QUALITY STORYTENTS
A resource for family, early childhood and community literacy workers
The Storytent project will run for ## weeks, from Month, Day to Month, Day, Year. Training would be on-going, with three hours per week designated. The program consists of a reading tent, offered ten times per week (morning and afternoon) over five separate locations.
A Storytent consists of one or more canopies, blankets and ground sheets, a variety of popular books including picture, story and chapter books, and two to three adult workers. One role of the workers is to talk and sing with, listen to, and read to and with children as requested by the children themselves. Another role is to build and maintain relationships and a positive social and learning environment. An array of literacy activities happen at a Storytent, including: reading aloud to children; listening to children read; shared reading; independent reading; independent writing; and talking. Children and adults are also provided with a healthy snack.
Two book giveaways will be used to help provide a bridge between the storytent and reading at home. Other enhancements might include: skipping, sidewalk chalk, word games, etc.
The methods used to support learning will be based on the established principles of an humanistic, learner-centered philosophy of delivery and management (Glasser, 1994: Knowles, 1988); early childhood education (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1990) and Quality Education (Glasser, 2000; Glasser, 1998), hence the name Quality Storytents.
The evaluation will consist of interviews with parents, children and program partners, Summer Reading Club statistics, and compiled staff comments and observations.