Departments QUICK FIND  Alternate Assessment ChildFind Clearinghouse Districts ePDC Families Building Better Readers FDLRS FDLRS Technology Florida Education Channel Florida Legislature Florida School Leaders FloridaLearns Academy Gateway Migrant Education PAEConnects Press Room Risk Management Safe and Drug-Free Schools SEDNET Teaching American History US House of Rep US Senate       Home | Calendar | Showcase | FEC | ePDC | Hot Topics | Resources | Contact Us | Site Map  Families Building Better Readers (FBBR) Project Staff Fred Bates - Consultant Maurine Daughan - Consultant Mary Talbott - Secretary The Families Building Better Readers (FBBR) program offers three dynamic reading workshops for parents and students in the elementary, middle and high school grades. Regional Train-the-Trainer sessions for educators are also provided. This training, a collaborative outreach by the Florida Departament of Education and the Panhandle Area Educational Consortium (PAEC), is offered to schools free of charge. Purpose These workshops: Teach parents how to set their children up for successful reading practice at home. Teach parents ten research-based reading activities they can do with their children to improve reading performance. Provide parents with resources that promote life-long literacy. Provide a fun learning experience for all participants. Promote positive partnerships between families and schools. Involve elementary students in rich literacy experiences, gives them practice in doing the same activities their parents are learning, and the opportunity to perform in a play that reviews workshop content for all participants. Teach middle school families “invisible” mental strategies that will help encourage middle school readers. Teach high school families valuable information about reading facts. Workshop Themes Families Building Better Readers - Elementary The Family Building Better Readers workshop for elementary students and their parents has a construction theme which adds an element of fun to the event. Every parent receives a “tool kit” that includes a story book and supplies for reading activities to do with their children at home. During the parents’ workshop breakout session, each activity is demonstrated by effective trainers and practiced by the parents. A parallel children’s workshop involves children in rich reading experiences. At the end of the workshop, families are reunited and parents enjoy a play performed by the children that reviews the workshop content. The workshop ends with a read-aloud demonstration. Mysteries in the Middle Mysteries in the Middle (MnM) is an engaging reading workshop for middle school students, parents, and teachers. It brings schools and families together to actively participate in a fun and meaningful learning experience, during which they watch and take part in the mock filming of a movie called, “Mysteries in the Middle.” High School Quiz Show In the High School Quiz Show workshop, students have a fun-filled time checking their knowledge about reading facts and high school success, while their family learns valuable information. The quiz show format keeps them choosing answers and cheering for their favorite team. Related Materials Translations of the elementary Families Building Better Readers workshop materials are available in Spanish and Haitian Creole. The middle school Mysteries in the Middle “Official Casebook” is available in Spanish. Need More Information? If you have any questions, would like to register for a workshop for your school, request FBBR materials or schedule a Train-the-Trainer session, please contact: Panhandle Area Educational Consortium 217 South Adams Street., Suite A Tallahassee, FL 32301-1735 Phone: 850-410-0213 fbbrinfo@paec.org http://www.familiesandeducators.org PDF copies of the FBBR Fact Sheet, and informational flyers for the Elementary, Middle and High School FBBR parent workshops are available for download.