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 i4F3hem12380; Fri, 14 May 2004 23:43:40 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 14 May 2004 23:43:40 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <20040515034111.56044.qmail@web60304.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:1840] Re: Why family literacy? X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Status: O Content-Length: 5843 Lines: 176 Debby, Our Head Start (the one of the two local agencies I work more closely with) also does great family outreach. They refer families to us, they do a lot of home visiting, and they are well trained. A new agency recently took over the program, so they are also now requiring degrees for their instructional positions. I just feel frustrated in Even Start because honestly, it feels as though we could report no progress at all with our adults as long as the children were doing fine. I want to see gains on BOTH sides of the equation! What's funny is that before I became an Even Start coordinator, I was a middle/high school teacher, my husband and my mom are both elementary teachers, and my own kids are all under the age of 10. I had little knowledge of or involvement in adult ed. It has become something I'm passionate about! Colleen --- Debby Lawson <lawsond@mvcaa.net> wrote: > Colleen, > > I have to agree with you that there has been more > focus on children and literacy recently. This is > the major reason that people have been so involved > in the selection of a new director of NCFL, to help > maintain the adult focus piece. > > I have to say though, that I work in a Head Start > program in mid-Missouri, as the Adult/Family > Literacy Manager. In this position, I train our > staff to do the one-to-one adult literacy tutoring > and they are certified as such through ProLiteracy. > This is a valuable piece of our Head Start Program > and many parents attain the GED each year in > addition to those whose goal is simply to improve > reading, writing, and/or math. It is in the Head > Start Performance Standards that all Head Start > programs follow, that these issues be addressed and > the parents provided the opportunity to improve > their education. I know that Even Start programs > must do this, but Head Start is involved with the > entire family as well. Some programs simply make > referrals to GED classes or other resources, but the > point is that they make sure the families know about > what is available and assist the families in > utilizing those needed resources. > > Because the current administration has questioned > the effectiveness of early literacy in Head Start, > there has been more focus placed on early education > and child outcomes. This doesn't mean that the > family has lost importance to Head Start programs or > staff. I am truly sorry this seems to be the image > imparted recently. We strongly advocate for parents > as the child's first and most important teacher, and > as such, their literacy and confidence levels must > be addressed. > > Thanks for letting me put in my two cents. > > Debby Lawson, Adult/Family Literacy Manager > MVCAA Head Start > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Colleen Angaiak [mailto:c_angaiak@yahoo.com] > Sent: Thursday, May 13, 2004 5:38 PM > To: Multiple recipients of list > Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:1835] Re: Why family literacy? > > 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 __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! - Internet access at a great low price. http://promo.yahoo.com/sbc/
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