Animas Valley Elementary fifth-grader Jessie Large, 10, measures 2-month-old Khalil Ballenger's length Wednesday at the school while parents Nathan Ballenger and Rachel Cooper look on. Jessie is the daughter of Lori and Lee Large.

Gathered around little Khalil Ballenger, a group of fifth-graders watch every move the 2-month-old baby makes.

Before Khalil was brought into the room, some students thought he might race around the class, getting into everything. Instead, the children learned that, for now, the infant wholly relies on his parents.

Once a month, Khalil and his parents, Nathan Ballenger and Rachel Cooper, will visit Rebecca Steinbach's Animas Valley Elementary classroom. The monthly visit will help her students learn about the caring and nurturing required of a parent. By learning that now, they are more likely to have children when they are prepared to provide a healthy environment.

A supplement to the normal classroom curriculum, Educating Children for Parenting is a 25-year-old program that helps educate children about the responsibility, nurturing and caring required of parents. Sponsored by San Juan Basin Health Department, the program was tried out last year in Durango schools and 10 teachers were trained. This week, a training session will take place, and teachers from all three county school districts can participate.

During the monthly meeting, students observe the physical, emotional, cognitive and social behaviors the child exhibits.

Steinbach began using the program in her fifth-grade class last year. The children looked forward to the monthly visit, she said, because it was a fun break from the normal classroom curriculum. She expects a similar response this year. And although the program adds variety, students are still using math, science and writing skills.

"I really relish the time the baby is here," Steinbach said. "The students really react in such a wholesome, positive, natural way. School can be artificial, but we are bringing real life into the classroom and connecting."

Students asked Khalil's parents: When was the baby born? What color are his eyes? How much does he eat and sleep? Does he watch television?

Each student is assigned a job, whether taking photos of the baby or measuring his growth. Using a ball, a rattle and a book, students watch the baby's reactions and write responses. On Khalil's first visit, the ball and rattle were of little interest, but when a student read to Khalil, he was captivated.

Ben McCoy, 11, thought it was nice to have the baby visit the class. "I have a niece and it reminds me of her. And I have a younger brother coming up, so I've experienced some of it."

Anna Romero, 10, said she was surprised the baby didn't cry. "I think it was fun. ... I learned he can't see far and I think when he gets bigger he will be walking and crawling."

Liza Tregillus, a counselor and health educator from San Juan Basin Health, said most people do not learn about child development unless they take courses in college. But that is also the reason some parents have problems, because they do not understand the care needed to encourage a baby's mental growth.

The program was developed in Philadelphia, where there was a high rate of child neglect, she said. The educational program tries to build a sense of nurturing in children at a young age. The long-range goal is to increase the capacity to nurture and prevent abuse and neglect.

When large families were common, children often helped care for siblings, she explained.

"Families are smaller and more isolated," Tregillus said. "We lost what was once a natural learning lab. If we don't replace that somehow, to be honest, they are a little clueless."

Reach Staff Writer Mary Ann Lopez at maryann@durangoherald.com .