HIPPY - Home Interaction for Parents and Youngsters is a home-based programme that helps parents create experiences that lay the foundation for their children’s success in school and later life. The programme is designed specifically for those parents who may not feel comfortable in their own abilities to support their children’s education.
Great Potentials Foundation introduced HIPPY to New Zealand in 1992. HIPPY works with parents of 3 ½ to 6 year old children who live in low socio-economic areas with under-achievement in education. Some of the parents on the programme have additional challenges for success, such as English as a second language, and many of the children are not attending other early childhood education at the time of their enrolment on HIPPY.
HOW HIPPY WORKS
The 60 week curriculum, worked over two years, comprises 60 weekly workbooks with activities that develop both the cognitive and non-cognitive skills that are essential for children to become competent learners. The activities are linked to Te Whaariki, the Ministry of Education’s early childhood curriculum policy statement, and the New Zealand curriculum, enabling children to transition successfully into school.
HIPPY is based on the premise that parents are their children’s first and most important teachers. It is unique in that parents, through participation, develop the skills and confidence to take on this important role, so not only do the children benefit but so do the parents. Many parents, for whom school was a struggle, find they have talents they were unaware of and this is the beginning of a new phase in their life. HIPPY is truly a two-generational programme that, as well as settling children on a positive pathway through education, opens doors for mothers into training, education and employment.
BENEFITS OF HIPPY
Benefits for HIPPY children
Benefits for HIPPY parents
Benefits for HIPPY families
Great Potentials Foundation introduced HIPPY to New Zealand in 1992. HIPPY works with parents of 3 ½ to 6 year old children who live in low socio-economic areas with under-achievement in education. Some of the parents on the programme have additional challenges for success, such as English as a second language, and many of the children are not attending other early childhood education at the time of their enrolment on HIPPY.
HOW HIPPY WORKS
The 60 week curriculum, worked over two years, comprises 60 weekly workbooks with activities that develop both the cognitive and non-cognitive skills that are essential for children to become competent learners. The activities are linked to Te Whaariki, the Ministry of Education’s early childhood curriculum policy statement, and the New Zealand curriculum, enabling children to transition successfully into school.
HIPPY is based on the premise that parents are their children’s first and most important teachers. It is unique in that parents, through participation, develop the skills and confidence to take on this important role, so not only do the children benefit but so do the parents. Many parents, for whom school was a struggle, find they have talents they were unaware of and this is the beginning of a new phase in their life. HIPPY is truly a two-generational programme that, as well as settling children on a positive pathway through education, opens doors for mothers into training, education and employment.
BENEFITS OF HIPPY
Benefits for HIPPY children
- HIPPY encourages a love of learning
- HIPPY children arrive at school ready to learn, and settle into the learning environment
- HIPPY children score better on measures of literacy, numeracy and understanding appropriate school behaviour than their non-HIPPY peers
- HIPPY children retain their competency in reading and numeracy skills
Benefits for HIPPY parents
- HIPPY parents are more likely than their peers to engage in positive educational activities with their children
- HIPPY parents are more likely than their peers to become involved in school activities with their children
- HIPPY parents are more likely than their peers to seek further education for themselves
- HIPPY creates employment and training opportunities
Benefits for HIPPY families
- Helps create a learning environment at home
- Increases parents’ knowledge of child development and the way children learn
- Provides parents with opportunities to enjoy positive time with their children
- Enables parents to be actively involved in their children’s education
- Supports parents to meet regularly and promotes a sense of inclusion and connectedness with their community
- Increases parents’ self-confidence
- Has an overall positive impact on family relationships
- Promotes language and listening skills and develops concentration
- Builds self esteem and confidence in learning
- Improves communication between parents and children
My name is Natalie and I have just become a tutor for the Wellsford site, I have had an amazing time with the HIPPY program. I was introduced to the program by my Te Ha Oranga Tamariki Ora nurse, after speaking to her about my oldest daughters behaviour issues she suggested I try HIPPY to help Aroha learn to focus. We have now been on the program for 18 months and have had our fair share of ups and downs. In the beginning it was quite hard to get Aroha to sit still and interact for more than 5 minutes, now she is begging me to keep doing HIPPY activities with her. Aroha started school in May at Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Ngaringaomatariki, she has settled in very well and the teachers are very encouraging to keep aroha on the HIPPY program giving her a diverse learning experience, HIPPY has helped Aroha learn to recognize and write most of the letters of the Maori and English alphabet. I have also started my son Tawhiri on the program and he is loving all the different activities, it has been amazing the differences that I have seen in my children's focusing and listening skills since beginning the program. We had some unexpected news in March, my husband found out he has cancer, which really threw our lives into a spin. Wellsford HIPPY has been amazing and very flexible for us. We stopped the program for 8 weeks whilst Max was receiving radiation treatment. My children are so glad to back into routine doing their HIPPY work every evening. We now do our HIPPY program as a family and my husband enjoys helping collect resources for our kids to use and we now do alot of anytime activities together. I am really enjoying my time preparing my workbooks to start delivering to families at the beginning of next term. I have found the HIPPY program to be an amazing program for parents and children to bond and take steps in preparing for school.
Natalie July 2017
Natalie July 2017
HIPPY…… Wow amazing. HIPPY has brought so much fun and laughter into Natalya and my life, as well as so much wonderful education. Natalya still after a year and half on the programme asks to do HIPPY each day as it is now part of her routine and daily life.
Not only did HIPPY help Natalya to get ready for school and teaches her many concepts that I wouldn’t have thought to do with her, but its also taught me so much in the aspect of a child’s needs and wants to get ready for school. Natalya is going to be very proud and excited to graduate from HIPPY at the end of the year, but she will also be very sad that her time with HIPPY will be finished. I believe and trust in the HIPPY Programme so very much that when Louisa our Wellsford Coordinator asked me to be a tutor I didn’t have to think twice about it. I want to share HIPPY and my fabulous experiences with HIPPY with as many families as possible and to give as many children as I can the opportunity to learn as much as they can in a fun and happy and supportive environment. No child deserves to miss out on the best start in their education and HIPPY makes this happen. Thankyou HIPPY Wellsford Alicia and Natalya second year on HIPPY July 2017 |
|
