Parent and Family Workshops

photo©JaneHoffer

Learning Leaders Program Coordinator, Liu Yang, conducts a We All Count workshop with parents at Lower East Side Even Start

Learning Leaders offers a wide variety of free workshops in multiple languages for parent volunteers and non-volunteers alike. On any day during the school year, there may be workshops taking place in up to 15 different locations on different topics in English, Bengali, Chinese, Haitian-Creole, Russian and/or Spanish. Learning Leaders publications that accompany these workshops are provided free to participants; most are translated into at least one language beside English. Check back soon for a schedule of workshops near you, or contact your school's Parent Coordinator or the Learning Leaders central office at 212-213-3370.

MIDDLE SCHOOL INITIATIVE

Learning Leaders offers the following workshops for parents or family members of rising (5th grade) and current (6th-8th grade) middle school students.

Meeting in the Middle

Learning as much as possible about the world of early adolescence is an important step in helping teenagers. Six themes are central to this two-hour interactive workshop:

• physical, emotional, social, and cognitive change
• developing an identity
• communication
• independence
• responsibility
• confidence and self- esteem

Moving to the Middle

Moving from an elementary school to a middle school brings about a wide variety of emotions, behaviors, and concerns for both young adolescents and their parents. More than 80% of public school students in New York City begin the middle level grades in a new school, a transition that may be overwhelming to them. This two-hour interactive workshop is designed to address some of the concerns and questions that parents often raise about moving to a middle school:

• Is one middle school structure better than another?
• What are instructional programs like in middle school?
• How do I find the right middle school for my child?
• How do I help my child make the transition to middle school?
• responsibility
• confidence and self- esteem

For more information about the Middle School Initiative, contact Jane Ehrenberg Rosen at 212-213-3370 ext. 371 or email jrosen@learningleaders.org

Visit Resources for tips and tools to help you support your child's learning in school and at home!

High School Transition

Students have many options when it comes to high school programs in New York City. In recent years, the Department of Education has changed the admissions process and in some cases admissions requirements; created new, small secondary schools that offer specific curricular programs; and divided numberous traditional, large high schools into several schools or academies inhabiting one buliding. There are programs for students who have trouble succeeding in traditional high schools; others offer a vocational orientation, and still others designed for English Language Learners. Choosing the "right high school" is very important. Students and parents/guardians need to begin early, explore the options, and make informed decisions.

For more information on High School Transition, please call (212) 213-3370 ext. 375 or email highschool@learningleaders.org.

Visit our Resources for Parents section for tips and tools to help you support your child's learning in school and at home!

Family Literacy Workshops

The Family Literacy Project provides interactive workshops and specially developed materials to help parents become more involved, effective and confident reading to and with their children, building math skills, assisting with writing, and furthering their children’s education. The Project emphasizes that parents are their child’s first and most important teacher. As a result of the workshops, children become successful readers and learners, and parents become more deeply involved in their children’s education.

Reading to Grow

Reading to Grow is designed to aid students in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten. Participants learn about practical ways to encourage a love for language and reading through read-aloud, storytelling, and speaking. They also receive information on the importance of phonemic awareness, letter and sound recognition, and beginning comprehension skills as the foundations of reading.

Developing your Young Reader

Developing your Young Reader is geared toward students in kindergarten through 2nd grades. Its purpose is to inform participants about the ways in which they can help children practice independent reading and develop reading fluency. A large part of this workshop is devoted to witnessing and practicing effective read-aloud techniques that encourage children’s comprehension through everyday interaction and discussion.

Reading to Learn

Reading to Learn focuses on fostering independent reading skills of students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. Participants are introduced to the reading process and learn strategies to encourage and support reluctant readers while improving their fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, and attitude toward reading.

Get Your Child Ready to Write

Get you Child Ready to Write is designed to support children in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten at the beginning stages of writing. It teaches participants about the connection between oral and written language, the importance of fine motor skills versus gross motor skills, the stages of writing, and the importance of play so that they can be confident in helping young children begin to write.

Getting it “Write” from the Start

Geting it "Write" from the start informs participants about modeled, shared, and interactive techniques used to teach and inspire writing in kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade students. It provides participants with the opportunity to experience and explore the central role that literature plays in the development of a writer. Most importantly, participants are introduced to fun, interactive tools that can be used to reinforce writing skills at home.

Help Your Child Grow as a Writer

Help Your Child Grow as a Writer concentrates on the writing process and the genres of writing with which 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students must be familiar. Participants are introduced to and informed about these different genres and write for fun while following the steps of the writing process.

Storytelling and Bookmaking

Storytelling and Bookmaking demonstrates how the effective use of storytelling, bookmaking, and other enjoyable activities increase a child’s interest in reading and writing. Participants experience modeled read-aloud and storytelling as well as different methods of making books with children. This workshop is appropriate for anyone looking to support the development of reading and writing skills in pre-kindergarten to 5th grade students.

We All Count

We All Count is geared towards parents of elementary school children. Parents participate in various interactive activities to learn more about early childhood math concepts such as matching/sorting, patterns, the basic math operations, etc. The goal of the workshop is to help parents feel comfortable with these concepts and be able to help and support their child at home.

In addition to these programs, Learning Leaders offers many other free worksops, including:

It's Your Turn

It's Your Turn is a popular workshop for parents looking to return to further education or workforce preparation. This two-hour workshop address Adult and Continuing Education, ESL, GED programs, college admissions, four-year colleges vs. two-year community colleges, and more.

What Your Child Needs to Know

What Your Child Needs to know is a workshop introducing parents and family members to the Department of Education's "Great Expectations" curriculum, providing standards at each grade level.