Literacy advocate and author Maya Payne Smart shares her expertise on the role of family engagement in developing early literacy skills. Highlighting practical strategies for parents and the importance of building strong school-family partnerships, Maya emphasizes conversational interactions and community support as key to nurturing proficient young readers. Watch Now!
Learn more from Maya by reading our blog.
Thought Leader: Maya Payne Smart
Maya Payne Smart is a parent educator, literacy advocate, and the author of Reading for Our Lives: A Literacy Action Plan from Birth to Six (Avery/Penguin Random House). Her website, MayaSmart.com, publishes new book lists, literacy activities, and other free family resources weekly to help parents play their dual roles as first teachers and educational advocates. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from the Medill School at Northwestern University and a bachelor’s in social studies with honors from Harvard University. She serves as affiliated faculty in Educational Policy and Leadership in the College of Education at Marquette University.
Get to Know the Host: Dr. Cheryl Lundy Swift
Cheryl holds a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership, is a distinguished educational leader, and has been recognized with multiple awards for her achievements. She served as the lead curriculum developer for Learning Without Tears' Get Set for School Language and Literacy curriculum, which received an AEP Distinguished Achievement Award, and was awarded the Investors Bank Educator of the Year Award.
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