For the past two years, Phoebe Family Tree Child Development Center has participated in the Georgia LITTLE Grant. Part of the language and literacy grant involved a program called LENA Grow, which takes speech recordings and analysis of the data for “conversational turns” between child and teacher. Recently, the Family Tree received their results of the program, which showed Family Tree teachers and students performed well above the national average.
 
“Lena Grow is a wonderful program that focuses on increasing the quality of interactions with our children. We are using this information to strengthen the teaching skills and strategies of our staff. The results have been phenomenal and creates optimal learning experiences for our students,” said Stacy Favors, Director, Phoebe Family Tree Child Development Center
 
Through LENA Grow, children wear a “talk pedometer” that enables teachers to measure how much they talk and respond, which is also known as conversational turns. Through LENA reports, teachers are able to see how much the children spoke or showed a response and then create strategies to encourage more interaction where needed. Research has shown that speaking to children, especially in the first two to three years of life, helps their brains develop cognitively, emotionally and socially.
 
At the end of the two-year grant, LENA Grow did an analysis of 32,000 hours of data from 4,000 children and categorized it into groups. 86% of Family Tree participating students performed 15 plus conversational turns per hour, the national average was 58%. Additionally, 33% of Family Tree participating students performed 25 plus conversational turns per hour, compared to the national average of 23%. Other statistics included:
 
·         7 rooms reached the goal of 60% of children experiencing 15+ conversational turns per hour

·         3 rooms reached the goal of 30% of children experiencing 25+ conversational turns per hour
 
Earlier this month the Family Tree began using this important program again outside of the Georgia LITTLE Grant, recording in the pre-school and baby pods. Infants and toddlers will participate in the program this spring.
 
“Everyone is excited to be moving forward with LENA Grow. The pre-school classes are calling the vests “superhero vests” and they love wearing them,” added Favors.
 
The program at The Family Tree is Quality Rated through Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning. By participating in Georgia’s voluntary Quality Rated program, facilities make a commitment to work continuously to improve the quality of child care they provide to children and families. In 2016, the center was awarded three stars – the highest star quality rating.
 
The Family Tree serves children of Phoebe employees, and provides high quality early childhood care and education in addition to early and late hour care. The Family Tree began as a Phoebe vision in the 1980s and the first director was hired in 1990. The current facility was renovated in 2008 and is licensed to serve 269 children, ages six weeks to eleven years old.