
Siobhan O'Loughlin Reardon
Auerbach-Berger Senior Fellow
Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
Everyday Places & Spaces, an initiative of the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, has convened a coalition of organizations, institutions and program leaders committed to a less school-centric, “whole community” approach to children’s learning. In partnership with educational professionals, the coalition leaders are working to develop an ecosystem of out-of-school learning environments where families can connect to high-quality programs offering high-dosage tutoring, summer learning supports and other structured and unstructured opportunities that help children learn to read at grade level. The ecosystem is rooted in the home with a focus on equipping and supporting parents to create learning-rich environments through home libraries, home visiting, engaging and educational media such as PBS KIDS and Noggin, and digital connectivity. And it extends across the community into places that have learning and development as part of their mission — libraries, museums, playgrounds, etc. — as well as places that aren’t typically associated with learning such as laundromats, barbershops, grocery stores or housing complexes.
The coalition’s leaders and entrepreneurs are dedicated to ensuring these learning-rich environments are accessible to children from economically challenged, fragile and otherwise marginalized families. By collaborating with educators, they expand access to essential resources, prioritizing equity in learning. CGLR serves as the initiative’s backbone, using data, research and practitioner insights to refine strategies and drive impact.
The Everyday Places & Spaces coalition offers a series of Briefs and Resources for those interested in learning about, creating and/or connecting with informal literacy-rich learning environments and practitioners for children and families particularly in out-of-school environments. The coalition’s directory focuses on four key areas in early childhood development: pre-K readiness, reading proficiency, learning-rich environments and a whole-child approach to education and learning.
CGLR utilizes its LEO platform and GLR Learning Tuesdays webinars to shine a light on the efforts of coalition members and leaders in communities across the country who are working to foster this ecosystem. We invite you to learn more about these places and approaches and opportunities for connecting with and supporting them.
Everyday places and spaces focus Areas
EXPLORE RESOURCES
- Resources for Parents and Families-Child Development-CA Dept of Education
- How to Get Your Child Ready for Kindergarten-Your Modern Family (July 2019)
- 6 Important Early Childhood Education Facts-Simply Family Magazine – (June 2018)
- Quality Early Learning and Child Care From Birth to Kindergarten-American Academy of Pediatrics (Aug. 2017)
- The Case for Investing in High-Quality Early Learning-The Education Trust (September 2017)
- The Power of Playful Learning in the Early Childhood Setting-NAEYC.org (Summer 2022)
- Fostering Engagement Within Inclusive Settings: The Role of the Physical-Social-Temporal Environment in Early Childhood Settings-NAEYC-(Winter 2021)
- Play Based Activities That Build Reading Readiness – Edutopia.org (January 6, 2021)
- The Whole Child: The ABCs of Child Development – PBS.org
- Too Small to Fail: Surrounding Families With Early Language and Learning Opportunities
EXPLORE RESOURCES
- Common Core – State Standards Initiative
- The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
- Network for the Development of Children of African Descent
- Activities to Improve Reading in Primary School Students-Seattle Post Intelligencer (2021)
- Lead for Literacy-Shining a Light on Literacy
- Early Grades Crucial Path to Reading Proficiently – EdWeek.org (January 2015)
- Ten Evidence-Based Drivers of Effective Reading Instruction – Munro Richardson, PhD (June 28, 2022)
- Maryanne Wolf: Building Deep Reading Skills in a Digital World (August 2020)
EXPLORE RESOURCES
- Guide to Inclusive Play – Sensory Trust
- Let Kids Play! Accessible Playgrounds
- Urban95-Bernard Leer Foundation-Creating healthy, safe, and vibrant cities where babies and toddlers and their families thrive
- Child in the City – Child in the City Foundation (archive of articles)
- Playful Planet – for a Child Friendly World
- Learning Through Play – The Lego Foundation
- Teaching Diversity and Inclusion Through Play (June 2020) – TheGeniusofPlay.org
- Playful Learning Landscapes (brookings.edu) (2020)
- Creating Playful Learning Spaces in Cities-The Importance of Stakeholder Buy-in – Brookings.edu (February 2022)
- Remake Learning – Igniting engaging, relevant, and equitable learning practices – The Grable Foundation
- Growing and Learning Through Play – Sesame Street in Communities
For more information about the EverydayPlaces & Spaces initiative: EDPSbriefs.org