“People know that they need to engage families, that relationships are key, but they don’t always connect that to the incredibly important performance indicators we want for kids. That feels like a true opportunity moving forward, to really capitalize on the demand that exists for family engagement….If you care about tutoring, you de facto have […]
“Something I've learned is that this work falls on a continuum. A literacy-rich environment can be as simple as paint and chalk on a sidewalk or can look like a much more expensive play structure. But I think the amazing thing with this work is that both of those examples can contribute to children's learning […]
“Through this work over the decades, we have seen the value of community leadership because place is such a critical factor in kids’ life trajectories. If you look at the research on economic mobility and education attainment, it's down to the ZIP code level because it really is at that community level where the formal […]
This Funder-to-Funder session was a continuation of a series of conversations focused on early math that began in 2020. This session explored how funders are working creatively and with growing impact to ensure that more children get a stronger start in this critical building block of early school success. Jessica Tilli, Ed.D., of The […]
“So what does it look like for philanthropy, which has so much privilege, to be able to stand in solidarity with movement partners, with communities? Funders wait for a rainy day — and it’s pouring out right now. Now is the time to be contributing and funding support for immigrant children and families. Use your privilege and […]
I can’t help but think about…a statue of Fred Rogers that stands as a constant reminder to Pittsburgh but also to America to, as said, ‘Think of the kids first.’ That’s what those of us here need to do. That’s what we need to ask of ourselves and of our neighbors, and it’s what we […]
“Bill Isler said that, through television, we have the choice of encouraging others to demean this life or to cherish it in creative and imaginative ways. We see Genie and Thy as two people who are using television to cherish life. And the impact of that transcends geography, right? Yes, Phoebe & Jay is being […]
“Families trust educators often more than educators trust families. So we need to create the conditions for educators to challenge their mindsets, to actually learn what it means to effectively engage families. One of the things we often say here at Flamboyan is ‘Families are experts in their child. As an educator, you are an expert in content and pedagogy so how you support the child is […]