Guilford Child Development’s latest initiative is a comprehensive family literacy program called Learning Together/Aprendiendo Juntos. The program is based on the National Center for Family Literacy evidence-based model that includes four key components:
• Adult education (ESL or GED) taught by collaborative partner, GTCC Basic Skills instructors;
• Early childhood education provided by Head Start/Early Head Start or additional quality childcare provided to young children by trained Learning Together early childhood staff
• Parent time provides an opportunity for parents to discuss varied topics such as nutrition, discipline strategies, children’s health, job placement, etc. We partner with numerous community agencies to present topics on-site and make group visits to clinics, community organizations and providers
• PACT® (Parent and Child Together) to provide opportunities for families to strengthen bonds through fun, educational activities such as library “story sharings”, songs, games, crafts and field trips to places such as museums, parks and the zoo.
A quality, children’s “book of the month” is provided to all participating Learning Together families. Instruction in all components draws thematically from the new book featured each month - lessons and field trips likewise reinforce this theme. Parents are highly encouraged to read at home, using reading techniques discussed in Learning Together. At the end of each program year, each family will have a small library of nine, high quality children’s books. Many books are bilingual.
The goals of Learning Together are:
• to empower minority moms to accomplish and sustain their educational and vocational goals;
• prepare their children for educational success; and
• to increase reading frequency in the home that will establish a lifelong love of learning.
Learning Together/Aprendiendo Juntos is currently provided in three Head Start/Early Head Start Centers in Guilford County.
- Carl B. Staley Center (High Point): Monday-Thursday, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (ESL/GED combination class)
- Madeline McElveen Center (Greensboro): Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (ABE/GED)
- Poplar Grove Center (Greensboro): Mondays and Thursdays, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Additionally, Learning Together/Aprendiendo Juntos offers a program for Hispanic/Latino mothers at First Presbyterian Church (Greensboro) on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Asked why family centered programs which focus on parents and young children are so effective, a child development expert from Cornell replied: “Because parent and child come to value education.” In addition to the self advancement of the mother, probably the most important results of Learning Together will be that parents will be helped to assume their role as their child’s first and foremost teacher.
Funding is provided by Tannenbaum-Sternberger Foundation, Head Start/Early Head Start, Alexander Worth McAlister Foundation, Mary Lynn Richardson Foundation and Ecolab. Additional funding for books is provided by First Book.
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