School-Home Literacy Curriculum for Elementary Teachers Now Available on CFTT Website

November 7, 2007
Media Release for the Community Foundation for the Twin Tiers
Contact: Marilyn Bok, Board Chair, 570-888-4759
For Immediate Release

School-Home Literacy Curriculum for Elementary Teachers
Now Available on CFTT Website

The Community Foundation for the Twin Tiers announced today that the curriculum used by Claire Foreman, a first grade looping teacher for the Troy Area School District at the W.R. Croman Elementary School in Troy, PA to run a successful school-home literacy project is now available on its website. There is no cost to downloading the curriculum.

Her curriculum improvement project is a three part School-Home Literacy Project. The combination of the three components enhances the curriculum, validates and strengthens families, deepens the sense of personal responsibility of the children concerning their own learning, and increases achievement. If other teachers are interested in duplicating this project the CFTT may be able to help in finding funds to be used to purchase books that are of high interest, have repetitive text, good illustrations, and are similar to the books used for classroom instruction to be used for the sole purpose of the “at home reading project”.

The first part of the project involves a read at home plan for the children. They will take home a book every day that is at their own reading level to read to their family. When they return the book to school the next day, they will read the book again, this time to a classmate, thus adding an extra practice session in fluency. At the beginning of the year, Claire will meet with parents to offer tips for working with their children and the books at home. Each parent will also receive written suggestions for working with the books at home.

The second part of the project involves the purchase of “trade” books for parents to read to their children at home. These books will be good children’s literature, beyond the children’s reading level. Along with the book to take home to read to a family member, each child will also take a book home each night for a family member to read to him or her. Having this as “homework” will help build and reinforce a joyful literacy habit at home. This will also help ensure that children’s literacy materials are available at home.

The third aspect involves a writing component for literacy development. For young children, life with their family is one of the most if not the most salient part of their life. To tap into this area of deep feeling and interest and to further the bond between home and school, a photography/writing/reading project will be undertaken using inexpensive digital cameras. The cameras will be sent home with children on a rotating basis so the children can photograph their family members, home, pets, etc. The children will write stories and books about their photos, share them with the other students, as well as display them. The photos will be used for vocabulary development as well as another way to bring home and school together.

The Community Foundation for the Twin Tiers (CFTT) is a non-profit public foundation established in 2002 by a diverse group of local leaders and residents. The Foundation encourages community philanthropy to enhance the quality of life for those who reside in Bradford, Sullivan and Tioga Counties in Pennsylvania and Tioga County in New York State. It establishes endowment funds for charitable purposes from contributions of citizens, corporations, other foundations, charitable organizations and government agencies. As the endowment funds grow, it uses the interest earned on these funds to make grants to organizations or projects that serve identified community needs.

If you have an interest in learning more about the CFTT or in establishing a fund, you can contact the organization by any of these methods: telephone - 570-888-4759; fax - 570-888-2179; email - cftt@stny.rr.com; or visit the website - www.twintierscf.org.

CFTT is dedicated to making a difference locally "for good - for ever^TM"