Editorial
PRINTS AND LEADERSHIP

PRINTS has a number of advantages as a family early literacy program. It provides the parents with many activities to help foster their young children's literacy development. While reading with children is very important, there are many other kinds of activities within a child's life that can be used to build a base for literacy. PRINTS recognizes these. PRINTS involves parents for a 12 week commitment. Some think this is too long for parents, but time is what really make a commitment. Commitment is a necessary first step in making real change. Whether quitting smoking, visiting a sick neighbour, or helping children with early literacy skills, we must have the will-power to do it, and do it we must. Once parents have been involved for the PRINTS training, it is difficult for them to ignore literacy opportunities in their and their children's lives and in making the most of these opportunities to foster literacy development. Another plus in PRINTS I training is that parents are not "talked at" but learn how to involve their children in a hands-on learning manner.

Of course, none of the above would happen if it were not for great leaders in the literacy-early childhood field. Some of these have been profiled in early PRINTS Newsletters: Una Hynes, Hope Colbourne, Martina Green and Karen Nakogee, Nadine Ruhl. Others will be profiled here, some from before but in a different context.

We know there are many great leaders who are involved in implementing the PRINTS Program but we do not hear from you. Let us know who you are, where you are, a comment or so about your experiences, and maybe a photo or two. You can always e-mail photos if you wish.

PRINTS in LABRADOR

Barb Marshall with Partners in Learning, based at West Ste. Modeste in the Labrador Straits has been a key leader in sponsoring and supporting PRINTS in that area. Last February, Una Hynes travelled to West Ste. Modeste to provide training for a number of facilitators who were brought to West Ste. Modeste by Barb from many communities in Labrador, such as: Port Hope Simpson, Lance au Loup, Red Bay, Cartwright, Pinware, Charlottetown, and West Ste. Modeste. Una, who is with the St. Joseph's Early Literacy Network reached West Ste. Modeste by travelling by car to St. John's, taking a flight to St. Anthony, and then to Blanc Sablon on Quebec's North Shore, and then an hour's drive along the coast to West Ste. Modeste.

Una Hynes (left) and Clem Williams (from Cartwright)

Some Positive Outcomes

• A big plus was staying at the Ocean View Resort and eating at the Ocean View Restaurant in West Ste. Modeste.
• The participants were appreciative of a cost-effective, structured, family oriented literacy program.
• They developed the necessary skills in working with parents to help them understand the importance of fostering an early literacy base.
• They developed a better under- standing of how to work with young children.
• They became aware that not just books, but a whole range of activities, many home-made, can be used for early literacy development.
• They were aware of the importance of interaction between parents / care- givers and children, and in making use of what you have.
• They enjoyed the collaborative learning environment.