Teaching and Learning Alumni Form Community Group About Literacy Work

Literacy Alumni & Friends meets once a quarter for literacy-related lectures, networking, community building, and resource sharing.

A group of people sits around a table in a children's library

Alumni from programs across NYU Steinhardt’s Department of Teaching and Learning collaborate for informal quarterly meetings about literacy, education, and community-building. Carolyn Strom, clinical assistant professor of early childhood literacy, spearheaded the Literacy Alumni & Friends (LAF) group, which has been meeting in person for almost two years.

“LAF developed organically as alumni from our literacy courses wanted to stay in touch once they became full-time teachers across the city,” says Strom, a former first grade teacher and reading specialist whose work focuses on improving early literacy instruction. “We also have attendees who are adjunct faculty, work in educational technology, and have leadership roles in a variety of literacy and learning-focused organizations. It is important that we not only support teachers during their training at NYU but also as they begin their classroom careers. LAF provides a community for alums to get together, stay informed on the latest policy and research, ask questions of their peers, network, and learn from each other.”

Alumni work in schools of all kinds—public, private, charter, and for special populations such as those with learning disabilities. They also range from years of experience in the field of education to brand-new teachers.

“We are in an era where the ‘science of reading’ has attracted attention in schools and where a lot of media coverage has been devoted to whether different teaching practices and literacy curriculums understand or leverage how children learn to read. At LAF, we have learned that many teachers are keen to come to their alma mater after a long day of teaching and deepen their learning,” says Strom.

“LAF is really informal, and we all know each other pretty well by now, and it’s a great opportunity for networking,” says Marielle Czerniecki (MA ’24, Childhood Education and Special Education), who is a fourth-grade special education teacher at South Bronx Literacy Academy and a member of LAF. “We mostly talk about the different literacy curriculums that are used across New York City and their evidence base, as well as get advice on challenges we face while teaching. We also talk a lot about jobs and tutoring opportunities.”

A group of people stands and poses for the photo inside a restaurant

Effie Karadimitri (BS ’17, Childhood Education and Special Education; MA ’22, Literacy Education) is another frequent LAF attendee. She is a second-grade gifted and talented teacher at PS 110 on the Lower East Side.

“With LAF, Dr. Strom really saw and filled a need for early career, like-minded teachers to connect about reading education from a scientific perspective,” says Karadimitri. “It’s really important to have a place where we can talk about challenges our students are experiencing, as well as how the implementation of New York City’s three reading curricula is going at our different schools.”

In fact, Karadimitri recommended that her school adopt a supplemental online reading intervention program called Wordflight after an LAF colleague spoke highly of its impact in helping to bridge the gap between their students’ knowledge of phonics and fluency.

“All of the LAF attendees have similar goals and needs, so it’s a great way to ask questions and share resources,” says Karadimitri.

To aid even further in the sharing of knowledge about the science of literacy, Strom has also offered professional development sessions at various schools throughout New York City, including Karadimirti’s PS 110. Earlier this year, NYU Work Life hosted a literacy workshop in partnership with The Constantine Georgiou Library at Steinhardt that featured Strom. She discussed how children’s brains transform as they learn to read and spell, as well as what the neuroscience of literacy development means, in practical terms, for families and classroom teachers. Several LAF members were in attendance.

If you are an alum of one of Steinhardt’s Teaching and Learning programs and you’d like more information about joining Literacy Alumni & Friends, please email carolyn.strom@nyu.edu.

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