General / Research / Education
CLiF celebrated eleven wins this fall – we kicked off all of our Year of the Book partnerships with in-person events! As we have navigated another fall of closures, shortages, and sickness, we have also succeeded in so many ways. Here are some articles and research pertinent to literacy work in our ever-evolving world. Thank … Continued
Every other year, CLiF offers its Rural LIbrary Conference – a gathering for Vermont and New Hampshire librarians to learn from each other and to gain practical advice on programming, collection developments, grant writing, policy creation, outreach, and more. This year, CLiF will move to a virtual format. This three-day event, held November 30 – … Continued
General / Presenter Profiles / CLiF Spotlight
CLiF would like to introduce or re-introduce you to Amy Huntington of Willliston, VT. Amy has new books coming out in 2021 and 2022, and is featured in a new exhibit at the TW Gallery in Montpelier, VT, The Art of Stories: A Vermont Picture Book Exhibit. To celebrate this exhibit and Amy’s new books, CLiF … Continued
Reading is one of the most important skills that help a child develop. However, as many parents know, helping children learn to read is not an easy task. But if you approach this issue creatively, you may be surprised to find out that it takes a few games to make this process simple and fun. … Continued
CLiF is hiring! We’re looking for a part-time (24 hours/week) Communications Manager to join our team. Work will be based in our Waterbury Center, VT HQ, though may be remote during the pandemic. We’re looking for a dynamic communications professional to manage our external communications, media relations, and overall outreach. Communications duties include: pitching media … Continued
A few weeks ago, I spent a cold Wednesday morning waking up before the crack of dawn, and driving 45 minutes to Edmunds Elementary School in Burlington, Vermont to spread the opportunity to fall in love with literature and reading through CLiF’s Year of the Book program. It was just under 40˚, and I was … Continued
Calling young writers 12 and under in New Hampshire and Vermont – submit to the Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF) Halloween writing contest! Send your spookiest (or silliest) Halloween story to danny@clifonline.org by October 31, 2021. Please include your name, age, and mailing address (so we can send the winners books – you will not be … Continued
For my first CLiF event, I went to the Year of the Book kick-off at Braintree Elementary School in Braintree, Vermont. As a smaller school, they have fewer than 100 students, but it was clear to me from the get-go that this didn’t prevent them from instilling a strong love of reading in the kids’ … Continued
I was that kid on the playground who always had a book in my hands. I was excited to do elaborate book reports and talk about the books we read and often disappointed by my classmates’ disinterest. I got teased for being a dork. This made me think I should be ashamed of doing the … Continued
When I was in third grade, I was given a journal to write in, and approximately 20 minutes every day in class to work in it. It was left fairly open-ended: do math problems, write a diary entry, doodle, practice your cursive. While I can’t speak to what the others in my class did, I … Continued
General / Book Club for Grown-ups
Sign up here We are pleased to welcome you back to CLiF’s Book Club for Grown-ups virtual series featuring Vermont and New Hampshire authors who write for/work with both kids and adults. You can find all of our past discussions here, which have included bestselling authors like Dan Brown and Katherine Paterson, and poets Rajnii … Continued
Of course, peer-to-peer relationships are important to a child’s social-emotional learning and development, but so, too, are relationships with adults. Multigenerational relationships can be fulfilling for everyone involved and it’s essential for kids to have positive, supportive adults in their lives to make them feel safe, loved, and seen. Adults have knowledge and experiences to … Continued
Research / Literacy Activities / Education
Welcome back to another year filled with pandemic-related challenges and opportunities for all educators. Despite variability on the way, CLiF has a full slate of Year of the Book and Rural Library partners and fall At-Risk applications open. CLiF continues to adjust programming in close collaboration with each partner to offer fun for children, staff, … Continued
From first through third grade, I was in a multi-age class taught by Mrs. A. I loved Mrs. A. She read to us every day and encouraged my passion for making up stories. She was the first teacher to tell me I was a talented writer and could be a real author in the future. … Continued
Remote learning and homeschooling are nothing new. But, they have become more popular over the last year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. As of March 2021, 4.5-5 million children were being homeschooled in the U.S. For children with disabilities, home education provides many benefits. Some of the biggest pros include providing the necessary accommodations … Continued
Sorry, educators, but summer’s winding down, in-services are starting up, and it’s time to think about the school year ahead (hopefully, a little more “normal” than last year?). We know you’re looking for fun and engaging ways to help your students improve their skills and knowledge base while keeping their attention after a tough two … Continued
Reading together is one of the best ways to prepare your child for future success in school and long after. But there are ways besides reading a book that can help them engage in literacy, hone their skills, build vocabulary and comprehension, while having fun! CLiF’s website has TONS of fun, free or cheap ideas … Continued
General / Book Recommendations
At CLiF, we love to read. That’s probably why we spend our time helping kids discover that love for themselves and embark on a lifelong journey of enjoying literature. Summer offers some much-needed time to dig into your To Be Read pile and relax with a good book (or 3. Or 4.). Here’s what the … Continued
CLiF has served over 350,000 children since 1998.