Tag: Better Together

25 Sep

Better Together: Fall 2017 Session

by Marketing DepartmentCategories: News

Our Better Together Program has started back up this fall at Green Bay Elementary School in North Chicago. We are thrilled to continue our Better Together blog series to give our supporters a first-hand look into this program and the children and families it serves. For our first post, we asked our Success By 6 Initiative Coordinator, Rosa Herrera, to give some history on this program and why it was developed in North Chicago.

What is Better Together?

United Way of Lake County’s Better Together Program was developed to increase services for North Chicago families with children birth to 3-years of age. Our Better Together Initiative started in the Fall of 2016, in a joint collaboration of Green Bay Early Childhood Center, our Women’s Leadership Council and our Success By 6 Program.

Success By 6’s goal in North Chicago is to improve key school readiness skills and improve parent engagement in learning for children ages birth to age five. With the implementation of Better Together in North Chicago we engage the child’s “special adult” to proactively explore and implement tools and techniques to become their child’s first teacher. In collaboration of the child’s “special adult” we help children develop age-appropriate social, emotional, and intellectual skills needed to begin school ready to learn.

Share a bit about the population Better Together serves.

Illinois Report Card (NC-SD 187) 2015-2016 demonstrates over 80% of its student population as low income students. While North Chicago faces many challenges, Better Together seeks to provide equitable opportunities to increase school readiness and lifelong success. We strive to create an inclusive environment where families feel comfortable and safe to support their child’s early development.

At Better Together you will find families who live in North Chicago and on the Great Lakes Naval Base. A camaraderie is formed as families understand they share a common goal of wanting their child to accomplish their dreams. We recognize that every child is unique with an array of strengths and abilities and meet the child and their families where they are at. At Better Together we understand the uniqueness of each individual; respect the diversity in families and children; and recognize that children are best supported and understood in the context of culture, family, community and society.

What has the outcome been for children and families that have participated in the program?

The families of Better Together are guided to create better outcomes for their child’s growth and development. Both adults and children develop a sense of belonging, self-worth, and ownership as they contribute to the group’s efforts, as well as learning how to effectively express themselves amongst others. By sharing their experiences they are connected and encouraged by other families who face similar circumstances.

Our commitment in Better Together is to create an environment where parents and children are exposed to learning tools they can use in everyday life. In every session we engage children on a variety of levels, whether it’s through interest-driven activities or encouraging them to learn a new skill; the opportunities are endless. Exposing them to such experiences promotes social, emotional and intellectual skills of children.

What positive changes has the community seen through this program?

Through the application of a variety of materials such as, books, toys, and pictures, that are culturally responsive to our classroom environment families see themselves portrayed in the larger context of their community. By creating a solid foundation in which families understand that they play a critical role in stimulating their child’s growth and development, we carve a path to future success. Ultimately, with this solid foundation, Better Together children will have a greater chance of achieving their education and lifelong goals. Preparing them to become our future workforce, citizenry and leaders of our communities.

In October, we will share a mother’s perspective on the program. To view our past Better Together blog posts, click here.

19 Jul

Better Together: Summer Ending

by Marketing DepartmentCategories: News

Welcome back to another post in our Better Together series. If you’ve been following along with our blog, you’ve read stories and perspectives of many of the participants in United Way’s Better Together/Mejor Juntas Program. One of the people we talked to was Sharon Lichtenstein, the Master Teacher who developed the curriculum, which would be taught to the families. If you’d like to check out her post, click here.

As we wrap up this summer’s Better Together program, we wanted to talk to Sharon again and learn more about the impact of this program. Learn what she had to say:

“I’m flattered that you reached out to me so that I can share my joy and commitment to the Better Together/Mejor Juntas Program.  I felt that we were doing something very important for the North Chicago families, who had children under three years of age.  The program became a community of caring adults, who were excited to support their children’s learning.  We met regularly, and many of the families, who didn’t know one another, became friends.  Visitors to the classroom could not tell which children belonged to which adult.  It was a true example of “it takes a village.”

We know that parents/caregivers are children’s first and most important teachers.  At BT/MJ we encourage the parents and caregivers to believe in their significant role. We want to provide an environment that builds feelings of competency and self-esteem for the adults.  They are significant contributors to their children’s later success in school and in life.

What was your goal with hosting the Better Together Program during the summer?

We wanted to offer a summer program that continued to support families’ commitment to their children’s learning.  We intentionally offered interesting and fun activities to help prepare the children for future school success.  Since it was summer, we focused on using natural materials and exploring nature.   We wanted the children and families to have outdoor play experiences and created a new outside play space.  We also wanted to strengthen the families’ connection to the larger North Chicago Community

Summer is a special time for Better Together campers and families.  It is an opportunity for children to explore the outdoors and nature, to learn about the larger world.  Our curriculum helps our families connect to nature through neighborhood walks; encouraging a sense of freedom in outdoor play that is different from playing indoors. It provides opportunities to take more physical learning risks—running, jumping, and climbing.

What topics were covered during each session?

  • Session 1 : Focused on growing.   “What do you need to make things grow?”
  • Session 2 : Focused on taking a neighborhood walk. “What will we see on our neighborhood walk?”
  • Session 3 : Focused on exploring worms. “Tell me about worms.  Where do they live?  What do they eat?”
  • Session 4 : Focused on community helpers. The North Chicago Fire Department visited the camp. “What do firefighters do?  How can they help you?” We also drew a group thank you banner that was delivered to the fire department.
  • Session 5 : Focused on literacy. North Chicago’s children’s librarian visited camp and shared  finger plays and read stories to the children in Spanish and English.
  • Session 6 : End of Camp Fiesta to celebrate the end of camp. It was planned and hosted by the families.

Why do you feel that it is beneficial that families and their children participate in Better Together?

We envisioned camp to be an extension of the school year program, though it only met twice a week for three weeks.  However, Better Together Summer Camp took on a life of its own.  Families, who had children under three years of age, also brought their older siblings!  The group became a community of families.  Our classroom was a safe and stimulating environment for children’s play where adults met other adults with similar goals and dreams for their children.  It became a “Family Camp,” where everyone was welcome

The families’ consistent attendance demonstrated their attachment to the program and to one another. Every class’s attendance increased from the previous one.   We even had some dads come with their children.  We had a counselor who was a big brother to one of the campers.  The families’ willingness to plan and execute a final class Fiesta showed their strong feelings of commitment to one another and the class.

We learned more about the families during the six camp sessions than during the entire school year.  We discovered two families were involved in early intervention, another mother/child needed transportation, and still others needed support to help with the logistics of enrolling in preschool.  We can help our families make important connections to outside agencies to help and support them.

Better Together provided a safe space where families came together, played with their children in an environment that supported intentional learning, and played outside. Participation of these special adults was an essential component of the camp’s success.

As we approach the new school year, what do you hope to accomplish with the fall sessions of Better Together?

  1. I hope Better Together/Mejor Juntas continues to meet the communities’ needs.  I want to strengthen the families’ role as their children’s first teachers to help them prepare their children for future school success.
  2. I’d like to expand the program to include a more diversified population that is more representative of the community.
  3. I’d like to continue reaching out to various community organizations to foster stronger relationships with BT/MJ families.
  4. I’d like the families to take on a more important role in the execution of the curriculum. I’d like them to let BT/MJ know what types of play and learning they would like to see in class.
  5. I’d like to expand the curriculum to include large motor play. We have been told that the room across the hall from us isn’t being used this new school year, and BT/MJ has enough equipment to furnish the space for gross motor activities.
  6. I want the families to think that BT/MJ is a valuable resource for early childhood and family questions, whether we can answer them immediately or help connect them to outside referrals.

As you can see, there has been a lot of thought and love invested by many people into this program. We are very proud of what we have accomplished this year, and look forward to more positive changes and additions in the new school year.”

08 Jun

Better Together: Through Ismael Calderón’s Lens

by Marketing DepartmentCategories: News

Welcome back to the third and final installment of our Better Together series! This program is truly representative of the remarkable change United Way Lake County is working towards within our own community. Ismael Calderón, Success By 6 AmeriCorps VISTA, spent a great deal of time working with Master Teacher, Sharon Lichtenstein, families and children involved in the Better Together Program.

He says of his experience, “Being able to be in the office managing and in the classroom implementing the learning activities, and building that sense of community we dreamed of makes me feel [like] a better, new citizen for this country.”

The community that enrolls in the Better Together Program comes from a diverse background. Working with this group of people was special for Ismael because he has had the opportunity to meet many people over the course of his life, traveling the world and learning what the reality is like in different areas around the globe. In North Chicago, he was impacted by the way in which these families handle the day to day challenges they face. The parents and caretakers, despite any challenges they may have personally, always put their children and their education first. “Their kindness and smiles will always be my best memory and reward,” Ismael said.

He continued, “I remember when Avelina, Isabella’s mother, came up to our program. Isabella was always throwing tantrums and not sharing things with other children or just not complying. [Avelina] had the confidence to talk to us about finding a solution to Isabella’s behavior. We have her some instructions on how to cope with the problem and step by step she started controlling the situation by herself.”

“It is important to emphasize that our objectives are to provide a safe place for each of them to grow and to be comfortable in the company of their parents as they transition to kindergarten, a place where we can live Better Together.”

Read the previous Better Together posts: Building a Community for North Chicago Mothers and Building a Safe Learning Environment for North Chicago Families.

01 Jun

Better Together: Building a Safe Learning Environment for North Chicago Families

by Marketing DepartmentCategories: News

Welcome back to the second installment in our Better Together series. We are thrilled to share the experience of Sharon Lichtenstein, the Master Teacher who developed the curriculum for the program. United Way’s Better Together Program was developed to increase the services available for North Chicago families with children birth to 3-years-old.

When asked about the value of the Better Together Program on the families and children she interacted with, she had this to say:

“[It gives the] opportunity for caregivers and children to be in a rich, safe, and stimulating environment that encourages interactions, exploration, and learning. It is a program that only has yeses. [This program] demonstrates how much more children can learn and accomplish when they are with their “special” grown-up. Learning Games, a Family Engagement Curriculum in English and Spanish, continues the positive learning connections from school to home.”

By offering a safe space for children to interact with one another and their parent or parental figure, Better Together creates a comfortable environment for learning. There are many barriers for families in North Chicago; composed of hard working people who generally earn a lower income than its neighboring towns, the city has long been negatively stigmatized and stereotyped. Despite the challenge, we saw barriers broken and positive change occur in the children and parents who participated.

“The children have taken ownership of the classroom. They easily move throughout the centers and can decide what they want to play with. They have developed an awareness of one another and are often able to engage in parallel play. Some, who spend time together outside of class, are also beginning to play cooperatively. Though I don’t speak Spanish, many of the children have made a connection to me, and offer me toys and/or ask me to play ball with them. They see me as the teacher. I take that as a huge compliment, that they are able to initiate interactions with me. The room is no longer quiet. Children’s excited voices and supportive parents’ interactions have become the norm in the classroom,” said Sharon.

She continued, “families feel supported. All handouts and explanations of activities are in Spanish and English. Understanding the learning that is happening in the classroom becomes easy to understand and support. The families put together an amazing fiesta by themselves to celebrate the ending of the first session. Ismael nor myself initiated this. They demonstrated a great spirit of ownership of the classroom and the learning that took place.”

The Better Together was designed to create positive change and support the families within our own community of Lake County. Bearing witness to the students and families who are exchanging ideas and learning as a part of the program illustrates the tremendous impact it has.

A special thank you to Sharon Lichtenstein for all the incredible work she has done for the children and their families in the first year of Better Together. Check in with us next week to hear our very own Ismael Calderon’s experience being a part of United Way Lake County’s Better Together Program! Missed the last Better Together post? Click here to read.

25 May

Better Together: Building a Community for North Chicago Mothers

by Marketing DepartmentCategories: News

North Chicago is a city that faces many problems and challenges. Composed of hard-working families who generally earn a lower income than its neighboring towns, the city has long been negatively stigmatized and stereotyped. With fewer resources and more trials in front of them, the children from North Chicago face a great disadvantage. Despite this, the community is dedicated to changing the situation by providing opportunities for children to gain the skills necessary for success.

United Way’s Better Together Program was developed to increase the services available for North Chicago families with children birth to 3-years-old. This initiative started in the winter of 2016 and has been made possible through the joint support and effort of the Green Bay Early Childhood Center, Women United of Lake County, and United Way of Lake County’s Success By 6 Program.

And today we reflect on the impact of this program…

Initially, the Better Together program’s main goal was to educate parents on the important role they play as their children’s first teachers by providing a safe place where their children could play and develop the readiness, physical and cognitive skills crucial to their education. Yet, the program began so much more, moving beyond barriers—such as culture—giving the mothers a true sense of community.

Better Together became a place where parents focused on the growth and well-being of their children, as part of the transition to preschool.

Meet some of our current and past participants of Better Together:

Juana and her daughter Camila play using blocks.

Charlyn teaches Gavin the food groups.

Mothers Viridiana, Carolina, Martha, and Juana (left to right) socialize while their children play.

The strength of this program comes from the support of our partners, volunteers, and Better Together teacher, Ms. S. Click here for her reflection of the program featured in the next Better Together blog post.

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