[NLA] Re: [NLA] Mother's First Book & Family Literacy Day

[Catherine B. King]

Hello Tom:

A wonderful history--thank you for bringing it to our attention.

I wasn't going to mention the Dec. 4 NYTimes article about
policy changes at Head Start--until I read your note.    I have
excerpted a few lines from it and added the web address
below.

However, from recent encroachments of administrative-party
policy onto trans-partisan and Constitutional issues at DOE,
Justice Department and now Head Start, noted in in-house
memos and newspaper articles, perhaps we may raise this
question in  light of recent discussions about the AERA
and concerns about what constitutes "Scientific Research":

That is, rather than worry about what scientific research means
to scientists, researchers, philosophers and government
officials in terms of our varied inherited traditions (see previous
notes), perhaps it is more important to look for signs that
"Scientific Research in Education" is really doublespeak, and
the new Research Institute is just another example of the
current Administration's Right-Wing Mayberry Machiavelli's
diligent and effective, and very "efficient" clean-up work?

Anyway, here are the excerpts and the web address for the
article.

"Montgomery County teachers who work with the poorest
children are surprised and dismayed by officials' plans to revamp
Head Start and emphasize academics in the long-running
federal program. . . .  Sure to be lost for many preschoolers will
be family services such as nutrition, transportation and home
visits that provide the most lasting benefits for the 'whole child,'
supporters say. . . . Figuring out just what to do is where the
disagreement begins. Those who advocate change, including
many in the Bush administration, say that helping needy families
is fine but expensive and that the benefits are unproved or elusive.

". . .Head Start advocates say improving academic performance
is part of a larger effort to help needy families become self-sufficient.
Many studies have found that Head Start teaches children such
social skills as how to behave in school and how to make friends.
Researchers conclude that the program has reduced the number
of poor children placed in special education classes."

  to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11058-2002Dec4.html

 Regards,

Catherine King
Adjunct Instructor
Department of Education
National University
San Diego, CA
----- Original Message -----
From: Thomas Sticht <tsticht at znet.com>
To: <nla at lists.literacytent.org>; <cfeatherstone at corporate.southam.ca>;
<annabelh at basic-skills.co.uk>
Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2002 2:20 PM
Subject: [NLA] Mother's First Book & Family Literacy Day


> Research Note 5 December, 2002
>
>
> Mother's First Book and Family Literacy Day in Canada
>
> Tom Sticht
> International Consultant in Adult Education
>
> In just over a month, on January 17th, 2003, those who work to advance
> adult literacy in the United States will celebrate the 128th anniversary
> of the birthday of Cora Wilson Stewart, who some regard as the founder of
> modern adult literacy education in the United States. Later, on January
> 27th, Canada will celebrate Family Literacy Day to increase awareness of
> the importance of parent's literacy in the development of children's
> literacy, and to advocate for family literacy programs in which parents
> and children learn literacy skills together.
>
> The work of Cora Wilson Stewart in the first third of the 20th century and
> that of family literacy educators of the 21st century finds an intercept
> in the understanding of the importance of the literacy of parents,
> especially mothers, on the educational achievement of children.
>
> In 1930, the Johnson Publishing Company published the first book in the
> United States aimed specifically at teaching mothers to read. Written by
> Cora Wilson Stewart, the book was entitled, "Mother's First Book: A First
> Reader for Home Women."
>
> In the introduction to the book, Stewart explains that,
>
> "This book is a first reader for women who cannot read or write. It is for
> the teacher's use in teaching such women, and by teacher is meant any
> person who helps a woman to read..While the book may be used in the
> class-room (sic), it is designed for use in the home. There are many women
> who can attend school, there are many others who cannot. Those who are
> unable to join a class or to enroll in school may be taught at home by the
> public school teacher or by an ex-teacher; or, if not by these, by a
> member of the woman's own family, by a neighbor or friend. Never was there
> a finer, nobler task for a volunteer who wants to render a patriotic,
> helpful, constructive service." (p. 5)
>
> Stewart goes on to explain that, "The lessons are centered around the home
> and the daily activities. Based as they are on simple everyday tasks - the
> care of the baby, cleanliness, proper foods for the family, cooperation
> with the school and similar subjects - they aim not only at teaching women
> to read and write, but at leading them to better home practices and higher
> ideals in their home and community life. " (p. 5)
>
> The first reading lesson in the Mother's First Book goes:
>
> "See my baby!
> See my baby play!
> My baby is well.
> I keep my baby well. " (p.11)
>
> Later, the lessons include instruction in the parenting activity of taking
> an interest in children's schooling:
>
> "Some parents visit the school.
> They make a friend of the teacher.
> They invite the teacher to the home.
> The parent and teacher talk together.
> They plan for the good of the child.
> Then the child gets on faster in school. ." (p. 46)
>
> Though the Mother's First Reader is couched in the ideas of motherhood and
> family of the rural populations of the United States in the early 20th
> century, the idea that mothers need to be literate and that through the
> intergenerational transfer of skills and attitudes the mother's education
> can influence the subsequent educational achievement of their children, is
> a foundational belief of contemporary family literacy programs.
>
> What was true in the United States over 70 years ago, is true today, and
> we adult educators in the United States show our solidarity with our
> colleagues in Canada by celebrating the importance of family literacy
> education on Family Literacy Day, January 27th 2003.
>
> Some truths are truths, eh?
>
>
>
>
>
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