SIBLING Brain Builders SCI’s Sibling Brain Builders work to use the bonds between siblings as a way to build emotional and cognitive connections in children BY Reggie Dogan STUDER COMMUNITY INSTITUTE
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uilding babies’ brains is at the forefront of Studer Community Institute’s mission to improve the quality of life for everyone in the Pensacola area. While parents are the key to helping babies get the best start in life, siblings can play important roles, too. If parents are a child’s first teacher, then siblings could well be their best teacher. What siblings learn from each other growing up has significant influence on social and emotional development as adults. SCI believes the sibling relationship is a natural place for younger children to learn, develop and grow. Through two pilot projects called Sibling Brain Builders, SCI is bringing older sisters and brothers into the cause of helping
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get their younger siblings prepared and ready for school. At Bellview Middle School, teacher Dee Wright is working with SCI to provide selected middle schoolers with books, tips and tools to take home and use with their younger siblings ages 0 to 5. “It was easy to get involved and excited about this project because I understand the impact that siblings can have on each other,” said Wright. “Sibling Brain Builders help the older child as well as the younger one because both are learning new things and gaining new skills.” Leading by example is a good way for one sibling to shine and for the others to emulate good behavior. When one sibling reads to another, the child reading aloud gets lots of oral practice, especially when
BUILDING BLOCKS, A PARENT MAGAZINE
reading fluently and with expression. Being fluent readers helps with reading speed and comprehension of the story. Jenna Myers, 12, is a Bellview seventh grader with a month-old brother. Jenna recalled her kindergarten teacher piqued her interest in reading, but she wished she had an older sibling who shared reading time with her. She’s excited about and eager to be a part of Sibling Brain Builders. “It is a good idea to make sure they are prepared for kindergarten,” Jenna said. “When I first heard about it, I said, ‘Hey, that’s something I can do to help my baby brother.’ ” Another sibling project is piloted with the media specialists and administrators at Lincoln Park, Montclair, O.J. Semmes and C.A. Weis elementary schools to encourage
