A Children’s Book is a Powerful Tool | Tandem, Partners in Early Learning
Photo credit: Tandem Partners in Early Learning
Our partners at Tandem, Partners in Early Learning believe that a children’s book is a powerful tool. By providing Bay Area families with thousands of multilingual, multicultural picture books, Tandem, Partners in Early Learning is helping to diversify school and home libraries for children ages 0-5. We are proud to be supporting Tandem’s work as part of our goal to foster a love of reading among all Oakland children.
Working with school districts, early childcare and education providers, and community-based organizations, Tandem serves children and families through their StoryCycles and Early Learning Everywhere programs, and strengthens the early childhood education system through professional development.
Through their StoryCycles school-to-home book-sharing program, Tandem increases families' access to books in communities where these learning resources aren’t easily accessible. Promoting literacy and family engagement, StoryCycles addresses inequities by providing families up to 100 high quality, multilingual, developmentally appropriate books each year through participating preschools. With more books in the home, 84% of StoryCycles families report reading with their children on a daily basis and the majority of StoryCycles families report an increase in interactive reading behaviors in their children.
In the past year, Tandem has distributed over 25,000 picture books in 22 different languages to young children throughout the Bay Area.
Outside of schools, Tandem’s Early Learning Everywhere programs support children who are not enrolled in formal care through workshops, play-and-learn groups, and other events at libraries, resource centers, health clinics, and parks. The workshops use books as a foundation to teach language and literacy, math, diversity, social-emotional learning, and to help build home libraries.
In the past year, Tandem focused on supporting children and families as they reentered their schools and communities while still navigating the stresses of Covid. They brought their StoryCycles programs back into 180 Alameda County classrooms while also continuing online programs; distributing over 25,000 books reflective of the home languages and communities they serve. Currently they have over 2,600 diverse book titles in their database, in 22 languages. And it’s not just books! Tandem also includes intergenerational activity guides so parents and caregivers can engage with their children through simple home-based activities and discussion tips.
By providing high-quality books that foster critical thinking, inclusivity, and empathy in children, inside and outside the classroom, Tandem’s literacy work continues to be a key part of our efforts to support stronger reading outcomes for Oakland kids.