Adults learn to teach

Marilyn Stearns held up a copy of “Jeremiah Learns to Read.” The children’s picture book details how an older man finally masters the art of reading. Stearns carefully led her students through each page of the book, discussing the subtext and themes as the story unfolded.

Stearn’s class wasn’t the typical audience for a children’s story. The room was filled with a dozen-and-a-half adult women scribbling notes. Unlike Jeremiah, they already knew how to read. They attended the class to learn how to teach.

Stearns led an Introduction to Family Literacy workshop at the Yorkton Public Library on May 9. The day-long class was designed to teach facilitators how to work with families to encourage a passion for reading.

“Learning begins with families,” Stearns said. “Families provide the foundations for learning that takes place throughout our lives.

“Parents are the first and most important teachers of their children.”

Stearns spent the day teaching librarians, healthcare workers, and educators how to bond families through reading.

“We can strengthen [literacy] by providing tools and resources and opportunities for families to learn together,” she said.

Stearns uses “Jeremiah Learns to Read” and other popular children’s books during the class as examples of content that connects with kids.

“I use several books for further discussion and learning,” she said. “Through listening to stories, we build banks of knowledge.”

Stearns enjoys strengthen her students’ teaching abilities.

“My favourite part is when people have ‘aha’ moments,” she said. “Their knowledge becomes broader.”

Stearns works with the Saskatchewan Literacy Network (SLN), which hosted the workshop along with the Yorkton Public Library. SLN hosts similar classes across the province.

“It’s a really good foundational training for anyone who works with children,” Stearns said. “We focus on the principles of working with families.”