Humanities Washington Motheread/Fatheread Washington Training

Inquiring Mind

Awards

Special Programs

Support Us

> For Parents > For Instructors > Instructor Trainings > Curriculum

Motheread/Fatheread® Washington Training
The next Motheread/Fatheread training is scheduled October 24-27, 2006 at the John Stanford Center in Seattle. For information about the training or to obtain an application form, please contact at (206) 682-1770 or via .

During the intensive Motheread/Fatheread four-day institute, participants will learn:

how Motheread/Fatheread's learner-centered, contextual approach to family reading can work in parent involvement, parenting, and family literacy programs;

how to help parents become reading role models for their children and enhance parenting skills;

how to use reading-aloud techniques and discussion of children's books to give parents the confidence and skills to read effectively with their children and increase family communication;

how to teach parents and children using curriculum based on multicultural children's literature.

Institute participants receive a complete curriculum based on 127 children's books and become certified Motheread/Fatheread instructors. Join instructors from partner agencies throughout Washington who have incorporated the Motheread/Fatheread techniques and approach into their program offerings. Partner agencies include Title I, Even Start, and Head Start programs; family resource centers, literacy councils, school districts, tribal communities, community colleges, and correctional facilities.

To register or for additional information about Motheread/Fatheread trainings please contact at 206-682-1770.

Motheread/Fatheread Curriculum
The classes are based on outstanding children's books appropriate for children from 2 to 11 years of age. Many of the stories are selected from African American, Native American, Latino, Asian and other ethnic traditions, although not all are culturally specific. The curriculum consists of two components: one for use with adults and one with children. The adult lessons are arranged by child and family development themes. For use with children, the Storysharing Handbook emphasizes reading techniques, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

The Motheread/Fatheread literacy development model is based on these principles:

Learner-centered instruction: the context of the students' lives determines the content;
Holistic approach: the class incorporates several language skills — reading, writing, speaking, listening;
Non-deficit perspective: learning is based on the strengths the participant already has instead of focusing on weaknesses;
Social network: the class provides a vehicle for social support of learning.

Training Institutes
Humanities Washington sponsors training institutes to instruct staff from partner agencies in the Motheread/Fatheread methods and curriculum. The program consists of two components: 1) preparation for teaching small group parent classes in literacy development and reading with their children, and 2) preparation for conducting Storysharing sessions for groups of children in which adult volunteers or staff read and discuss good children's literature. Sometimes these two components take place simultaneously at the same site, but Storysharing can also take place in a variety of other settings. Participants return to their communities with a complete curriculum for both components.

Partner agencies are responsible for:

training institute tuition for instructors;
cost of travel and meals for training institute participants;
conducting at least 2 parent class cycles within a year of training;
trained instructors for parent classes;
class sites for parent classes;
when possible providing books for each family in Motheread/Fatheread classes;
transportation, child care, and refreshments for classes when necessary;
providing reports to Humanities Washington.

Instructors are responsible for:

recruiting parents;
conducting at least 2 parent class cycles within a year of training;
activity supplies (an average of $25 per class cycle);
providing reports to Humanities Washington.

Humanities Washington is responsible for:

providing training for instructors;
providing ongoing support of instructors and partner agencies: including annual instructors meeting, quarterly newsletter, web-based curriculum support, and e-mail listserv;
coordinating Motheread/Fatheread programs throughout the state;
evaluating Motheread/Fatheread programs in Washington State;
providing books for parents as available.

to top

T 206.682.1770
F 206.682.4158