Air*tistry

by Jack Porcello

The Pre-K Connection Part 2
Community Helpers

Last month I shared some of my recent experiences in the world of early childhood education programs, an exciting and lucrative world for me. Some of you may wish to enter this field for the first time. Others may feel as though there is more that you can offer to these clients, but may be unsure of which way to go. This month, and in the next few articles, I will explain some of the approaches I have used to successfully meet the needs of the Pre-K connection.

In order to fully develop your product into a valuable resource for this market, it is necessary to discover what your customer requires. Anticipation of need is the best way to remain on the cutting edge of service. We must know where early childhood is heading, what are the trends, and how to present the topics required creatively.

Among many of our lists of the best personalities in the field of early childhood education and entertainment will be found Fred Rogers. For over three decades, "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" has offered an oasis of peace, calm, and discovery to young children. Yes, it has been a "beautiful day in the neighborhood" for over 30 years.

In watching Fred Rogers perform his 30 minute magic, beaming cheerfully from the front door, slipping into sweater and sneakers, and taking us to the land of make believe, I have noticed one prominent consistency. Invitation. Children feel comfortable with Mr. Rogers, and he leads them to look at the world through their own eyes and to see what is there with wonder and with understanding.

Figuring greatly in every episode of "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" are the "people in the neighborhood." Community Helpers. The letter carrier, the police officer, the grocer, the handyman, and all of the others who make up the world around us. When we have a need, we can go to these trained professionals for help. They are there for us, and we need them. As we become grown up, we can also provide these services.

Community Helper programs present the principles of early career investigation, social interaction, and diversity celebration. They also aid in literacy promotion. Reading a book to your children to learn more about what the police officer and fire fighter does will inspire an early love for books. Math and science skills can also be taught by demonstrating practical application of these skills in the hands of these community helpers. The grocer sells three cans of corn for a dollar. There are two police officers in each squad car, and 12 squad cars patrolling the village. Basic math. The three cans of corn, however you configure them, are still three cans of corn. Conservation of number. The cans of corn, when placed in the bag to be taken home, are still there even though we cannot see them. Object permanence. The opportunities are endless.

There are many ways for the entertainer to present these programs to young children. Of course, we need to remember to keep it simple and break it down into short segments. I use balloons in my program "J.P. and Egghead" to create my friend Egghead, who helps me to discover the world around me and learn about social interaction within it. Puppets make another great resource, and community helper puppet sets can be found these days at reasonable prices. My program usually consists of a time of music and activity, a time of interaction with Egghead, an introduction to a community helper "guest" in the form of a puppet, and a story book demonstrating what the community helper does.

There are a number of directions you can take your program into. I dare say that there are as many possibilities as there are artists that read this forum regularly. You are all creative, which is why you are in this business. Among many that I have spoken with who try to break into or hold on to opportunities in this field of work, creativity is seldom the problem. The real question is content. With the suggestions I have given, I trust that you will be able to come up with some great programs! I would love to hear about them! Please e-mail me and let me know about your experiences of discovery and celebration in the world of early childhood programs!

See my website for more information, or you may e-mail me at info@airtothekingdom.org.

Until next time, I remain *Air-tistically* yours!

Jack