 Joyce
Carol Thomas spent four days in May of 1994 at the
Family Academy in Harlem engaging students and their parents
in the reading and writing of poetry.
Ms. Thomas, the author of several books for children
and young adults, also met with a group of 50 parents
in an African-American Literature class aimed at encouraging
parents to read with their children and to raise their
children's awareness of their African heritage.
This discussion allowed Ms. Thomas to share her thoughts
about writing as a creative process and the problems
she experienced balancing her writing career with motherhood;
at the same time, parents were able to raise their concerns
regarding the development of their children's reading
and writing skills and the challenges they face raising
children in  Harlem.
In response, Ms. Thomas emphasized the importance of
reading at an early age and initiated a parent/child
journal-writing project that could be conducted at home.
Because of its unique structure, the National Book
Foundation again conducted the Family Literacy program
at the Family Academy in Harlem in 1995-1996, hosting
residencies with authors Nikki Giovanni and Tom
Feelings.
The Family Academy is a public school designed to address
a wide range of family needs in one of New York's most
economically deprived communities. In addition to a
traditional school day for children, parents can participate
in extended classes from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.. This extended
day allows for parents to continue their own schooling
and to assume an active role in their children's education.
An important goal of the Family Literacy project since
its inception has been to involve parents in their children's
reading lives and to enable families to share the pleasures
of reading and writing together.
To that end, the Family Academy - an explicitly community-based
school - is an ideal host for our authors.
Also at the Family Academy:
1995: Nikki Giovanni
1996: Tom Feelings
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