Hi,

As an ESL instructor in an Even Start Family Literacy program, I have some partial answers. PACT means parent and child time. The idea of playing games, reading stories, telling and writing family history, activities with taking turns and exploring together and discussion are so important for children and families. It helps the children know that they belong. It's to be an enjoyable time. It helps them learn to communicate. 

While a routine time commitment is great, there's benefit to any exposure the parents and children have to enjoyable time together. There are all kinds of books and sites about things from what makes the middle class the middle class to activities to do during family literacy times. 

If I were starting were you are, I'd invest some serious time in getting to know local providers, checking government web information as a way to compare, getting familiar with school preparedness and success. You have to decide how far you need to go with research and how far you're prepared to commit at each step. 

Every tax dollar spent on helping families model and prepare their children be successful in academics and life is returned many times back in problems avoided down the road with crime, drugs, lost income when kids drop out of school. 

Some of the best family literacy partnerships have been between host churches and programs with professional skills. 

Mary Jane Jerde
ESL Instructor
Howard Community College
Columbia, MD

PHCSJean.46639044 at bloglines.com wrote: Thanks Virgina.
Is PACT a formal program? I'm not familiar with it. I hadn't
considered the areas you brought up, but are certainly useful topics. These
group ideas sound wonderful, and could really help with the whole community
building aspect. Maybe if we offer some topical classes on a schedule that
could increase attendance too. We'd talked about parenting skills, and literacy
building ideas as part of the model, but I see the paradigm could be so much
bigger.

I guess the downside of limited progress could be problematic in
convincing funders to participate. One of our thoughts is to reach the underserved
and not to replicate what other programs are doing. I wonder though, if we
could be a feeder into them.

Thanks for your ideas! I love the brainstorming
of a community of practice.

Jean Marrapodi
Director of Education
Providence
Assembly of God Learning Center
353 Elmwood Avenue
Providence, RI 02907

www.providenceassembly.org
rejoicer at aol.com
401-461-7210

--- The Family
Literacy Discussion List 


> Jean

> What

a great place to start.  Pitfalls: well with so few hours, I

> wouldn't expect

a lot of progress, but if you can build in some small

> group times or PACT,

the interaction could help with the isolation that

> this population deals

with daily.  PACT can imbed the job skills needed

> by the adults: planning,

completion of a plan, thinking ahead, what if's

> and fun.  The children

will get the benefit of play time with folks.

> The tutors could help with

this as well as work with the adults.  The

> parents needs some time to wear

the student hat, instead of the parent

> hat, if possible.  Are your volunteers

willing to work with children,

> without the parents too?  PACT is a powerful

tool and the first one that

> the adults will want to eliminate.

> 

> Good

luck

> Va

> 


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