___How FLAME Works at UIC Sites______________
Staff and students involved in FLAME through the University of Illinois at Chicago work closely together throughout the school year. The FLAME program typically begins in the fall (September) and graduation is held in the spring (June). A typical week looks like this:

Monday ESL Class for parents
Wednesday ESL Class for parents
Friday 1  Family Literacy Session trainings for Parent-Teachers
Friday 2 Family Literacy Sessions for parents  
                                             
 In addition to these classes/sessions, there are many other scheduled activites including field trips, a Book Fair, and Institute Days. All ESL Classes, Family Literacy Sessions and otheractivities are designed to incorporate the FLAME Dimensions of Literacy Learning . These components are conducted in a combination of English and Spanish, depending on the level of English language proficiency of the participants; parents are encouraged to use the language that they know best when working with their children. 
 

Family Literacy Sessions
Taught by Parent- Trainers

The Family Literacy Sessions are at the heart of the program and the primary vehicle for helping parents become literacy models for their children. From all of the participating parents in FLAME, several are annaully selected in the fall to become a Literacy Parent-Teacher. Throughout the year these Parent-Teachers attend bi-monthly, two-hour, hands-on training workshops on Fridays. On the following Friday, they bring then bring what they have learned back to the community to teach the rest of the enrolled FLAME parents in their neighborhood.

Curriculum  ( click here for annotated descriptions )

  • Book Sharing
  • Book Selection
  • Book Fairs and Using the Library
  • Teaching the ABC's
  • Creating Home Literacy Centers
  • Math at Home
  • Children's Writing
  • Homework Help
  • Classroom Observations
  • Parent-Teacher Get-Togethers
  • Community Literacy (Field Trip - i.e. museum, zoo, etc.)
  • Songs, Games, and Language

Family Literacy Sessons help parents to:

  • develop a home environment that is supportive of their children's literacy development

  • develop their own literacy and language so that they can be the best models for their children

  • develop their leadership skills

  • use the knowledge that they have in order to hlep their children connect with school culture


ESL Classes 
Taught by UIC Graduate Students    

On Mondays and Wednesdays parents attend English as a Second Language classes in their neighborhood school or other community facility that are taught by trained TAs (Teaching Assistints) that serve as ESL Teachers. The curriculum and activities focus on school literacy and developing parent involvement in their children's learning. For example, parents may write stories and develop books for their children in ESL class. ESL Teachers strive to develop class materials that fit the language proficiency levels and interests of their particular learners.

Leadership Institute Days

Each spring parents-teachers and program participants take part in three Leadership Institute Days that designed to make parents aware of and educated with regard to different aspects of the community services/events/resources as well as other topics of specific interest to the parents. These days also offer opportunities to develop friendships among FLAME families.

2002 presentations  
Preparedness
Immigration Law
Diabetes

2003 presentations
Gang Awareness
Bilingual Education
Stress Management


___Staff _____________________________________
UIC Directors/Coordinators
Chicago UIC FLAME sites are directed and coordinated by staff through the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. They hold weekly organizational meetings for the ESL Teachers to come together in order to provide updates and exchange information.

ESL Teachers
ELS Teachers are UIC guaduate students in the College of Education. They serve as mentors to the students at their assigned sites. They teach the ESL classes and organize the spring activities that their students take part in. 

Parent-Trainers
Parent-Trainers are parents who are chosen to conduct the literacy sessions for their site. They attend training every other Friday at UIC and teach at their site the following Friday.

Caregivers
Caregivers are former FLAME participants or friends of FLAME parents. They are paid by the hour to care for the children of the FLAME participants while they are in an ESL class or a literacy session. Caregivers engage the children in literacy-related activities while they are in their care.

___2004 U of IL Chicago Area Sites___

Gage Park  
2411 W 55th Street ~ Chicago, IL 60629

Harrison Park
1824 S Wood ~ Chicago, IL 60608 

Kanoon Magnet School
2233 S Kedzie Ave ~ Chicago, IL 60623

Von Humboldt School
2714 W Augusta ~ Chicago, IL 60622