UWF EVT 6664 Chapter 4UWF EVT 6664 Chapter 4

Building Capacity for Building Capacity for Successful Community Successful Community

PartnershipPartnership

By: Anthony C. Grant

Table ContentTable Content

Establishing a Literacy Establishing a Literacy

Development Program …Development Program … Page 3Page 3

The Goal ………………The Goal ……………… Page 4Page 4

The Team ……………..The Team …………….. Page 5Page 5

The Project ……………The Project …………… Page 6Page 6

Community Partnership . Community Partnership . Page 9Page 9

The Results…………….The Results……………. Page 10Page 10

Chapter 4 Lesson ………Chapter 4 Lesson ……… Page 11Page 11

References ………….....References …………..... Page 16Page 16

Scholarly Resources……Scholarly Resources…… Page 17Page 17

Chapter 4 Questions …..Chapter 4 Questions ….. Page 22Page 22

Establishing a Literacy Development Establishing a Literacy Development Program Program

Design & implement a variety of Design & implement a variety of community partnerships that will help to community partnerships that will help to achieve a vision of excellence. achieve a vision of excellence.

Schools need the components of Schools need the components of success:success:

a.a. A high-functioning schoolA high-functioning school

b.b. A student-centered environmentA student-centered environment

c.c. An effective partnership teamAn effective partnership team

d.d. Principle leadershipPrinciple leadership

e.e. External supportExternal support

The GoalThe Goal

Janet a dedicated teacher-leader, decided to establish a literacy Janet a dedicated teacher-leader, decided to establish a literacy development program for an elementary school that is development program for an elementary school that is economically struggling. This school compared to other economically struggling. This school compared to other schools in the city is neither highly dysfunctional nor highly schools in the city is neither highly dysfunctional nor highly functional. The school made moderate but steady gains in functional. The school made moderate but steady gains in student testing scores since the state established a curriculum-student testing scores since the state established a curriculum-driven assessment system. 2004-2005 school year began; the driven assessment system. 2004-2005 school year began; the school did not have in place certain components like an school did not have in place certain components like an effective partnership team, external support, & student-effective partnership team, external support, & student-centered environment. The principle approached Janet about centered environment. The principle approached Janet about leading a team that will be able to increase students reading leading a team that will be able to increase students reading outside of the school & ultimately increase their performance outside of the school & ultimately increase their performance on the state reading assessment.on the state reading assessment.

The TeamThe Team

Janet compiled a team that consisted of individuals who would Janet compiled a team that consisted of individuals who would provide diverse perspectives & share the responsibilities as well provide diverse perspectives & share the responsibilities as well as the potential successes & failures of the project. This team as the potential successes & failures of the project. This team will be able to make the literacy project a success in her eyes.will be able to make the literacy project a success in her eyes.

The three members of her team consisted of a parent volunteer, The three members of her team consisted of a parent volunteer, a teacher who is a close friend & colleague, & the school a teacher who is a close friend & colleague, & the school librarian who is very interested & knowledgeable about the librarian who is very interested & knowledgeable about the literacy development in children. Even though the principal had literacy development in children. Even though the principal had some draughts in the program & offered little way of resources, some draughts in the program & offered little way of resources, advice, or encouragement. The principle also did not attend advice, or encouragement. The principle also did not attend most of the bimonthly team meetings, but she did serve as an ex most of the bimonthly team meetings, but she did serve as an ex offcio member.offcio member.

The ProjectThe Project

Focus was not only on the interest in teachers Focus was not only on the interest in teachers & students but also in the families & the & students but also in the families & the community as well.community as well.

The two components that the project team The two components that the project team focused on are:focused on are:

1.1. Increasing students’ reading outside of the school Increasing students’ reading outside of the school through a statewide competition.through a statewide competition.

2.2. Organized monthly family literacy workshops.Organized monthly family literacy workshops.

Increasing students’ reading outside of the Increasing students’ reading outside of the school through a statewide competition.school through a statewide competition.

How the team can up with a plan through a statewide How the team can up with a plan through a statewide competition & to increasing students’ reading outside competition & to increasing students’ reading outside of the school by:of the school by: Send out reading logs to the homesSend out reading logs to the homes Families were asked to document the number of books or Families were asked to document the number of books or

book chapters read to & read by the children during the book chapters read to & read by the children during the non-school hours.non-school hours.

Log each week & chart the progress of each class.Log each week & chart the progress of each class. The class with the greatest progress will receive a pizza The class with the greatest progress will receive a pizza

party.party.

Organized monthly family literacy workshopsOrganized monthly family literacy workshops

The team organized monthly family literacy workshops by focusing The team organized monthly family literacy workshops by focusing on topics like:on topics like: Learning stylesLearning styles MotivationMotivation VocabularyVocabulary ComprehensionComprehension

The parent were encouraged to attend the workshops in order to The parent were encouraged to attend the workshops in order to learn more about supporting their children’s literacy development at learn more about supporting their children’s literacy development at home. The team also discussed how to give incentives when the home. The team also discussed how to give incentives when the student performs & parent’s attentiveness. student performs & parent’s attentiveness.

With limited school funds & support the team needed the With limited school funds & support the team needed the community support in order for that component to work.community support in order for that component to work.

The Community PartnersThe Community Partners

The school did not have community partnerships or was not The school did not have community partnerships or was not provided a listed when the team requested it from the principle. provided a listed when the team requested it from the principle. Before the first workshop the team visited several business by Before the first workshop the team visited several business by advising & promoting the program & requesting support of advising & promoting the program & requesting support of incentives for the program. That first outreach was not successful, incentives for the program. That first outreach was not successful, not on the part of anyone’s fault or effort it was the factor of bad not on the part of anyone’s fault or effort it was the factor of bad timing. This did not discouraged the team members they pressed timing. This did not discouraged the team members they pressed on & by the second workshop they had established some on & by the second workshop they had established some supporting business that would support the program by giving supporting business that would support the program by giving incentives & food to the students & parents. incentives & food to the students & parents.

To show appreciation the team member sent out letters of To show appreciation the team member sent out letters of appreciation & gave update on progress of the program to the appreciation & gave update on progress of the program to the community supporting business.community supporting business.

The ResultsThe Results

There was a big increase in attentiveness of parents from the There was a big increase in attentiveness of parents from the first & second workshop. The principle donated desserts to first & second workshop. The principle donated desserts to support the program & invited central office personnel to support the program & invited central office personnel to witness the success of the project. Faculty, students, parents & witness the success of the project. Faculty, students, parents & principle viewed the literacy project as a major success.principle viewed the literacy project as a major success.

The project was so successful that the next PTO meeting that The project was so successful that the next PTO meeting that averaged four parents now jumped up to thirty-five parents.averaged four parents now jumped up to thirty-five parents.

The results of the test were not in as of yet but the reading logs The results of the test were not in as of yet but the reading logs showed & provided the school with useful data.showed & provided the school with useful data.

Chapter 4’s LessonChapter 4’s Lesson

This lesson taught me a better understanding This lesson taught me a better understanding of:of: School PrioritySchool Priority Work CollaborativelyWork Collaboratively Be PersistentBe Persistent Communicate Regularly & WidelyCommunicate Regularly & Widely

School PrioritySchool Priority

School priorities are important to know School priorities are important to know because it shows the direction of the school because it shows the direction of the school & what goals need to be accomplished. This & what goals need to be accomplished. This goal can be a number of things like:goal can be a number of things like: Improve attendanceImprove attendance Improved student performance on state Improved student performance on state

standardized assessmentsstandardized assessments Increased parent involvementIncreased parent involvement Or other quality measuresOr other quality measures

Work CollaborativelyWork Collaboratively

Work collaboratively is very important if you have an: Work collaboratively is very important if you have an: Effective leaderEffective leader Team supportTeam support Team expertiseTeam expertise Energy needed to carry out the project.Energy needed to carry out the project.

A collaborative leader will keep the team: A collaborative leader will keep the team: Focused on the goalFocused on the goal Keep momentum & energy for the projectKeep momentum & energy for the project Ensuring that the team members had a manageable task & Ensuring that the team members had a manageable task &

responsibilitiesresponsibilities Resources & support to carry out the taskResources & support to carry out the task Creating a climate of cooperation & encouragementCreating a climate of cooperation & encouragement

Be PersistentBe Persistent

Being persistent is the key to successful Being persistent is the key to successful goal achievement. Being able to take goal achievement. Being able to take rejection, keep a positive attitude, & drive rejection, keep a positive attitude, & drive to finish the job. You are going to run into to finish the job. You are going to run into people in important position that are non-people in important position that are non-supportive because of fear of failure. supportive because of fear of failure. Obstacles come in different shapes, forms, Obstacles come in different shapes, forms, & ways but being persistent will help you & ways but being persistent will help you overcome these obstacles & help you overcome these obstacles & help you achieve your goal.achieve your goal.

Communicate Regularly & WidelyCommunicate Regularly & Widely

Communicating regularly & widely is a great tool to Communicating regularly & widely is a great tool to use if you want support from others & to keep use if you want support from others & to keep everyone on the same page. What I received out of everyone on the same page. What I received out of this section is if you start as a team, you move this section is if you start as a team, you move forward as a team, & you finish as a team. Even if forward as a team, & you finish as a team. Even if some of the team members are not as active as the some of the team members are not as active as the others. Keep an open line of communication with all others. Keep an open line of communication with all parties because you don’t know when or if there parties because you don’t know when or if there support is going to kick-in. As a result of Janet support is going to kick-in. As a result of Janet keeping the principle in the loop & updated of what is keeping the principle in the loop & updated of what is going on, she receives noticeable recognition for the going on, she receives noticeable recognition for the effort, results, & gains of the work that the team did effort, results, & gains of the work that the team did on the principle’s invitation of central office. on the principle’s invitation of central office.

ReferencesReferences

Building School-Community PartnershipsBuilding School-Community Partnerships

Collaboration for Student SuccessCollaboration for Student Success

Mavis G. SandersMavis G. Sanders

Foreword by Joyce L. EpsteinForeword by Joyce L. Epstein

Copyright 2006 by Corwin PressCopyright 2006 by Corwin Press

SCHOLARLY RESOURCES SCHOLARLY RESOURCES

Literacy Development Literacy Development Program Program

Literacy DevelopmentLiteracy Development

Literacy develops over time as students progress from Literacy develops over time as students progress from emerging to skilled readers who can comprehend and emerging to skilled readers who can comprehend and analyze complex text. Reading for understanding analyze complex text. Reading for understanding requires an active thinking process that is influenced requires an active thinking process that is influenced by the reader's prior knowledge and experiences by the reader's prior knowledge and experiences (National Reading Panel, 2000). Current national (National Reading Panel, 2000). Current national efforts aim at helping every child read independently efforts aim at helping every child read independently by third grade. by third grade.

HTTP://WWW.NETC.ORG/FOCUS/CHALLENGES/LITERACY.PHPHTTP://WWW.NETC.ORG/FOCUS/CHALLENGES/LITERACY.PHP

A Vision for Action and Research in Middle and High A Vision for Action and Research in Middle and High School Literacy is a comprehensive 2004 report to the School Literacy is a comprehensive 2004 report to the

Carnegie Corporation of New York.Carnegie Corporation of New York.

American youth need strong literacy skills to succeed in school and American youth need strong literacy skills to succeed in school and in life. Students who do not acquire these skills find themselves at a in life. Students who do not acquire these skills find themselves at a serious disadvantage in social settings, as civil participants, and in serious disadvantage in social settings, as civil participants, and in the working world. Yet approximately eight million young people the working world. Yet approximately eight million young people between fourth and twelfth grade struggle to read at grade level. between fourth and twelfth grade struggle to read at grade level. Some 70 percent of older readers require some form of remediation.Some 70 percent of older readers require some form of remediation.

Very few of these older struggling readers need help to read the Very few of these older struggling readers need help to read the words on a page; their most common problem is that they are not words on a page; their most common problem is that they are not able to comprehend what they read. Obviously, the challenge is not able to comprehend what they read. Obviously, the challenge is not a small one.a small one.

http://www.all4ed.org/publications/ReadingNext/ReadingNext.pdfhttp://www.all4ed.org/publications/ReadingNext/ReadingNext.pdf

Dr. Lesley Morrow on Literacy Dr. Lesley Morrow on Literacy DevelopmentDevelopment

Dr. Morrow is a professor at Rutgers University's Graduate Dr. Morrow is a professor at Rutgers University's Graduate School of Education where she is coordinator of the literacy School of Education where she is coordinator of the literacy program. Her area of research deals with early literacy program. Her area of research deals with early literacy development, and the organization and management of development, and the organization and management of Language Arts Programs. Her research is carried out with Language Arts Programs. Her research is carried out with children and families from diverse backgrounds.children and families from diverse backgrounds.

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?vwww.youtube.com/watch?v=c8A38PdipDc=c8A38PdipDc

Dr. Lesley Morrow - Literacy Development

Family Literacy Professional Development Family Literacy Professional Development Project Supports Program SuccessProject Supports Program SuccessBy Rose Gioia-FineBy Rose Gioia-Fine

The Pennsylvania Statewide Family Literacy The Pennsylvania Statewide Family Literacy Professional Development Project offers Professional Development Project offers comprehensive, coordinated professional comprehensive, coordinated professional development training services for development training services for practitioners and administrators who provide practitioners and administrators who provide family literacy services to Pennsylvania family literacy services to Pennsylvania families.families.

www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/document/.../fn06flprofdev_pdf document/.../fn06flprofdev_pdf

Questions about Questions about Chapter 4Chapter 4

Literacy Development Literacy Development Program Program

Literacy Development Program Literacy Development Program

Chapter 4 QuestionsChapter 4 Questions1.1. Do you thing Janet & the team would have been that successful if Do you thing Janet & the team would have been that successful if

Janet’s leadership skills was not as developed? Janet’s leadership skills was not as developed?

2.2. Even thought the principle did not have a strong presence or Even thought the principle did not have a strong presence or participation in the project. Do you think that the principle had a lot of participation in the project. Do you think that the principle had a lot of confidence in Janet’s ability to excel when she gave Janet this project?confidence in Janet’s ability to excel when she gave Janet this project?

3.3. Do you think that _______ is the main reason why the parent’s Do you think that _______ is the main reason why the parent’s participation increased greatly?participation increased greatly?

a.a. the incentives & foodthe incentives & foodb.b. the persistence of the team & the children’s literacy advancement the persistence of the team & the children’s literacy advancement

interestinterest