Gina and all

Not entirely sure of what the focus on the meeting on Saturday will be, but
I think one thing to help make it useful for all is to focus on the (X
number) of activities, materials, etc ­ if there are touch points along the
way (reading, taping, listening) that are very concrete ­ this allows room
for flexibility, if needed ­ but also gives you solid things to be doing,
facilitating as people find their way through this new sort of program.

In other words, if folks are clear about the purpose of the session and the
steps they¹ll be going through, it might help to ease any uncertainty as you
all find your way.
hope this makes sense

Janet Isserlis

From: "Lobaccaro Gina (DOC)" <Gina.Lobaccaro at state.de.us>
Reply-To: The Family Literacy Discussion List <familyliteracy at nifl.gov>
Date: Thu, 5 Jan 2006 07:35:00 -0500
To: <familyliteracy at nifl.gov>
Conversation: Help & Suggestions for first Parent/Child (PACT) meeting/visit
in new prison parenting program
Subject: [FamilyLiteracy] Help & Suggestions for first Parent/Child (PACT)
meeting/visit in new prison parenting program

I have posted before and received some excellent feedback regarding starting
up a family literacy program in a prison setting (adult male
inmates/students enrolled in other education programs).

It took as a long time to put it together. But Saturday morning we have our
first (both)parent/child meeting/visit, and I want it to go very well.  I
met the student who is in our high school program, and I am very impressed
with him.  I believe he will be a great first candidate for the program.  He
had a very close relationship with his four year old daughter because he was
able to spend a lot of time with her because of his work schedule.  He told
me he was there when she was born.  He has only seen her twice in 6 months.
He broke down and shared some other information with me... all appropriate
information.  We were talking about his goals for the class/program.

Now... the meeting/visit is at 8:30 a.m. this Saturday, and the family
literacy specialist is not able to attend the meeting with us.  I am the
correctional education person and I have a BS in Early Childhood Education
-- but I never really spent much time working with young children and I have
spent the past 15 years teaching adult incarcerated men. He will be reading
and audio taping a few books today and tomorrow.  He will read to her in the
visit... and we will give the mother the tapes and a child's tape recorder.
I will have some time to meet the mother and child before the visit.

I am asking for suggestions about how to help structure/manage the meeting
so it is a positive experience for everyone involved.  I guess, this
question could be asked of anyone who has been involved in first PACT (Even
Start) type meetings.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks, 
Gina 
 "For business reasons, I must preserve the outward sign of sanity." --Mark
Twain

Gina Lobaccaro
Sussex Correctional Institution
Prison Education Department
PO Box 500
Georgetown, DE 19947
Office (302) 856-5282 x 6204
Fax (302) 856-5642
gina.lobaccaro at state.de.us








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