning.”

Part of the program has 4- and 5-year-olds reading to toddlers and 2-year-olds. The children keep journals from an early age.

“The journals let you see their progress through the year,” Cruz says.

The YMCA is the largest day care provider in the nation as well as in Ector County with approximately 500 children.
Hours are from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Night care, from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., is available only to parents who are either working or taking night classes.

“Seventy-five percent of our families are eligible to receive day
care with financial assistance, through federal or state financial aid or local programs such as West Texas Opportunities and the Donor Program,” says Day Care Director Michonne Sutton.

For more information, call the YMCA at (432) 362-5437.