The week of June 18, 2012, Family Literacy parents and children participated in a Hawaiian-themed graduation ceremony.  In total, 51 adults studied ESL and 66 children attended early childhood education classes. Classes are offered in the morning (8am-12pm) and in the afternoon (12-4pm).

In the AM program, 19 of the 25 adults graduated a level of ESL. Two students completed all six levels of ESL and are now ready to begin their GED or vocational training! There was a total of 24 children in early childhood education classes, of which 7 have special needs and are benefiting from Hope Street's Early Intervention Program, a service of the Lanterman Regional Center. The AM program boast the participation of two fathers, of which one was recognized for the best attendance.

In the PM program, there were 26 graduates, of which 83% made significant gains (based on CA Dept. of Ed. standards) in their ESL acquisition. As for the children, 24 participated in ECE classes, and 10 children transitioned from their preschool class in preparation for Kindergarten. Pictured above are most of the graduating students of the PM class.

For more information, please contact Family Literacy Coordinator Judy Ramos at (213) 742-5854. 

On June 21, 2012, Dr. Tina Bryson, the co-author with Dan Siegel of the best-selling The Whole Brain Child, presented to Hope Street staff on brain development in children. Teachers were overwhelmingly appreciative of her presentation. One teacher reflected, "This is one of those times that I learned something that I didn't know that I didn't know." Another stated, "This was a great in-service training."

 Bryson left staff with a few of the strategies for addressing behaviors in children:

1) Connect and redirect: when your child is upset, connect first emotionally, right brain to right brain. Then, once your child is more in control and receptive, bring in the left-brain lessons and discipline.

2) Name it to tame it: when big, right brain emotions are raging out of control, help your kids tell the story about what's upsetting them, so their left brain can help make sense of their experience and they can feel more in control.

3) Engage, don't enrage: in high stress situations, engage your child's upstairs brain, rather than triggering the downstairs brain. Don't immediately play the "Because I told you so" card. Instead, ask questions, request alternatives, even negotiate.

4) Use it or lose it: provide lots of opportunities to exercise the upstairs brain. Play, "What would you do?" games, and avoid rescuing kids from difficult situations.

5) Move it or lose it: when a child has lost touch with his upstairs brain, help him regain balance by having him move his body.

Bryson is a psychotherapist who offers parenting consultations and provides therapy to children and adolescents as the Director of Parenting Education at the Mindsight Institute.  Bryson comments, "one of my main goals is to take scientifically-grounded knowledge, and use it to help parents better understand their kids and themselves, and most importantly, to apply it in the parenting trenches-in their breakfast-table, grocery-store, temper-tantrum, everyday parenting world."

For more information, visit TinyBryson.com or contact Hope Street's Early Childhood Program Specialist Virginia Escamilla at (213) 351-5915. Thanks again to Dr. Tina Bryson for the insightful and practical presentation!