Building community connections through enrichment
Program Elements
Spark Growth! program elements are consistent with recommendations for early literacy and creative development and growth from California Learning Foundations / Guidelines for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary school children. Literacy and creative lessons / activities included in this enrichment program align with state standards / curriculum focusing on instructional strategies to support young children and elementary students’ growth of literacy and art skills as well as growth in competencies within six developmental domains:
aesthetic, affective, cognitive (math, science), language / literacy, physical, social.
A whole-child approach is reflected in the planning and implementation of comprehensive enrichment activities where various types of activities and lessons are used within and across domains to provide children with opportunities to grow and develop in a number of domains.
With these enrichment activities, and with nurturing, knowledgeable, supportive program staff , children have opportunities to become engaged, to form meaningful, positive, trusting relationships with adults and peers, to collaborate with others, to have fun, to experience creativity, to express themselves, to feel valued and to experience a sense of connection with others.
Spark Growth! Program design and elements are supportive of children’s growth and development and are in alignment with research and studies reporting the positive outcomes of a developmentally appropriate and whole child approach. Reports and research by educational authors and creditable child development experts/organizations provide results and recommendations which can be accessed through educational, governmental, and early childhood publications and on websites.
References and sources can also be found here.
The literacy and art enrichment activities and lessons used in this program are intended for use in large group or small group format. The elements of Spark Growth! literacy and creative activities/lessons are representative of activities recommended by authors, researchers, state and federal educational agencies, and national organizations who have published a variety of articles/literature related to young children’s growth of literacy and creative skills.
Give back to the community
Spark Growth! Literacy and Art Enrichment Program is intentional in its design and purpose to spark growth in children’s literacy and creativity by providing a free literacy and art enrichment program for children and families in the Morongo Basin.
Free mobile literacy and art program for children and families
The Spark Growth! Literacy and Art Enrichment Program is a free mobile literacy enrichment program that visits elementary schools, family day care homes, childcare centers, preschool sites, and homeschool sites within the Morongo Basin.
Alignment with area programs
The Spark Growth! Literacy and Art Enrichment Program is designed to align with ongoing literacy and art instructional programs and support curricular standards and goals of the school district, of classroom teachers, instructional staff, childcare centers and preschool directors/staff, family daycare owners/directors, and homeschool teachers/staff.
Commitment
Spark Growth! Program Directors and staff are committed to establishing and maintaining high quality interactions and relationships through the use of consistent dialogue/communication with district and site leaders/directors, teaching and site staff, family day care owners/ staff, homeschool teachers/staff and the individual children and families participating in the program.
Positive impact
Spark Growth! Program directors and staff members are volunteers and as such, follow the volunteer policies and guidelines of each site modeling positive social behaviors, demonstrating respect for each child and adult, and considering interactions and participation with children, families and adults as opportunities for collaborative and mutual learning.
Social emotional skills approach
Social-emotional skills are modeled and practiced consistently by Spark Growth! directors and staff throughout interactions with adults and children. Modeling and practicing social and emotional learning skills during activities and lessons prepares children/students to collaborate with others, monitor their own behavior, and make responsible decisions contributing to feelings of confidence and competence in learning.
Motivation
Shared experiences and opportunities such as those mentioned above provide children with a sense of belonging, trust, and safety -- all of which have been found to be influential, motivating factors on children’s willingness to attempt new tasks, to participate, to practice, and to grow in many domains
Developmentally appropriate practice
One of the key elements of the Spark Growth! Literacy and Art Enrichment Program is the intentional use by program staff of research-based developmentally appropriate practices where age, individual, social, and cultural appropriateness are considered important components in the planning, structure, and implementation of literacy and art enrichment activities for children.
Family involvement
Spark Growth! views parents/caregivers and family members as key partners -- children’s ‘first teachers’ -- in supporting children’s literacy and creative growth. Program staff plan and provide supplemental enrichment activities/ lessons for parents and families to use in the home in support of children’s literacy and art growth.
Tone and safe environment
The tone and language of Spark Growth! program staff, our physical positioning, our voices and word choices, our fair and equal treatment for each child are indicative of our beliefs and goals that all children/students are capable and regarded as mutual, collaborative partners in the ongoing process of growth and knowledge.
GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY
Spark Growth! Literacy and Art Enrichment Program is intentional in its design and purpose to spark growth in children’s literacy and creativity by providing a free literacy and art enrichment program for children and families in the Morongo Basin.
We offer these free enrichment opportunities as a means of giving back to the community where we have lived, raised children and have achieved successful vocational goals for over 30 years.
Spark Growth! Staff members are community volunteers who have career and educational accomplishments, have real-world collegiate and primary school work experience in the fields of child/human development, communication, creative arts, literacy, illustration, music, technology, web design and have passion for education and learning -- all foundational in the design and planning of enrichment activities and lessons to support children’s literacy and creative learning and growth as well as support and encourage family members’ involvement in the enrichment literacy program.
FREE MOBILE LITERACY & ART PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
The Spark Growth! Literacy and Art Enrichment Program is a free mobile literacy enrichment program that visits elementary schools, family day care homes, childcare centers, preschool sites, and homeschool sites within the Morongo Basin. Spark Growth! staff visit sites bringing with them books and literacy-related materials and supplies for a 30 minute planned activity. Developmentally appropriate literacy and art activities have been designed for children/ students which offer children various opportunities for participation such as storytelling, shared book reading, flannel board storytelling, creative art, dramatic re-enactment of the book or story, physical movement, music, puppetry, math, science or technology activities associated with or prompted by the book or literacy item, and/or dictating or writing stories.
This free literacy program provides opportunities as well for families to partner with Spark Growth! program staff in supporting children’s literacy and creative learning and growth. Families participating in the literacy enrichment program are provided with literacy-related activities, family-oriented projects and instructions for use at home with their children.
ALIGNMENT WITH AREA PROGRAMS
The Spark Growth! Literacy and Art Enrichment Program is designed to align with ongoing literacy and art instructional programs and support curricular standards and goals of the school district, of classroom teachers,instructional staff, childcare centers and preschool directors/staff, family daycare owners/directors, and homeschool teachers/staff.
Literacy enrichment lessons and activities are offered free of charge, are conducted on site by the Spark Growth! Program directors and staff. Activities are conducted in the classroom, center, daycare setting, or homeschool site with the teacher and/or instructional staff present. Enrichment lessons and activities are designed to last approximately 30 minutes.
COMMITMENT
Spark Growth! Program Directors and staff are committed to establishing and maintaining high quality interactions and relationships through the use of consistent dialogue/communication with district and site leaders/directors, teaching and site staff, family day care owners/ staff, homeschool teachers/staff and the individual children and families participating in the program.
The Spark Growth Program Directors and staff adhere to a strong code of ethics, maintaining strict confidentiality, working in a collaborative, developmentally appropriate, inclusive, respectful, and supportive manner.
POSITIVE IMPACT
Spark Growth! Program directors and staff members are volunteers and as such, follow the volunteer policies and guidelines of each site modeling positive social behaviors, demonstrating respect for each child and adult, and considering interactions and participation with children, families and adults as opportunities for collaborative and mutual learning.
Research-based, developmentally appropriate practices along with a whole child learning approach are key strategies used by Spark Growth! Directors and staff in the design and implementation of this literacy enrichment program. These strategies, along with a positive, interactive approach that invites engagement/participation during child-centered activities , provide opportunities for growth in literacy, language and other domains of learning.
It is our strong belief as well that children learn best when they have positive, caring, collaborative, and mutually respectful relationships with adults and peers . As caring, knowledgeable educational partners, Spark Growth! directors and staff recognizes and practices positive strategies that promote and foster a sense of safety, security and importantly, a sense of belonging to children. Those feelings of being connected with others - validating that they are an important a part of the ‘school family’ -- has the potential to promote children’s optimal growth, development and success as they continue their educational and personal journeys.
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS APPROACH
Spark Growth! enrichment activities, lessons, and interactions are aligned with national and state recommendations regarding young children’s social emotional development as well as the social and emotional program goals and practices at the sites or schools.
Social-emotional skills are modeled and practiced consistently by Spark Growth! directors and staff throughout interactions with adults and children. Modeling and practicing social and emotional learning skills during activities and lessons prepares children/students to collaborate with others, monitor their own behavior, and make responsible decisions contributing to feelings of confidence and competence in learning.
Spark Growth! program staff are mindful of and intentional in promoting social- emotional skills during interactions/involvement with adults and children at the site. In agreement with national and local agencies, and in line with our training and involvement in various research-based social-emotional skill building programs such Conscious Discipline and Positive Guidance, Spark Growth! staff incorporates strategies into their interactions/activities that promote social-emotional competence in children and students. Positive, genuine, respectful, supportive relationships with adults and peers help lay the groundwork for children and students to develop skills and strategies needed to manage affective, cognitive, and social behavior -- all influences on learning and success.
DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICE
One of the key elements of the Spark Growth! Literacy and Art Enrichment Program is the intentional use by program staff of research-based developmentally appropriate practices where age, individual, social, and cultural appropriateness are considered important components in the planning, structure, and implementation of literacy and art enrichment activities for children. These lessons/activities align with current state, local, county, and national program standards/goals related to children’s literacy and creative growth and learning.
Age and grade level enrichment activities, lessons, and literature/books are organized by themes which are representative of the season and month of the year ( i.e., Spring season: April-May.) A variation in planned seasonal themed enrichment activities may be considered by Spark Growth! Program directors when a teacher or staff at a site makes a prior request for an enrichment activity related to a current topic/lesson in their classroom or at their site.
When planning and structuring enrichment activities/ lessons, Spark Growth! program directors and staff are cognizant that a developmentally appropriate approach involves a degree of flexibility, allowing for unplanned ‘teachable moments’ ( i.e., a planned activity on sedimentary rocks may be interrupted by noisy hail from a rainstorm which may redirect the class to a discussion/activity about precipitation, temperature and ice).
Spark Growth! Program staff plan and implement developmentally appropriate enrichment activities, aware that variations exist in children’s abilities, experiences, interests, or strengths. As a result, enrichment activities are inclusive, containing simplifications and extensions so that children of varying rates and abilities are presented with opportunities to participate at a level matching their interests, unique strengths, needs and capabilities. This inclusive practice is representative of a whole child approach whereby growth and development is recognized and valued in all areas of child development.
MOTIVATION
Shared experiences and opportunities such as those mentioned above provide children with a sense of belonging, trust,and safety -- all of which have been found to be influential, motivating factors on children’s willingness to attempt new tasks, to participate, to practice, and to grow in many domains. Spark Growth! program staff have completed collegiate coursework, participated in trainings and have had real world experiences in the field of child development which have reinforced their understanding about the effectiveness of quality and meaningful literacy and language domain-related activities on children’s literacy and creative growth. Activities such as shared storybook reading, puppetry, favorite book selections, creative interpretation of stories through art and writing, music and movement activities, and interactive STEM-related activities contribute to children’s motivation, interest, and growth of reading, writing, speaking, listening, spelling and comprehension skills necessary for overall continued growth and success.
Sparking enthusiasm and motivation through the use of developmentally appropriate practices along with an inclusive whole child approach throughout all literacy and art-related activities are primary goals of this enrichment program.
FAMILY INVOLVEMENT
An important element of this literacy and art enrichment program is that of family involvement. Spark Growth! views parents/caregivers and family members as key partners -- children’s ‘first teachers’ -- in supporting children’s literacy and creative growth. Program staff plan and provide supplemental enrichment activities/ lessons for parents and families to use in the home in support of children’s literacy and art growth.
Activities and family-oriented home based projects are provided along with instructions and/or materials needed for the activity. Additionally, informational resources and handouts related to literacy and art are provided to families as partners in the enrichment program.
Spark Growth! Program directors and staff look forward to partnering with parents/caregivers and family members in support of children’s growth in literacy and art.
INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUES
The literacy and art enrichment activities and lessons used in this program are intended for use in large group or small group format. The elements of Spark Growth! literacy and creative activities/lessons are representative of activities recommended by authors, researchers, state and federal educational agencies, and national organizations who have published a variety of articles/literature related to young children’s growth of literacy and creative skills.
Activities and lessons used by Spark Growth! Staff do not take the place of the instructional methods or lessons provided by the teacher, instructional staff, caregivers, family day care home owners/directors preschool program directors or teachers. Spark Growth! literacy and art enrichment activities and lessons are supplemental and are chosen to be child-centered, engaging, fun, hands-on, meaningful, and relevant to children’s age, ability and interest, and supportive of children’s growth of literacy and art.
Specifically, this literacy and art enrichment program offers opportunities for children to participate in a variety of activities which are intended to generate enthusiasm for and appreciation of learning . Each activity is detailed on a written form given to the teacher or instructional staff prior to the scheduled date of the activity which describes activity components, materials provided/included in the activity, and pertinent information related to implementation of the activity.
Along with the use of a developmentally appropriate and whole child approach, Spark Growth! program directors and staff strongly believe that establishing and maintaining meaningful, quality, positive, respectful, and trusting relationships has great value in supporting children’s growth . Such relationships have been found to provide a sense of engagement and sense of connection beneficial to children’s overall growth and learning of literacy and art. It has been our experience as former educators, group leaders, mentors, students, and trainers that a mutual sense of engagement and a strong sense of connectedness between adults and children, between children and peers, between adults and families, and between citizens, community members and schools are ones that contribute to the greatest rewards academically, emotionally, personally, and socially.
For children especially, meaningful, positive relationships promote a sense of belonging, and provides validation that they are valued members of the ‘school family’ and of the community -- all of which have the potential to positively impact children’s growth.
To promote and support positive relationships, the Spark Growth literacy and art enrichment program staff uses reflective listening, collaboration, genuine enthusiasm, care/empathy, perspective-taking, and modeling of positive social-emotional behaviors.
The use of additional strategies by Spark Growth staff - such as consistent and reasonable expectations - support children’s growth as well. Research finds that when policies and routines are consistently enforced in a democratic, respectful, manner, with reasonable expectations and consequences, children’s needs for safety and trust are met. This sense of safety is another motivating factor in children’s willingness to explore, to make decisions, and to problem solve knowing that guidelines and policies are in place to keep everyone safe.
During enrichment activities, Spark Growth! program staff consistently utilize strategies such as modeling and explanation of the activity’s procedures, encouraging statements on efforts, scaffolding (meeting children where they are in their literacy and creative, and building upon that level), paraphrasing questions or statements, open-ended questioning, dictation, storytelling and hands-on activities to promote exploration. As such, young children have opportunities to become active participants in the group or class enrichment activities -- applying problem-solving, decision-making, and critical thinking strategies to a myriad of enrichment activities and experiences.
Overall, the goals of Spark Growth! Literacy and Art Enrichment Program are to provide opportunities that will help children communicate their ideas and feelings and to interpret communication they receive. In particular, goals are categorized as such: listening and viewing; speaking; writing; and reading.
The strategies discussed above provide insight on the collaborative and supportive techniques used by Spark Growth ! program staff as they engage and interact with adults, children and community members throughout the duration of the literacy and language enrichment program. Importantly, additional valuable elements closely related to interaction and support are those regarding the tone/demeanor of enrichment program staff and that of a safe, reassuring environment.
TONE AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT
Spark Growth! Literacy and Language Enrichment Program is intentional in its design and purpose to spark growth in children’s literacy and language by providing a free literacy and language enrichment program for children and families in the Morongo Basin.
The approach and implementation of this literacy and language enrichment program reflects the tone/demeanor of the enrichment program staff which is that of consistent, meaningful, positive and respectful interactions and responses. Also important is the awareness by the Spark Growth! program staff that the environment in which interactions occur must be one that promotes and sustains a sense of safety and security contributing to children’s growth and development. Within a positive, inclusive, and safe environment, enrichment program staff provide children with opportunities to experience a sense of connectedness as well as provide a sense of security where exploration and autonomy support growth in literacy and language.
The tone and language of Spark Growth! program staff, our physical positioning, our voices and word choices, our fair and equal treatment for each child are indicative of our beliefs and goals that all children/students are capable and regarded as mutual, collaborative partners in the ongoing process of growth and knowledge.
Spark Growth! Program staff consistently demonstrates high standards of professionalism and proficiency in our duties and responsibilities as volunteers of the program and as respected members of the community. As volunteers, we serve as role models for children and students and demonstrate appropriate behavior, positive social skills, politeness, respect, good listening skills, and sharing and taking turns.
As a matter of safety and security, all Spark Growth! staff members strictly abide by the rules and regulations set in place at each site regarding the policies and directives for volunteers. Spark Growth! staff members have completed the mandatory DOJ clearance requirements including fingerprint clearance and have provided proof of current TB clearance.
Enrichment activities are conducted on site with classroom teachers, instructional staff, childcare center or caregiving staff/directors, or home school staff/directors present in the setting, attending to needs of the children or classroom environment during enrichment activities.
Two Spark Growth! enrichment program staff members are always present during each site visit and are actively involved in the presentation and implementation of the literacy and language activities. Importantly, Spark Growth! staff members are never left alone with children nor do they discipline children during the enrichment activity time. Disciplinary matters are addressed/managed by site personnel, teachers, directors, or facility staff members.
In each setting and during all interactions, the staff of Spark Growth! maintain organized management practices, demonstrate truthfulness, and uphold ethical practices. Further, Spark Growth! program staff consistently maintain open lines of communication with administrators, site supervisors/directors, caregiving staff, instructional and teaching staff, district educational agencies, and community members as a means of collaboratively supporting best practices related to children’s growth and learning.
It is with sincere dedication and positive intention that program directors and staff of the Spark Growth! Literacy and Language Enrichment Program offer their services free of charge as volunteer members of this community outreach program, partnering with local caregiving and educational programs, collaborating with families, and joining forces with community members/organizations to positively support children’s literacy and language growth.
In doing so, it is our hope to inspire children to become passionate readers and writers. We strive to support children’s learning by ‘sparking growth’ through our literacy and creative arts enrichment program providing a service that grows lifelong learners.