UPDATE: Fairfax Program Is Helping Day-Care Providers Bolster Teaching Skills

Each day, Maria Velez reads books to the children at the Vienna preschool where she works. She sings to them, too, in English and Spanish.

For Velez, 39, a native Spanish speaker, it used to be a struggle to communicate in English. But she recently joined 23 other Hispanic women in a pilot program to help day-care providers become better teachers. The women studied English and early childhood education.

"I can talk to the parents now. I can give them information," said Velez, who is from Ecuador. "It was an opportunity for me to open my eyes and get better ideas."

The program, Connecting Community through the Language of Child Care, was launched by Fairfax Futures, a nonprofit group that focuses on improving early childhood education. Also taking part in the project were the Fairfax school system's Office of Adult and Community Education and the county's Office for Children, which are among the members of the public-private School Readiness Network. The network supports the efforts of Fairfax Futures.

Vera Steiner Blore, executive director of Fairfax Futures, said the women strengthened their English skills and were taught how young children learn. They discussed games, books and songs that they use with the children in their care.

"They now have a network where they can call upon each other," Steiner Blore said.

The efforts in Fairfax come amid a nationwide movement to improve pre-kindergarten programs and help children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, prepare for school. Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) has proposed making publicly funded preschool available to every 4-year-old in the state.

Studies have shown that children in high-quality early education programs benefit by learning basic skills such as counting, identifying letters and socializing with their peers.

Later, they need less remedial work and have higher earning potential as adults.

The day-care providers attended English class twice a week for six months. During the sessions, they practiced English by talking about child care zand made fliers to advertise their businesses.

For one month, the women attended child-care classes that focused on early learning guidelines prepared by Fairfax County agencies, Northern Virginia Community College and Fairfax Futures. The guidelines outline skills young children should know and offer tips to parents and child-care providers.

The project, which cost about $50,000, was funded through a grant from the Freddie Mac Foundation. Steiner Blore said Fairfax Futures hopes to continue the program and is seeking additional funding.

"We hope to be able to take what we learned from this and strengthen it next go-around," she said.

-- Maria Glod