StoryBook Treasures (SBT) is not about making money... it's about closing the literacy achievement gap among disadvantaged and minority children in the US. We are teachers with big hearts and know a little something about how to best meet the learning needs of children. Our company and the SBT literacy enrichment program was created by teachers to specifically help them meet the learning needs of the children and families in our most challenging schools and communities in the United States.
Research shows if children are not reading on grade level by the end of 3rd grade, it is unlikely that they will ever catch up. Early literacy intervention for vulnerable, low-income and disadvantaged children and families is critical. When educators and parents support literacy and help children love books and love to read they set the foundation for life long readers. When they do not, the academic deficits not only grow, but persist over their school career and over a lifetime.
The SBT program fosters essential home school reading connections that are vital to breaking the literacy barrier for disadvantaged children. We provide on-site teacher training. Teachers learn how to promote rich vocabulary, higher level thinking and strong story connections. Once instruction is complete, children bring books and program materials home in a special SBT backpack to share with their family. The books become part of the child's home library to love and read over and over.
According parents and teachers, our program works! Teachers say, the SBT program increases student interest in books by 100%, increases the amount of time students are actively engaged in reading books in their classroom by 98%, and 95% of students demonstrate the ability to retell story elements, understand vocabulary and utilize higher level thinking skills. Parents say, the SBT program increases independent reading at home and the amount of time they spend reading to their child by 100%.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
