PARENTS AS TEACHERS
Pacific Islanders Working Hand-In-Hand

By Patricia von Oelhoffen and Evelyn Joseph

In the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), parents are highly receptive when educators from Parents as Teachers (PAT) come to call. One parent educator, after sharing with a client family the importance of early language development, was surprised to learn how far the message had carried. Later that week, the educator was approached by a young man from another family and neighborhood. He remarked, “I take care of my little sister, and I heard about how important it is to use good language around children. Now I am very careful how I talk to her.” This incident not only shows how well the extended family support system still functions in RMI, but also demonstrates the extent of community involvement in PAT.

PAT is an early childhood parent education and family support program designed to help all parents give their children the best possible start in life. Although PAT was originally developed for families in the continental U.S., local PAT educators worked with PREL staff to adapt methods and materials. The result is a unique and successful local program that provides Pacific educators with specialized training in child development beginning with prenatal care and continuing to age three. Majuro staff includes Ms. Evelyn Joseph, who is responsible for PAT coordination, planning, training, and initial visits, and Ms. Louise Johnson and Ms. Hillia Valdeconza, who are certified full-time Head Start teachers, but who also work part-time as PAT parent educators.

During personal home visits, PAT educators provide parents with practical tips on how to encourage learning, manage challenging behavior, and promote strong parent-child relationships. Siblings (who often care for the younger children), extended family members, friends, and neighbors are welcome to sit in, listen, and contribute. Often they are the ones who notice things about children that busy parents might otherwise overlook.

Families taking part in the program say they have become more focused on their children’s strengths and potential, rather than on shortcomings. These parents feel that their knowledge of child development and parenting skills has significantly increased as a direct result of the home visits.

Through the PAT program, mothers learn what to look for as their children grow and develop (see table). Mothers are quick to pick up on child-rearing tips and are especially interested in how they can shape a child’s environment at different developmental stages to support the child’s social-emotional and cognitive growth. With parents who have learned how to act as teachers, children can develop in early childhood the developmental skills that lead to future academic success.