A Day in a Parenting and Family Literacy Centre
| On a visit to a Parenting and Family Literacy Centre on a typical day you will see an
elementary classroom filled with a culturally diverse group of parents, grandparents and child
minders reflective of the school community, with their children 0 - 6 years old. Groups of adults
and children will be engaged in a range of activities which encourage socializing, problem solving
and language development. Each Centre has a schedule which includes music and story time,
snack time, art activities, sand and water play, dramatic play, grossmotor play, puzzles and
a time to use simple and inexpensive learning materials which can be replicated at home,
and are designed to develop literacy and numeracy concepts necessary for kindergarten entry. Parents will have the opportunity to meet other adults experiencing similar situations.
There is on going informal discussion around parenting issues such as toileting, sleep,
discipline, reading and school life. Every site has a multilingual book lending library. A
professional Parent Worker who has a broad knowledge of child development and is familiar
with local resources and the school system facilitates the Centres. Special needs conditions such as hearing loss or speech problems are identified early and
the family is linked to appropriate community resources so that when the child enters
kindergarten they are more ready to learn. Most importantly you will see parents who have
been positively introduced to the school system and understand the key role they play in their
child's education. There are currently 78 Parenting and Family Literacy Centres in the
TDSB. All Centres are free to the community and hours vary per site. No registration is
required and parents have the flexibility to use the Centres as best suits their families needs. |