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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1983-06-15, Page 18leisure, features a Serving over 25,000 homes in Listowel, Wingham, Mount Forest, Milvetton, Elmira, Palmerston, Harriston, Brussels, Atwood, Monkton, Millbank, Newton, Clifford, Wallenstein, Drayton, Moorefield and Arthur. Wednesday, June 15, 1983 Pre kindergarten gives children an edge for accepting school by Kira Dodson When anyone starts recalling childhood experiences, most of us can well remember our first day at school, whether we were frightened, didn't want to leave mom, were one of those brave souls who shunned a parent's hand to go it alone. Whatever the memory, beginning school is one of the first major steps one takes in life. All of a sudden a youngster is in a room full of strangers with one adult trying to make everyone feel at home in this new en- vironment. Bells go off at strange hours, one isn't allowed to talk anymore without per- mission, and is expected to obey a strange adult — the relative freedom one had at home is suddenly gone. Several youngsters in the Kitchener - Waterloo area however, are getting the edge on Kindergarten regimen, thanks to high school students in the family studies course at Kitchener Collegiate Institute ( KCI) . A Grade 13 program, now in its sixth year, it was designed by staff at KCI including family studies instructor Helenmaria Ruge. The program required ministry of education approval. Three afternoons a week for eight weeks 20 high school students meet with 20 pre - Kindergarten children to help each other out. The young pupils get a one-on-one rela- tionship with someone who helps iron out any difficulties they may have accepting school and the senior students put into practice what they have learned in first semester about child development and see it in reality. The students meet at King Edward Public School on King St., but the young pupils come from anywhere in Kitchener -Water- loo. The program is so popular that there is a waiting list of youngsters, says Carol Rhodenizer, Kindergarten teacher at King Edward. "It's a super program," she says. "A child can walk into Kindergarten the first day and say 'Hi, glad I'm here, I belong'. There isn't the big adjustment." The adjustments come during the eight- week program with KCI students. Although some four and five year olds are ready to jump right in, others hold back and it is up to their big friends to encourage them to let go and join the group, to be part of the Kinder- garten class. KCI students sometimes see their special little friends change in the eight weeks — from shy outsiders to secure students. Each Grade 13 student is required to make'a daily lesson plan tailored to the assigned friend, and one which involves big muscles, little muscles and quiet time. The students also must keep a journal which is handed in at the end of the program, and at least once take over for group activities and provide a nutritious snack. Not only are the young pupils learning in this program. Some of the Grade 13 students have changed career plans because of their experiences. Some have switched into child care while others decided to get out of that particular field. Also, according to Mrs. Rhodenizer, "They are finding out they don't want to be a parent right away!" KCI instructor Mrs;: Ruge comments that for years it has been suggested that day care centres should be in high schools. "Some of these students ( involved in the pre -Kinder- garten program) have never had any con- tact with children." Mrs. Ruge also comments on the lack of parenting education - "Society just doesn't think children are important, yet they are the next generation." An interest in a career in child care is not the only motivation students have for join- ing the program. One year a male student had plans to become a minister and he felt the experience with children would help. Another student had plans to become a dentist and needed some exposure to chil- dren. Although their numbers are not great, boys are welcome in the program. "They are going to be fathers one day," says Mrs. Ruge. "But child care doesn't attract many men. I think because it doesn't pay much." Jim Donald, 20, was involved in the most recent program and child care does enter into his career plans but he hopes to specialize with handicapped `children. He's been involved in a local parks program called Fit Fun for handicapped children. During the eight weeks he worked with his little friend Kevin, Jim says the two became closer. "Many can't imagine how attached they, will become," says Mrs. Rhodenizer. "There are a lot of tears on the last day." Trish Morgan, 19, has had her career plans to teach Kindergarten and Grade 1 confirmed. "I definitely found out this is what I want to do for sure." Trish and Lincoln Goudreau, 4, have gotten along fine for the eight weeks. "He had no problems," laughs Trish, "He just wanted to play." Susanne Meinecke, 19, says the exper- ience has confirmed her decision to go into 'child care. She has already been accepted by Conestoga College. The Kindergarten room is filled with activities — a sand box, a water box, a tool table including a stump for hammering nails, books, slides, a kitchen, paints and even stuffed animals. "Some parents think they are just play- ing," comments Mrs. Ruge. "Play is a child's work and some of them really work hard. They are tired by the end of the after- noon. They are learning when they do every- thing here." Mrs. Ruge adds that parents shouldn't be concerned that their child learns numbers and colors before school particularly since many simply rhyme the numbers — they don't understand what the numbers mean anyway. "The most important thing you can do for your child before school is to read to him." The co-op pre -Kindergarten program offered to Grade 13 students at KCI is prob- ably one of its kind, says Mrs. Ruge. A semester system is necessary to arrange the scheduling. Although there is a waitiirig list of young pupils and the senior studts all wish the program were longer than eight weeks, KCI is just filling its quota of 20 students for the program. That's because it is a Grade 13 course and some students may have no room for it on their schedule, it involves extra time includ- ing a spare period and many senior students have jobs. It is definitely a program in which every- pne benefits — the young student just enter- ing public education and the senior student at the other end of the scale, just leaving the system. In fact, one wonders that similar programs are not operating in other schools or communities. GROUP ACTIVITIES give the pre -kindergarten class a chance to do something in a group without the one-on-one they have been getting from their big friend. Jennifer, Wahl takes her turn leading the group, something each of the senior students must do at least once. PRE -KINDERGARTEN classes are a benefit for both Trish Morgan, 19 and Lincoln Goudreau, 4. Trish, a KCI student has discovered she really wants a career in child care and Lincoln will know in September what to expect when he enrolls in kindergarten. Stratford's Optimism Place offers battered wives a place to go MURIEL STEELE, co-ordinator of the home chats with a representative of the transition home in Woodstock. PEOPLE TOUR THE HOME, which was furnished by dona- tions from service clubs. church groups and individuals. Wife abuse is no laughing matter. Each year hundreds of women are abused both physically and psychologically by the men they live with. Until last month many of the victims in Perth County had nowhere to turn for help. Then, on May 9, Optimism Place in Stratford opened its doors. It's a transition home for battered women and their children and already two families have sought refuge there. SOME FiND ABUSE FUNNY In May the statistics about wife battering were made public when the Standing Committee on Health, Welfare and Social Affairs tabled a report in the House of Commons. When it was re 'eared that one in every 10 women in Canada is beaten by her husband or live-in partner, MP's laughed. Some turned to each other and joked, "Do you beat your wife?" The report told the agonizing stories of women with no place to run when they face a shotgun barrel, women who get little help from police who often ignore domestic violence, women who turn up at hospitals telling bizarre stories about falls or ac- cidents when it is clear they have been beaten, women who face day after day of unrelieved hell for the sake of their children. It was two days before an apology was forthcoming from members of parliament. The problem of wik beating affects nearly everyone. With one of every 10 women being abused, everyone probably knows someone affected by the overwhelming problem. It crosses all educational and financial bor- ders. A police officer or university graduate is as likely to beat his partner as a factory worker or high school drop-out. Alcohol is a factor in less than one-third of reported abuse cases. Only three per cent of battering husbands suffer any organic brain damage or mental illness. Many women caught in abusive situations literally have nowhere to go. For most husbands violence is just an occasional thing. The rest of the time he is a loving husband. and the woman who stays really by Lynn Pinnegar wants her marriage to work. Some husbands threaten to kill the woman if she leaves, or even tells anyone what is hap- pening at home. Other women are forced to remain in abusive situations for economic security; leaving means a choice between a financially secure home for their children and welfare. PERTH COUNTY TAKES ACTION Long before the statistics were made known in the House of Commons in May, a group of concerned men and women in Perth County decided to do explore the problem of wife abuse. Over a year ago 12 people, representatives of the Mental Health Association, the police, Big Sisters and Brothers, and just con- cerned citizens began meeting to discuss the problems of wife abuse. In June, 1982, they compiled a survey which they sent to police, doctors, lawyers and social service agencies, asking how many cases of wife beating they had seen 12 months previously and how many women they had referred to a transition home. The survey revealed that wife abuse in Perth County mirrors the national average. One-third of the women involved in 516 cases of abuse said they would have sought shelter if a transition home was available in the county. That was all the incentive the group needed. The result is Optimism Place. Last December the Stratford Optimist Club bought a $42,300 home in Stratford and gave it to the Board of the Transition Home for Battered Women for 81 a year. The board called in a "God -send" and an "early Christmas present.•. Optimist President Wayne Lindner said the club had seen the need for the shelter and thought it was a good project. "i can't say why it took a male group to do it," he said. "Somebody had to grab the bull by the horns." Gary Turner, who headed the committee which bought the house, echoed the sen- timents of many in Perth County when he said, "None of us realized this (wife - beating) was happening. It's a scarey situation." People in Perth County rallied behind the transition home, fittingly named Optimism Place because of the help from the Optimists and, like Publicity Chairman Anne McDonnell of Milverton noted, "It reflects what we're trying to do here." High school students volunteered their time to help paint and fix up the large Victorian -style house. Service clubs, church groups and individuals donated money and household items to furnish the home, Perth County Council gave a $3,000 start-up grant and received a per diem grant of 819 from the City of Stratford. Staff was hired on a federal grant of $42,300, an open house was held on May 4 and Optimism Place opened the next Monday. The need for the home became apparent almost immediately. During the last week in May it was filled to capacity with four mothers and five children staying there, During the first week of June three mothers with their three children sought refuge from abusive situations at the home. The women and children are welcome to stay up to six weeks if they choose while they decide what to do with their futures. Home coordinator Muriel Steele and caseworkers Linda Ham and Marilyn Cassels are there to give support and arrange counselling if the women desire it. Donna Hanson is the secretary, intake worker. Three students have been hired for the summer — Kathryn Rothwell, Cheryl Chapman and Richard Games — to delelop programs for the children who are staying at the home with their mothers. The telephone number at Optimism Place for women needing help is 271-5550 CASEWORKERS Linda Hain and Marilyn Cassels are at Op- timism Place to give support and arrange counselling if the women desire it. '1