“My daddy could not read or write, so I grew up seeing how limiting it can be,” she said. “I often say he was the smartest man I have ever known, but I always wonder what else he could have done if he knew how to read. The Imagination Library will always be my tribute to him.”

Twenty-five years ago, she launched Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL), a book gifting program for children 5 and under in her home county in Tennessee. The program now spans five countries, including the United Kingdom and Canada. Preschool children receive a specially selected, age-appropriate book each month. As of December, the Imagination Library has gifted over 150 million books.

Dolly’s mission

“Inspiring kids to love to read became my mission,” said the 11-time Grammy Award winner. “In the beginning, my hope was simply to inspire the children in my home county, but here we are today with a worldwide program that gives a book a month to well over 1.7 million children.”

Before he died, Parton’s father told her the Imagination Library was probably the most important thing she’d ever done. 

“To have even a remote chance for success, you have to know how to read and write,” said the actress and author. “And the best way to learn is to love books and love reading.”

The books, which are selected by a committee of early childhood experts, focus on core human values, such as respect, acceptance, consideration, empathy, and love toward other human beings. The program received a Best Practice Award from the U.S. Library of Congress for addressing social barriers to literacy. 

The magic of a book

The Imagination Library is part of The Dollywood Foundation, a non-profit organization Parton started in 1988 to inspire kids to achieve educational success. Parton’s vision is to help kids develop a lifelong love of reading, prepare them for school, and inspire them to dream. 

“I want the child to feel the magic of a book arriving and the excitement of opening it up,” Parton said. “This love of books will last a lifetime.”

Both DPIL and The Dollywood Foundation support and provide resources for families to build literacy learning at home. Their goal is to get more communities involved in the program and to enroll more children.

Emotional literacy

Research shows a child’s brain develops more from birth to age 5 than at any other time in life. That early brain development has a lifelong impact on a child’s ability to learn; experiences during that time — positive or negative — shape how their brains develop.

Early learning development is always important but it’s been challenging during the pandemic when libraries, schools, community centers, and childcare facilities are closed in many parts of the United States and many families don’t have learning resources at home. 

Kids 0-5 are experiencing the pandemic during a critical time in their development. Parents and caregivers can nurture their children with language-rich interactions like talking, reading, and singing to provide a safe, stable, and supportive environment at home. 

Parton and her team at DPIL worry about the widening of the resource gap to support school-age children. It’s important to support the youngest and most vulnerable children during COVID-19 using a contactless approach. They encourage families to give books to kids and read to them, too. 

Reading can help kids develop the emotional literacy skills to control situations where they might feel vulnerable and unsafe. Plus, research shows that regular reading routines are linked to healthier mental outcomes.

To register a child to receive books, donate or help start a program in your community, go to https://imaginationlibrary.com

The post How Dolly Parton Turned Her Passion Into a Worldwide Literacy Program appeared first on Education and Career News.

Tiffany Jewell

Author, “This Book Is Anti-Racist”

How has anti-racism influenced you?

Anti-racism has helped me have a clearer understanding of the world around me and how we got here, and it has helped me shape a clear vision of what an anti-racist, just society could and will be like.

Who did you write This Book Is Anti-Racist for?

This is the book I wish I had when I was 9 years old. I wrote this for all my former students who always want to know that, even though they’re young, they have the agency to make impactful change. And, this is the book I want my children to read. I wrote this book for parents and families, for educators and administrators. I wrote it for all the students and children who live in our racialized society. This book is for our ancestors. It’s for our futures.

What effect do you hope This Book Is Anti-Racist will have on the reader?

I hope this book opens up a door for a deeper understanding of our collective history of racism. Everyone who reads this will have the opportunity to reflect, grow, and move towards working in solidarity with others. Readers are encouraged to create action that disrupts racism. I hope every reader will see themselves in this book and be moved to work towards liberation.

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Dr. Craig Meador

President, American Printing House

What challenges have visually impaired students experienced due to the pandemic?

When schools moved to non-traditional instruction, the students with visual impairments were left with little support. They received the same classroom materials their sighted peers received. Often, the districts relied on platforms that lacked accessibility.

How did the learning platform Hive help bridge this gap?

We began to grow the Hive community through several venues, like the Access Academy, which provides professional trainings provided by APH staff, university programs, field professionals, and many of our partner companies. Topics have included everything from screen readers, magnification, and Braille translation to courses on skills needed for daily life. 

What role do your ConnectCenter web-based programs play in helping students?

FamilyConnect provides resources for parents and families of students with visual impairment.

Families will hear from bloggers who have walked similar paths in the past. There are resources that answer questions about diagnosis, care, educational rights, and day-to-day experiences.

We also have a free hotline service offered through the ConnectCenter. It is staffed from 8 am to 8 pm and can be reached by calling 800-232-5463 or emailing connectcenter@aph.org. The hotline offers free information on virtually any topic related to visual impairment and blindness. Our calls to this line really increased during COVID-19 as local services began to shut down.

^{This has been paid for by American Printing House.}

The post Empowering Blind and Visually Impaired Students During COVID-19 appeared first on Education and Career News.

Lauren Bercuson, creator of the blog Happily Ever Elephants, has become an advocate for diversity in children’s literature. She began the blog in early 2015, after her youngest child survived some early health complications. “I wanted him to have books to see that he could do anything he put his mind to and that he was no different from any other child,” Bercuson said. “Reading became that one point of the day where I felt calm and connected, and I felt like when we opened the pages of a book, we were all on the same first page.”

Bercuson had always been the go-to person for her friends when they needed new books. “I was the one that had the best recommendations, whether it was board books, books for toddlers. I always had my finger on the new and exciting things that came out in the children’s book world,” she said. “It all led to my career change from being an attorney to a children’s librarian and book blogger.”

Advocating for diversity has fueled Bercuson’s passion for children’s literature. “I stand up for what I believe in. I don’t shy away from the fact that I believe all children, no matter what kind of family or background you come from, need to see themselves represented in stories. You might come from a conservative family but there might be a child in that family that is struggling with their gender identity. Those children need to see themselves in books.”

Normalizing happy lives

When considering books to recommend, Bercuson looks for books written by authors or illustrators from minority groups, or “own voices” books. “Getting authors and illustrators from these groups that then portray their own lived experiences through books, those are huge to me,” she said. “There’s been a big push in the publishing industry to get more of these books out in the world and into these children’s hands.”

Conversations around diversity with children need not be heavy, Bercuson said. She tries to seek out books that show diverse children living joyful lives. “As an example, we shouldn’t only read books about Black history that have to do with slavery and the fight for civil rights.  We want to share joyful Black children’s stories at all times that center Black and Brown children just being kids.”

Still a white-dominated world

While diversity is increasing in the pages of children’s books, the publishing industry still has a long way to go to increase diversity behind the scenes. The diversity baseline survey, released by Lee and Low Books in 2019, reveals a publishing industry dominated by white, straight, able-bodied employees, from interns to the executive level. 

As an advocate, Bercuson has sometimes faced backlash from parents. “I always lose followers when I share books about the LGBT experience or Black Lives Matter,” she said. “But I advocate for these positions because for our children to grow up in a world where they can walk outside into an inclusive and passionate community worldwide, they need these stories in their hands.”

Despite the backlash, Bercuson remains headstrong in her mission to encourage greater diversity in the pages of children’s books. “It is through diverse and multicultural stories that children learn about people both around the world and right in their own backyards – people whose lives are perceived as being different, but who all share the same fundamental needs and desires. This is truly how we begin to bridge divides.”

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The pandemic has presented challenges for students, educators, and parents. Chief among them, how do we keep students learning without the resources we rely on? While remote education has become the norm, issues remain that need to be addressed. By tackling them, we can make the future of education brighter for all.

For students

Stick to a schedule. Schools have adapted asynchronous learning models where students choose when to log on and study, but this allows too much time for procrastination and disengagement. Therefore, remote learning must become more formalized, with dedicated learning times, tighter deadlines, and resources like Huntington Study Hall to encourage accountability.

For teachers

Ensure students understand remote learning tools. To maximize remote learning, teachers must provide students with guidance and training on how to use remote learning tools effectively.

For parents

Seek alternative sources of 1:1 engagement. Class size has always been an important consideration, and it’s even more pronounced as classes have moved online. By its nature, remote learning reduces students’ engagement with teachers and classmates. To help, parents must look to virtual small groups and 1:1 tutoring options like HuntingtonHelps LIVE.

While education is evolving, it’s likely that remote learning will maintain a key role. By tackling resulting issues head-on, we can proactively keep education continuous for all students.

For more information, please visit the Huntington Learning Center website.

The post Three Ways to Improve Remote Learning for a More Successful Future appeared first on Education and Career News.

In the contest, students demonstrate their Braille literacy skills by competing in a series of categories ranging from reading comprehension to spelling to speed and accuracy. “Think of it like the national spelling bee but for Braille readers and much more comprehensive” says Sergio Oliva, associate vice president of programs and services at Braille Institute. “Braille Challenge motivates students to hone and practice their Braille literacy skills which is essential to academic and employment success.”

Studies indicate that only about 23 percent of youth who are blind or visually impaired graduate high school and less than 15 percent go on to receive a bachelor’s degree. Braille literacy can be the bridge from high school to college and beyond. “We are committed to supporting the long-term success, independence, and self-confidence of those with vision loss,” says Peter Mindnich, president of Braille Institute.

Braille Institute of America has been supporting braille literacy and hosting the Braille Challenge for more than 20 years. Regional competitions for the Braille Challenge take place throughout the United States and Canada, and then the top 50 students are invited to compete in Braille Challenge Finals which are held in Los Angeles. For 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the finals competition took place virtually.

Getting involved

Many of the past Braille Challenge students have continued on to higher education and beyond. Yet they remain active Braille Challenge alumni, returning to support current students. One of those active alumni is Caitlin Hernandez who competed in Braille Challenge back in 2006 and 2008. She attended and graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a BA in Literature. She then received her master’s degree in Special Education from San Francisco State University. She is now a full-time special education teacher. “Braille Challenge inspired me to be a strong Braille reader and writer which is something that continues helping me in my career today,” says Caitlin.

There are numerous ways to get involved and participate in the Braille Challenge. Students who are blind or visually impaired are welcome to participate in one of more than 50 regional Braille Challenge competitions that take place throughout the United States and Canada. Volunteers are also needed, especially those who are Teachers of the Visually Impaired to help with proctoring and scoring, and donation support is always welcomed to sustain this important program.

You can learn more about Braille Institute free services and the Braille Challenge program by visiting bit.ly/bcliteracy2021 or calling 1-800-BRAILLE (272-4553).

^{This has been paid for by Braille Institute.}

The post The Braille Challenge: All Students Are Winners appeared first on Education and Career News.

The pandemic has forced a pivot to online and hybrid learning for K-12 students, leading to a sharp increase in screen time for kids of all ages. However, research indicates that overexposure to blue light emitted by computer screens could result in damaged eyes.

Understanding the danger

“Blue light, which is naturally emitted from the sun, has both dangers and benefits to our bodies,” said Dr. Premilla Banwait, OD, FAAO, optometric consultant at online eyewear retailer Zenni. “Although studies in this area are more recent, they point to blue light’s negative effects on eye health in the form of eye strain, dry eye, macular degeneration, headaches, and sleep disruption. Children are especially vulnerable to the high energy portion of the light spectrum, which includes blue light and UV, because their young eyes have not yet developed natural defenses.”

Banwait also pointed out that during this time of social distancing, children are spending more time in front of screens to complete their schoolwork, but also in lieu of other normal activities.

Finding solutions

Fortunately, there are many ways to offset the risks associated with overexposure to blue light — for both children and adults.

“Give your child’s work environment ample amount of natural light to reduce eyestrain that may occur when the screen is brighter than their workspace. When possible, engage your kids in some easy yoga stretches that involve standing up and focusing at a distance. Even better, get them outdoors in between classes to break up long periods of screen viewing and assist with eye relaxation; and place a desktop monitor 25 inches and a laptop no fewer than 20 inches away from your child’s face. You can also use an arm’s length distance for comfortable viewing.”

Another simple solution for parents is to invest in glasses with blue light blocking lenses. “Blue light-blocking lenses such as Zenni Blokz^®  help block harmful UV and blue light emitted from digital screens, artificial light, and the sun,” said Banwait. “Blue and UV light live in the high energy portion of the light spectrum, which ranges from 280-500nm. Zenni Blokz^®  lenses block out 100 percent UV light and nearly 100 percent HEV blue light up to 415 nanometers, with some additional blue light protection beyond 415nm. As a comparison, traditional sunglasses with ‘full’ UV protection only block 380-400nm.”

This article has been paid for by Zenni.

The post Offsetting Children’s Blue Light Exposure Caused by the Pandemic and Online Learning appeared first on Education and Career News.

If you’re a new parent, you already know that reading is crucial for encouraging learning and acclimating your child to the world. However, reading regularly is only part of the equation; the diversity of your child’s library is also important to consider.

“Diverse and inclusive books can help children and even babies understand that all people have similarities and differences — and that all people have worth,” said Stefanie Paige Wieder, who is a child development specialist with a master’s degree in education and the director of education and content for Barefoot Books, an independent, award-winning children’s book publisher specializing in diverse and inclusive books.

“Research shows that, unfortunately, children naturally develop bias,” Wieder added. She pointed out that two recent studies suggested that as young as six months old, infants show racial bias in favor of people who are their own race and against people of different races.

“Diverse and inclusive books can help prevent bias by getting children used to seeing a wide variety of people,” Wieder explained. “They also give children who have typically been underrepresented in books and media the chance to see themselves reflected in the books they read.”

Books can save the world

Promoting self-esteem in your child at a young age is essential, and here, books can play a positive or negative role, depending on whether your child identifies with the characters on the pages. “When children see themselves or people like them in books, it increases their feelings of positive self-worth. And the opposite is true, too. When children rarely or never see themselves reflected in books, they receive the message that they are outside of what is acknowledged and accepted as ‘normal,’” Wieder said.

Increasing the diversity of your child’s library can increase their capacity for empathy. “Books can also serve as very important windows into the lives of others,” Wieder explained. “When books give young readers a glimpse into lives they might not otherwise encounter, it helps them understand the experiences of others.”

To promote diversity in reading, Wieder suggested avoiding books that feature stereotypes. On the flip side, she recommended choosing those that include characters among a variety of “races, cultures, lifestyles, and abilities doing relatable, everyday things,” especially those that involve cultures or customs that are unfamiliar to them.

The result: a smarter, more worldly — and kinder — child. And what parent doesn’t want that?

The post Building a Diverse Library Can Make Your Child a Kinder Human appeared first on Education and Career News.

While the words house and home are often used interchangeably, there are important distinctions and differences. Whereas one, house, can be used to describe a place where one simply exists, the other, home, brings with it a sense of community and belonging. The same can be said of children’s literature. Inclusive children’s literature builds homes in which readers of different backgrounds can immerse themselves and feel seen and understood.

“When kids can see themselves in books that they read about, and they read about characters who look like them and have families like them and live like them, they feel that they’re a valuable member of a community and a society,” says Lesa Cline-Ransome, author of middle-grade novels “Finding Langston” and “Leaving Lymon.” Published by Holiday House — the first and oldest children’s-only publisher in America — the books focus on the experiences of two young Black boys and their searches for acceptance and belonging. 

Understanding others

Cline-Ransome, who started writing books 25 years ago, knows what it’s like to not see herself reflected in literature. As a Black girl growing up in a white community in Massachusetts, she didn’t have relatable books or characters. Her favorite book was “The Diary of Anne Frank” because she related to what it felt like to be an outsider.

Now, Cline-Ransome’s books have found a home with Holiday House, whose publishing program has long included an array of diverse and inclusive titles.

“Reading books about people outside of your group can help you gain an understanding of underrepresented groups and dispel stereotypes and understand that your experience isn’t more valuable, or more important than anyone else’s experience,” says Cline-Ransome.

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The pandemic’s impact on students who are blind or low-vision, and the educators who work with them, is personal for me.

I spent 34 years as a teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI) while having a visual impairment myself. Now as a director of research for the American Foundation for the Blind, I was proud to serve as lead researcher on the Access and Engagement report, which examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education of children and youth with visual impairments, including those with additional disabilities and deafblindness. The collaborative study included responses from 1,432 individuals in the United States and Canada who represented 455 children, 710 TVIs, 138 orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists, and 180 dually certified professionals.

For all children, families, and educators, the quick shift to remote education in spring 2020 presented significant challenges. For students with visual impairments, the shift has widened the gap in educational equality.

Findings and results

For example, findings in the study showed:

• Thirteen percent of students did not receive educational services in the spring during the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, 61 percent attended school online, and 43 percent of students attending online had difficulty or were unable to access online programs because of their visual impairment.
• Students had tools at school they did not have access to at home: 17 percent did not have a tablet, 21 percent did not have a laptop, 18 percent did not have a Perkins brailler, 55 percent did not have large-print books, 50 percent did not have screen reader software, and 28 percent did not have recreational Braille books.

For the TVIs and O&M instructors:

• Eighty-one percent of professionals were given less than one week to prepare for the shift to online or remote education due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Eighty-five percent of TVIs who had students in a general or special education online class described having at least one student with an accessibility issue.
• O&M specialists reported they were only able to continue working with 45 percent of their students in early intervention, preschool, and/or those with additional disabilities.

Working hard

Organizations such as the American Foundation for the Blind are hard at work using the results of the Access and Engagement study in our advocacy work. But the work cannot be done by organizations alone. There are concrete steps you can take, whether you’re a student, a family member or guardian, an administrator, or someone who is invested in the education of children with visual impairments.

Whether it’s sharing the report with administrators and legislators, writing a letter to the editor of your local paper, or contacting manufacturers of educational tools that are not accessible to students with disabilities, it is imperative that our communities come together to ensure students with visual impairments, including those with additional disabilities and deafblindness, are able to access and engage in education. Visit afb.org/AccessEngagement to learn more.

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