First Literacy Inc

Programs: At first literacy, we have seen that by supporting teachers, program administrators, and advisers - the people who interact with students every day - outcomes for adult students improve. Our capacity-building efforts strengthen a program's ability to achieve greater impact by providing best teaching practices in the areas of methodology, resources, and curriculum design. They also encourage innovation and creativity in the classroom and promote lifelong learning through professional development and networking. Our approach takes the form of three distinct, but interconnected initiatives:- professional development workshops/teachers' circles- first literacy lab initiative- scholarships and mentorshipsprofessional development workshops provide adult educators with information and resources on evidence-based teaching methodology and curriculum design, cross-cultural issues, and student assessment approaches relevant to the adult education classroom. Teachers who participate in workshops, facilitated by knowledgeable peers or expert consultants, are supported in trying out new ideas in their classrooms and sharing their experiences with peers on site and at follow-up workshops. In 2017, first literacy hosted 18 workshops on topics such as:- approaches to writing for students' high school equivalency, college, and careers- digital resources to create independent learning opportunities- math instruction for high school equivalencyteachers' circles provide a forum for practitioners to share ideas, concerns, and issues on topics of their own choosing. Facilitated by peers and first literacy's director of programs, teachers' circles provide space for the conversations, idea exchange, and networking that formal, structured workshops rarely allow. These circles were initiated at the request of teachers hungry to share thinking with their peers. Since most adult educators live a "migrant" teaching life, moving from one site to another, workshops and teachers' circles help to mitigate isolation and fragmentation among teachers. In fy 2017, first literacy hosted three esol teachers' circles and two abe teachers' circles. In total, first literacy directly served 249 educators and indirectly served approximately 6,000 adult learners through our professional development workshops and teachers' circles. Our first literacy lab initiative increases the effectiveness of literacy programs by supporting the development, trial, and implementation of promising, innovative resources and practices for adult education practitioners and programs through small grants. During 2017, first literacy supported 14 projects at 12 programs in greater boston, initially impacting 374 students. Projects include- a pilot designed to improve the effectiveness of volunteers;- the development of video lessons to advance students' pronunciation, and- an administrative assistant training class. To extend the dissemination of findings from first literacy lab grants, teachers who complete successful projects are invited to become presenters of workshops in the following year. In addition, all recipients are brought together annually at the first literacy lab project presentations, an event that is open to all abe staff and other interested participants. In october 2016, 70 adult educators gathered at district hall in boston's seaport to hear the results of the 2016 first literacy lab projects. Adult learners who have successfully completed basic studies in an abe program and are pursuing college or technical education are eligible for a first literacy scholarship. Recipients are awarded scholarships in recognition of their educational achievements and potential, their commitment to community service, and their resiliency and perseverance in the face of hardship. To ensure that scholarship recipients succeed in their next steps, first literacy provides peer mentors, a key component missing from conventional aid. Scholarship recipients are paired with one another-usually second year recipients with first year recipients-to navigate the challenging landscape of college, balance their education, work, and family responsibilities, and manage their time to make it all possible. Our findings suggest that while the scholarship makes going back to school possible, the mentorship is what makes school a success. The relationships developed between the peer mentors help cement the community we strive to create through our outreach to our scholars. To sustain this ongoing learning community, we host scholar networking evenings, invite scholars to all first literacy events, ask interested scholars to speaker at events and contribute to our blog, and first literacy representatives attend all community and educational events where our scholar are honored. We also look for ways in which we can more deeply involve the scholars with the broader community and cultural life of our city. In the fall, first literacy was chosen as a partner program for the boston symphony orchestra's symphony for our city. Through this partnership, first literacy's scholars were invited to attend free symphony concerts and educational talks about classical music, including a holiday pops concert and a trip to tanglewood in western massachusetts. We believe that such events will inspire the adult learners outside the classroom and deepen their connection to boston and first literacy. Finally, we strive to strengthen the scholar community by introducing to our scholars inspiring adult learners who have succeeded, therefore building confidence and encouraging continued determination for learners to reach their goals. We invite boston's mayor marty walsh, who graduated from college while already serving as a member of the massachusetts house of representatives, to host the scholarship ceremony every year. This is always a moving celebration, but having the mayor speak so candidly to the scholars makes it unforgettable. He shows them what is possible with hard work and resolve.