Return-Path: <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id i4DNcvm23743; Thu, 13 May 2004 19:38:57 -0400 (EDT) Date: Thu, 13 May 2004 19:38:57 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <20040513233533.89053.qmail@web60307.mail.yahoo.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Colleen Angaiak <c_angaiak@yahoo.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:1835] Re: Why family literacy? X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Status: O Content-Length: 2560 Lines: 75 Andrea, I have to say one thing you mentioned is a pet peeve of mine: "Head Start has more impact with children" I really, really want to know why there has to be such complete focus on the children?? Don't get me wrong -- early childhood education and K-12 education are HIGHLY important to me, as an educator, as a parent, and as the child of two retired public school teachers and the spouse of a teacher. But to me, one of the huge benefits of a program such as Even Start is that we are not only educating children, but also adults who NEED that education. And in doing so, we are setting families up for more success on every level, educationally. Kids can have great outcomes in Head Start and preschool, and even be successful in school in the early years, only to hit the proverbial wall when they reach the point where their parents can no longer help them with schoolwork and learning due to low literacy skills. In the Adult Tutoring program in my agency, we have seen numerous families who actually move repeatedly in order for the parent to avoid detection of their lack of literacy skills by their child's school. What does this do to the children? They are bounced from school to school. They grow up with a negative image of family-school relationships. And in the long run, they see mom and/or dad functioning with low skills, which removes some motivation for continuing in school themselves. Even Start is here to help FAMILIES, not just children. Educating adults, both in literacy skills and in important parenting skills, from discipline and health issues to reading, writing, and being comfortable in the schools, is so very, VERY important. And that, in my opinion, is a big part of the value of family literacy. Colleen Angaiak Family Literacy Coodinator Literacy Council of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska AWilder106@aol.com wrote: Meta, You are such a good person to talk to, so here we are at family literacy. I know about learning to read at home, or being read aloud to, but I am baffled by family literacy programs. Are they funded separately from regular literacy programs? Are there measures of effectiveness? I know about Evenstart, but I have also read the latest evaluation, which as I recall when compared with Head Start...shows that Head Start has more impact with children. I know I am being vague....any answers as to effectiveness? Andrea __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Movies - Buy advance tickets for 'Shrek 2' http://movies.yahoo.com/showtimes/movie?mid=1808405861
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