January 4th, 2012
No Comments » Double the award funding and a more inclusive focus are two of the new features for the 2012 Toyota Teacher of the Year award that NCFL is announcing today. The winning teacher’s program will receive $20,000, and educators who demonstrate exemplary educational practices in family learning and parent engagement are eligible for the award.
The nomination form, which should be completed online, is due no later than Feb. 1.
In addition to winning $20,000 for his or her program, the winner will receive a free trip to the 2012 National Conference on Family Literacy to be held March 25 through March 27 in San Diego. One runner-up will receive a $2,500 grant for his/her program and a scholarship to the conference.
The award will honor high-performing teachers who serve parents and children with a strong intergenerational approach to help them learn together and/or use innovative ways to engage parents in their children’s education.
The nomination form must be completed by the nominee’s principal, director or program coordinator/supervisor, and the nominee must answer the final question.
For more information and guidelines, visit here http://www.famlit.org/toyota-teacher-of-the-year-award-selection-criteria/.
December 22nd, 2011
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One of NCFL’s innovative library partners, the Dallas Public Library, recently released a great new video to help extend the reach of its Every Child Ready to Read @ Dallas program. Lily’s Book of Adventures — Adventures in reading for parents and children was produced this summer to capture the program’s successful early literacy workshops for families who otherwise can’t participate.
And a note to all of the great libraries out there with a passion and big ideas for working with families: The Dallas Public Library video project was made possible by a recent Libraries and Families Award available from NCFL and Better World Books. So don’t forget to submit your library’s application for the 2012 Libraries and Families Award by February 6, 2012!
December 14th, 2011
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Verizon Thinkfinity is wrapping up its Thinkfinity Education Speaker Series with an expert voice who’s very close to NCFL’s heart. Jason Falls, NCFL board member and social media visionary, is the fifth influential speaker featured in this excellent series.
In the interview, Falls speaks with Katrina Allen, program director of 21st century learning at St. Philip’s Academy in Newark, N.J. He stresses the need for educators to embrace social media in the classroom to expand learning opportunities.
Since September, the Thinkfinity Education Speaker Series has also featured retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Benjamin Carson, basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson and learning technologies expert Dr. Chris Dede weighing in with their thoughts on the future of education.
The interviews are available as videos on demand exclusively to members of the Thinkfinity Community. (Not a member? Register for free today — in addition to access to this great series, you’ll also be able to connect with more than 25,000 fellow educators!)
Falls also authored a post published on Verizon’s Responsibility Blog about how constantly changing technology means that successful education depends on teaching children how to teach themselves — and that begins with schools embracing the power of technology.
December 1st, 2011
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Health care is a hot topic these days, and many families are placing more emphasis on staying healthy.
With the holidays fast approaching — and New Year’s resolutions looming — what better time to start focusing on adopting healthy habits in your household? Becoming more healthy can be a great family goal in 2012.
For the past nine weeks, Wonderopolis has focused on health and wellness topics every Wednesday. This health literacy Wonder of the Day® series is sponsored by The Humana Foundation.
Health and wellness is a multifaceted discipline. Teaching our families (and ourselves!) to live a more healthy life means covering a variety of angles — from eating right and exercising regularly to managing stress and getting enough rest to taking care of yourself when you get sick.
These nine Wonders of the Day are a great way to start instilling healthy habits in your family!
November 23rd, 2011
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The holiday season has rolled around again, beginning with tomorrow’s Thanksgiving feasts and Black Friday ads and then continuing for six more weeks until 2012 makes its debut. While many people find the holidays stressful, one of the best parts of the season can be the chance to reconnect with family.
But that’s not always as easy as it sounds. The holidays can also bring travel hassles, money concerns and other worries.
How do you make the most of your time with your family? Rather than rely on the expected “What have you been up to?” or “How’s school going?” questions, try out these Wonders of the Day® to get the conversation going.
#15 What Is Your Secret Superhero Identity? Even those family members who aren’t into superheroes have a hidden talent or two. Use this question to find out which person has a really good memory or who can do the perfect cartwheel.
#201 Where Is the Best Place On Earth? This question is a great catalyst to reminisce over past family trips and discuss dream vacations for the future. It’s also a great way to focus on the charms of your hometown.
#249 What Movie Would You Play At Your Drive-In? Some movies are almost universal, while others speak specifically to a generation. Use this question to see how grandparents’ picks compare with their children’s and grandchildren’s favorites.
#341 What Is Your Favorite Mascot? Bring the sports fanatics into the conversation with this question about team mascots. Delve beyond the initial question to see who can remember his elementary school mascot or who was her high school mascot.
#394 What Can Children Teach Their Parents? Make this one as sentimental or funny as you like! Focus on the practical technology tips you’ve gotten from your teen, or talk about how your baby taught you about work-life balance. And don’t forget to make sure all parents get their turn — even your own!
From all of us at the National Center for Family Literacy, we wish you a very happy Thanksgiving. We are so very thankful for all of your support!
November 18th, 2011
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Have you applied to participate in the Literacy Showcase Poster Session at the 21st National Conference on Family Literacy? You won’t want to miss this session!
Part of the 2012 National Conference on Family Literacy in San Diego, California, the Literacy Showcase Poster Session will take place Monday, March 26, 2012, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. This valuable opportunity offers participants the chance to interact with conference attendees and discuss their initiatives and practices that are making an impact on family success.
And in 2012, we’re raising the stakes: All attendees of the Literacy Showcase Poster Session will have the opportunity to vote on their choice for the best presentation! The presenter who receives the most votes will win a $100 prize!
Start planning your presentation today! We’ve even extended the deadline to give you more time: Applications are now due by Friday, December 2, 2011. Selected applicants will be notified by the beginning of January 2012. Apply today!
November 15th, 2011
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Do you have a great library literacy program that serves families or an innovative plan to start one? NCFL invites libraries nationwide to apply for the 2012 Libraries and Families Award, made possible by Better World Books.
Three library literacy programs that serve families will win $10,000 each and scholarships to the National Conference on Family Literacy in 2012 and 2013.
This is the third year for this recognition. Get to know the 2011 winners of the Libraries and Families Award.
Then, review the award selection criteria, and submit your application today! Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, February 6, 2012. Winners will be notified in late February or early March of next year.
We can’t wait to learn about all of the innovative literacy programs libraries all over the country are using to serve families!
November 10th, 2011
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U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, parents and teachers from the Toyota Family Literacy Program, and NCFL staff at a town hall meeting convened by Parenting’s Mom Congress and the U.S. Department of Education in Cincinnati.
U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan and family literacy parents from Louisville, Ky., had a special opportunity Wednesday night to learn and speak out about education issues.
During a town hall meeting convened by Parenting’s Mom Congress and the U.S. Department of Education in Cincinnati, each parent heard Duncan discuss concerns and present new ideas for education. This group of parents also participated in a smaller private forum for parents hosted by the Department of Education following the town hall meeting.
The opportunity arose when Parenting asked NCFL to participate, and NCFL invited parents from the Toyota Family Literacy Program (TFLP), a 30-city program that focuses on meeting the educational needs of Hispanic and immigrant families.
One of the family literacy parents contributed an important question during the standing-room-only town hall. The woman asked about finding ways to help her child attend college — and described her challenges in doing so as a Hispanic parent.
Duncan called this issue a very important one in education and used it as an opportunity to point out the intense need to raise Hispanic college graduate rates and share available resources. The parent’s question was among others raised by teachers, superintendents, business leaders, doctors, students and teachers of other cultures.
U.S. Department of Education's Robert Gomez participates in the education town hall meeting in Cincinnati.
During the town hall, the parents learned more about several other educational priorities as well as specific ways they can make a difference. These priorities included:
- The critical need for Hispanic parents to be very involved in their children’s education and to have high expectations and support for higher education for their children
- How parent advocacy, involvement and challenging of the status quo is needed
- The need to raise rigor and attendance rates in our schools, build a strong education support network for children and engage children in extracurricular activities
- The need to educate our way to a better economy
Secretary Duncan greeted the TFLP parents after the meeting and shared his appreciation for their attendance.
Immediately following the town hall meeting, the TFLP parents had the chance to share more of their concerns with the Department of Education in a more intimate setting. The department sent a clear message that parent voices in forums like this have had and will continue to have an influence on upcoming federal education legislation.
The TFLP parent group enthusiastically contributed to the parent forum conversation, spoke up about their concerns and offered suggestions. One mother suggested that the scheduled school day activities be a little more flexible for her son, specifically when he is working to get a concept but is interrupted by the next scheduled school day activity.
Another mother wondered why new methods of learning must take the place of ones she learned as a child — such as school approaches in math that seem to run counter to her own education and make it more difficult for her to help her child.
The parents also spoke up for the continuation and expansion of more programs like TFLP and the specific ways it helps families like theirs (e.g., reading help, English speaking instruction, tutoring). During the session, common education concerns were raised that clearly cut across cultures, language and socioeconomic status.
November 8th, 2011
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Last month, we told you about the Pennsylvania Wine Association’s storytelling contest and its support of the National Center for Family Literacy. Many people chimed in to share their own stories before the contest closed on October 31.
The Pennsylvania Wine Association has narrowed down the submissions to seven finalists, and now it’s your turn to vote! Read through the brief stories, and vote for your favorite. (You can even read through each of the more than 150 submissions to see if you agree with the judging!)
NCFL thanks the Pennsylvania Wine Association for its support of family literacy and for its celebration of the art of storytelling!
November 2nd, 2011
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Our nation can’t rely on testing or any other single intervention as the silver bullet for our educational problems. Teachers, parents and policymakers must work together to build an ecosystem for learning — one that doesn’t rely on quick-fix fads of the moment but builds a sustainable educational environment for multiple generations. A thriving ecosystem must revolve around its most long-standing component — the family — as the best way to nurture success.
Here are four important statistics from the National Assessment on Educational Progress’ reading report released on November 1, which showed mixed results with the strongest gains being marginal:
- Parents, through their income and education, have a strong bearing on their children’s academic performance. A disproportionate number of fourth- and eighth-grade students eligible for the National School Lunch Program are scoring in the lowest reading percentiles. In addition, as reported in the eighth-grade background characteristics, parents’ education has an impact on their children’s performance. Expanding training for parents in specific reading strategies to support their children’s reading skills and acquisition, as well as to improve their own education, will improve scores in their children’s reading achievement.The National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) has several programs specifically designed to train parents in easy-to-use, research-based strategies that equip them to help their children learn to read and improve their literacy. NCFL research and expertise has shown that any parent, regardless of educational level, can deliver effective and meaningful support that increases his or her children’s literacy.
NCFL also has a wealth of tools, from book cards to online resources, to guide parents in creating everyday routines and opportunities to build literacy and reading skills. Some are available on NCFL’s website and through its own online community, Wonderopolis®.org, which TIME Magazine recently named a top website for 2011.
- Children’s performance improves if they read for fun. High-performing fourth- and eighth-graders read for fun at much higher rates than low-performing readers. Children who enjoy reading are predisposed to do it better and more often. NCFL promotes a variety of ways for teachers and parents to motivate their children to read and make learning a lifelong process.NCFL created Wonderopolis.org after interviewing parents nationwide about their observations of and concerns about their children’s education and reading acquisition. Families and educators receive a Wonder of the Day® to ignite a love of learning in children and students through their everyday routines — both online and offline.
Wonderopolis also is an effective way to teach nonfiction reading, which the Common Core State Standards identify as a critical skill.
- The percentage of Hispanic students is rising, while the percentage of white and black students is declining. Although this statistic isn’t directly related to performance, it is one of the most important. We must continue to work to close the achievement gap for all students. In particular, the NAEP demographics should sound a warning alarm that our schools, communities and work force can’t afford to have our largest and fastest growing minority falling behind.That’s why the National Center for Family Literacy has several programs and tools specifically tailored to reaching the Hispanic family, including:
- The Toyota Family Literacy Program, which places parents and children together in a classroom, but also includes programming that is culturally relevant to the populations served. Program participants have experienced extraordinary outcomes in English language and literacy development, parent involvement and engagement, literacy behaviors at home, and school-related attitudes and behaviors.
- Free bilingual online resources to help Hispanic families prepare for college. The tools assist with making education a family goal and ensuring parent involvement in education.
- The American Indian achievement gap for fourth-grade reading is at its widest point since the assessment began. Though our partnership with the Bureau of Indian Education, NCFL’s model used in the Family and Child Education (FACE) Program is in place at 44 schools in 10 states and serves approximately 4,600 participants.This comprehensive approach proves that early childhood intervention, coupled with adult education and parental learning strategies, yields strong results.
School readiness data indicates that participation in FACE is successful in leveling the playing field for the neediest children and for children with special needs. Preschool children’s vocabulary and language comprehension scores increased from the 23rd to 45th percentile, near the national average, and they are half as likely to require services for special needs when they enter kindergarten. Meanwhile, 82 percent of center-based adults improved their computer literacy skills. Significant, lasting gains also were made in parental involvement and reading in the home.
There are many families and teachers working to make this thriving educational ecosystem a reality. And they are finding innovative ways to do so. For example, there are plenty of free resources for families and schools to improve learning. Through more than 20 years of research and programming, NCFL knows that families are an engine for progress when they learn together.
America’s most enduring and precious resource — the family — always has been and remains the best solution to our current literacy and educational dilemma.
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