Parents Are Teachers Too (PATT) focuses on families learning together. It is a no-cost, early childhood parent support initiative. PATT provides parents of early learners with age-appropriate information needed to accelerate learning at home. The training focuses heavily on literacy and effective communication. In addition to teaching tools and strategies, parents learn how to use the many PBS KIDS and MPB resources at home to support learning.

Parents are their child’s first most important teacher.

Sign up for a training in your community!

PATT Training 2023

New sessions starting soon.

If you don’t see a facilitator for your county, you can register for the MPB Education virtual session. Email PATT@mpbonline.org to register.

PATT Facilitators

ATTALA COUNTY

Ebony Groves

BOLIVAR COUNTY

Sharon Brown

TALLAHATCHIE COUNTY

Cordina Sturdivant

cordina.sturdivant05@gmail.com

HINDS COUNTY

Addie Hooks

HINDS COUNTY (CLINTON, MS)

Eddie Poindexter

YAZOO COUNTY

Teresa Williams

MADISON COUNTY

Niccori Thomas-Brown

LINCOLN COUNTY

Tonia Bailey

VIRTUAL

Tra-C Mae Johnson

RANKIN COUNTY

Shanavia Doyle

CLAY COUNTY

Amy Deanes

HOLMES AND CARROLL COUNTY

Chris Harmon

Pilot PATT Sessions

Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s education department launched its Parents Are Teachers Too (PATT) initiative in May. This initiative has been in development for two years; and is designed to encourage families to learn together at home. Focusing on parents, PATT provides a platform for parents to come together and learn tips, strategies and receive resources that will help facilitate an open learning environment at home. Also, parents learn from each other.

MPB Education was all set to launch PATT in March, but COVID-19 halted plans. The team retooled the program a little and decided to go virtual. Currently, PATT facilitators are working within 12 Mississippi counties. Ten have completed the pilot round. The initiative consists of parents meeting with a facilitator for six sessions. Some of the topics include how to actively watch television and communicate with children for a wholesome learning experience, the importance of reading from age zero, how to have fun learning together and much more. The sessions are fun and engaging. Around 100 parents participated in this round and about 150 children were impacted.

PBS programs are included in the presentations so that parents will see how to use them as a learning tool. PBS programs are educational as well as entertaining. They can be seen on every television in Mississippi households because you do not need cable or broadband access to view MPB Television.

Each participating parent walks away from the sessions with books and other learning/teaching resources. During this pandemic, when families are spending more time at home together, PATT serves as a resource and support for parents. Parents and their children benefit from PATT.

To join a PATT session near you or to become a facilitator in your area, scroll down for more information. Enjoy a few photos from sessions around the state.

PATT Sessions