Advocates discuss early education solutions
Just minutes into a panel discussion on the role of the greater community in providing early education for Rochester children, Shelley Matthews, the literacy coordinator for the Rochester Public Library, got right to the point.
"We're failing our children," she said. "Our youngest neighbors need our help."
Rochester children ages zero to 8 aren't the only ones being failed, but recently their plight has garnered attention and promises of action from education leaders in the community, several of whom were at the downtown library Sunday to discuss the matter.
Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren announced an early education initiative this fall that gave greater importance to the city's libraries in providing programming and resources for children before they enter prekindergarten and during summers until third grade.
Library system director Patricia Uttaro, Matthews and library youth services manager Jackie Campbell discussed ways the city libraries have tried to engage with younger patrons: for instance, summer reading programs with certified teachers and literacy lessons for refugees at the Maplewood branch.
Much of the conversation had to do with more appropriate and effective means of student and family engagement. One retired teacher in the audience, for instance, reported striking improvements in student performance when she started calling home with congratulations, not just concerns.
"There's a body of work about what young people need to be successful," Campbell said. "We have a hard time translating that."
The experts on the panel also stressed the need for volunteers to help keep the youngest children from falling behind. Help is needed at branch libraries in the city and at prekindergarten programs, run independently or through the Rochester School District.
Matthews also mentioned a need for scarves, hats, gloves and coats, saying some children can't come to programs because they don't have the clothes to bear the cold.
The forum was organized by Writers and Book as part of a series on education in Rochester. The last event will be a discussion on the topic of what makes a good school, 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Rochester Museum and Science Center. For more information, go to wab.org.
JMURPHY7@DemocratandChronicle.com