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REACH OUT AND READ
Yesterday I met Kim Anderson, Director of Reach Out and Read for Texas. I was very impressed with this initiative.
From the Reach Out and Read website:
Reach Out and Read (ROR) is a national nonprofit organization that promotes early literacy by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud in pediatric exam rooms across the nation.
Doctors and nurses know that growing up healthy means growing up with books. The ROR program provides the tools to help promote children's developmental skills and later school success.
Reach Out and Read Texas includes more than 240 sites where health care providers distribute books according to a research-based protocol. Well child checkups for children age 6 months through 5 years include the use and distribution of a new book. Referral to appropriate adult literacy classes for parents exhibiting reading difficulties is a part of the process.
Learn more about early literacy and the Reach Out and Read project at: www.reachoutandread.org
Servant Leadership
Servant leadership is not a new concept. It's been around for awhile. Topic of sermons and workshops. In churches and businesses. Servant leadership is caring more about the ones who need serving than about the leaders who serve them. Servant leadership is earning the right to lead by serving others.
Jesus Christ set the example as a servant leader. He washed feet, healed the sick, and sat down with common people because of human need. People listened to what he said because of what he did. He spoke as one having authority because he also had humility.
Servant leadership is needed wherever leadership is required. In all types of organizations: literacy and otherwise. Doing what we do for the benefit of those who need help.
That's what I'm thinking now.
advocacy
To speak up on behalf of someone else or a group. "Advocacy" in the context of literacy means speaking up for those whose voice has been marginalized. For persons whose educational deficit means lower wages and fewer opportunities. For children whose parents do not speak English well enough to help with homework.
Literacy Texas is advocating for persons with literacy needs. We are seeking to increase funding for adult education. We are also working on a number of bills before the Texas Legislature that would increase opportunities for literacy instruction and resources in other ways.
On the national level funding for such programs as Even Start - the Family Literacy program is in jeopardy.
For more on Literacy Texas and advocacy, see http://www.literacytexas.org/.
Lester Meriwether
View from the Road
Sitting at a table in a cafe watching the Houston traffic stream by I am wearing a TALAE t-shirt I bought today at the annual conference of COABE. My computer mouse is resting comfortably on a pad provided by TAALC. Today I visited with representatives of TCALL and received instructions about an upcoming TAESP workshop. I ran into representatives of ProLiteracy and Literacy USA in the hallway at the conference.
Cheryl Keenan, Director of Adult Education for the U.S. Department of Education reminded us this morning of the results of last December's NAALS report: 93 million Americans operate at a basic or below basic literacy level (8th grade). We were encouraged to represent this and other unpleasant data in ways that encourage active response instead of ostrich imitation.
Helping churches help people with literacy needs: Literacy ConneXus.
