The people in Montana are incredibly friendly and the scenery is exquisite. One of the librarians brought me some Huckleberry jam that was made by her grandmother, and it was delicious. I had never tasted huckleberries before. The person at the Mineral County Health Department recommended that I stay in a yurt rather than a hotel or motel, and it was an incredible experience! (See the yurt below. The cows in the neighboring field liked to come over and moo “hello” in the mornings!)

 

Today, a few weeks after the training, I received the following email from Laura, who gave me permission to post it:

I am not your typical attendee to this organization’s training.  I work for the Mineral County Health Department, Superior, Montana, and I am a parent Educator. I visit families who have young children ages 0-5 in their homes and teach parents about child development and bring fun activities that support optimal development.  By default, I was also offering story times in my community’s library because our community did not have one and we were in need of a place for families with young children to gather.  The librarian saw an opportunity for me to receive some training in Storytime demonstration and  I was fortunate to attend a training hosted by the Montana Library Association in 2019. 

At that training I was introduced to the Mother Goose on the Loose story time curriculum.  That training was transformational for story time in our small rural county.  I was given the tools to deliver a story time that parents saw their children, even babies, engage in.  The parents learned songs and stories to take home and perform with their children in their home environment.  I saw attendance rise and the community of young parents shared their love of MGOL with others with young children. 

Currently, I host story time 2 times a week in two different libraries using the MGOL curriculum.  I have been using this curriculum and see the affect it has on school readiness.  Children are walking into preschool ready to sit and learn.  They know how to take turns. They are familiar with rhyming and how words are broken down into syllables.  They are inclusive and celebrate others.  Parents are transformed as well.  They are asked to engage in their child’s learning right from the beginning and be a role model for how to participate. Parents grow in confidence to sing in public, participate in somewhat goofy actions, and set a routine that encourages literacy.  Families in Mineral County feel welcomed into the Library and are checking out children’s books without worry of the consequences (fines, ruined books). Parents report learning that they didn’t realize the importance of repetition until they attended MGOL. 

As an implementor of this curriculum, I can’t tell you how many parents thank me for offering something weekly that they can take their children to that brings them so much joy.  Parents reported that they do not sing with others outside of church.  MGOL provides adults and children that emotional release that singing brings to our bodies and souls.  MGOL is transforming parents of young children and I strongly recommend MGOL to any one who works with parents and young children whether they are librarians, child care providers, parent educators, social workers, teachers or whatever profession that feels called to support the bond of the parent child relationship. 

Sincerely,

Laura Acker

I love the fact that a nursery rhyme based early literacy program touches lives in such unique and profound ways. I am grateful every day for the opportunity I have been given with MGOL.

It’s the first week of May, and I’m in Indianapolis, ready to present at the IAEYC Conference.  The first presentation , which will take place tomorrow at 3:15, is called “Transforming Storytime Beyond the Book.” It is a shorter, condensed version of my book Transforming Preschool Storytime (published by Neal-Schuman in 2013). 

Earlier this year,  I met Jennie Spencer at a “Conscious Discipline” training in Wicomico County, MD. The material she covered was impressive, she was charismatic and engaging, and I knew right away that I wanted to work on something together with her.  We are both committed to helping children be the best they can be by using gentle, loving, and fun techniques, This presentation is our first joint project.

Making a powerpoint for a presentation that explains and honors Conscious Discipline along withthe Mother Goose on the Loose philosophy has been lots of fun.

Available to everyone for free download is this hand-out that is meant to help planning a book experience that touches upon multiple intelligences and awakens all sorts of skills.

https://mgol.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Beyond-the-Book-IAEYC.pdf

An additional hand-out, from an earlier workshop Transforming Preschool Storytime Workshop for librarians can be downloaded from here: https://mgol.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/HAND-OUT-fill-in-the-blanks-3.pdf.  This focuses more on school readiness skills and social and emotional skills.

My other presentation will be on Saturday with Dana Antonelli, Mother Goose on the Loose at the Champaign Public Library in Champaign, IL. Dana rides the library’s Goosemobile around town,  bringing MGOL to a wide selection on people there. We will be presenting on Sharing Fun Early Literacy Practices with MGOL. It is also our first time presenting together and I’m looking forward to it. The hand-out for that presentation can be downloaded from: https://mgol.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IAEYC-Sharing-Fun-Literacy-Practices-with-MGOL-3.pdf.

If you are attending the conference and see this blogpost, feel free to come over and say hi!