As an experienced public school teacher Ellie Nicewonger understands the value of early childhood education. And as the mother of 2-year-old Justin she's busy making certain her son gets the basics he needs to prepare him for the years ahead.

What Nicewonger has done is signed onto a program launched by the Smart Start Partnership to help parents learn how to educate their young children. Called Parents as Teachers, it is a program for parents of children between the ages of birth to three – a program for 3-to-5-year olds is in the works. It's a free, in-home program designed " ... to help parents learn to nurture the healthy growth and development of their infants and toddlers," according to the program's literature.

For a mother like Ellie Nicewonger, teaching her toddler basic concepts might seem like a no-brainer. She doesn't necessarily need the assistance of an early childhood education specialist like Shelly Jones-Reed to understand the hows and whys of early education. But when Justin's mother found out about the free program she jumped at the opportunity for several reasons.

One, even though Nicewonger is a trained educator, she says her experience lies with older children; she wanted expert assistance with early childhood concepts. Two, she didn't have family in the area to lean on and a little help, she figured, could go a long way.

"My husband and I joke ... we wished this kid would come with a manual," says Nicewonger.

Turning to Smart Start, Nicewonger and other parents like her are able to not only access resources but also network, build relationships and form playgroups.

In case you don't know, Smart Start Partnership is a non-profit organization that serves the Albemarle region. What it does is provide resource material and educational opportunities for childcare providers and families from all walks of life. The program was instigated by former North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt and is funded through state dollars.

At Smart Start's office in Elizabeth City, childcare workers can receive training, families can get referrals for childcare and a lending library that consists of age-appropriate toys, books and more are available to the public at no charge. The whole idea of the program is to help communities care for children by providing resources and materials.

One component added to Smart Start recently is Parents as Teachers. What it does, according to Jones-Reed, is provide parents of children up to 3-years old with assistance in basic, age appropriate education. What it does not do, Jones-Reed says, is teach parenting skills.

"I'm an educator," Jones-Reed says of her role with Parents as Teachers.

A lot of moms, for one reason or another, don't know what to do to help educate their children, she says. That's why she is invited to go into homes to assess a child's development – every child develops at a different rate, she emphasizes – and offer an outline for a child's early education.

In the case of the Nicewongers, 2-year-old Justin is currently working on "feelings." Each month Jones-Reed visits the Nicewonger house and brings in books and visual tools that cover the age-appropriate subject matter.

Jones-Reed reads Justin a book about feelings, coaching him along the way in an attempt to get him to answer questions about how a Teddy bear feels at any given moment in the story. Using visual prompts, Justin interacts with Jones-Reed and the lesson.

Ellie Nicewonger follows along, coaching Justin as well, and at the end of the session, she'll take the tools Jones-Reed leaves and use them over a 30-day period, working with her son.

Jones-Reed says Ellie Nicewonger is one of those parents who probably doesn't need coaching, but instead just needs " ... a pat on the back."

"I think with a lot parents, that's all they need is a pat on the back," says Nicewonger.

Also, Nicewonger says another set of trained eyes, observing Justin's development, is helpful. There are times when parents might doubt their child's development and someone like Jones-Reed can assist them, offering objective observations.

"A lot of moms feel they don't know what to do," Jones-Reed emphasizes, adding that that's OK. That's where a program like Parents as Teachers can help.

The program has been spreading by word of mouth, primarily. Parents like Nicewonger are telling their friends and so on, causing a ripple effect throughout the community.

Jones-Reed says there are also some parents who are directed to the program through the Department of Social Services; Parents as Teachers, however, is not a social services program designed to intervene in the family life.

Her role in all this is to simply coach parents and provide them with educational tools to assist their children. Jones-Reed says the philosophy behind this is simply "... to get parents to realize they are the child's first teacher."

Parents as Teachers is also a flexible program. Jones-Reed says the emphasis is placed on the child's developmental needs as well as the family's needs.

In the case of Ellie and Justin Nicewonger, mother and son are at home daily while Ellie's husband Justin works. Ellie Nicewonger left her job as a teacher to be with her son during his early years.

But not every family can do that. Some families either have a single parent or both parents working. Jones-Reed says she can work with them as well. She will work her schedule around the parent's in order to assist him or her in obtaining the skills needed to educate young children.

Aside from assisting parents with the education of their toddler-age children, there's a nice side effect to Parents as Teachers and other Smart Start programs. Ellie Nicewonger says having moved to the area from Pennsylvania, she didn't have a network of friends with children the same age as Justin. Her involvement with Smart Start has changed all that.

Ellie and Justin are currently involved in a playgroup that spun from the connections she made through Smart Start. Justin gets to interact with other children while Ellie gets the benefit of hanging out with other adults.

And then there's preschool. Because Ellie is committed to being home with Justin during his early years, she realized a preschool alternative might be necessary. That's why she and three other parents are banding together to create their own, home-based preschool.

The preschool Ellie describes, however, is not a formal institution; rather it's a sort of home schooling version of the same. About twice per week, the kids will get together at the home of a different family and participate in planned, educational activities.

Any family interested in participating in Parents as Teachers is welcome into the Smart Start program. Since there are no restrictions on who can participate, signing up can be as simple as a phone call. Jones-Reed says there is also a specialist who deals with developmentally disabled children and their specific needs.

If you're interested in the Parents as Teachers program and desire more information, contact Shelly Jones-Reed at 333-1233.