Ashley is the mom of two girls, and she’s a firm believer in the SPARK program. She credits SPARK with helping both her daughters grow, in ways she could not have prompted by herself. The girls are now better able to focus and learn, which will help them for years to come.
The family’s SPARK parent partner, Ms. Danielle, is skilled at helping Ashley’s younger daughter, Rosalie, stay on task. During a recent visit, Rosalie worked on writing and spelling her name. In typical four-year-old fashion, she insisted on drawing hearts around her letters. Ms. Danielle praised Rosalie’s artwork—and then gently coaxed her back to the task at hand.
SPARK parent partners always offer lots of ideas that help
families learn in creative ways. To practice learning shapes and sharpen fine
motor skills, Ms. Danielle suggested making lacing cards: cutting shapes from a
cereal box, punching holes around the edges, and feeding a shoelace through the
holes. The activity is fun, engaging, and effective.
Ashley especially loves that each month, the family receives
a brand new book, which mother and daughter read together, over and over.
Ashley is grateful that both daughters have developed the ability to ask for help. It’s an often-overlooked skill, but one that’s essential in school. During a SPARK lesson, if the child doesn’t know the answer, they’re encouraged to request assistance. The parent partner and parent then guide the child to the correct answer. Ashley’s older daughter is willing to speak up and get the help she needs to succeed in elementary school. Now Rosalie will be able to do the same once she starts kindergarten. It’s a skill that will serve them both well throughout their time in school, and also throughout their lives.