Great Books Foundation

THE MISSION OF THE GREAT BOOKS FOUNDATION IS TO ADVANCE THE CRITICAL, REFLECTIVE THINKING, AND SOCIAL AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT OF READERS OF ALL AGES THROUGH SHARED INQUIRY DISCUSSION OF WORKS AND IDEAS OF ENDURING VALUE.

K-12 PROGRAMS:IN KEEPING WITH THE FOUNDATION'S MISSION, THE GREAT BOOKS K-12 PROGRAM PROVIDES STRONG, INQUIRY-BASED LANGUAGE ARTS PROGRAMS FOR GRADES K-12 THAT IMPROVE STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENT IN, AND COMMITMENT TO, READING COMPREHENSION, INCREASED LITERACY, CRITICAL THINKING, WRITING AND SPEAKING, CIVIL DISCOURSE, AND LISTENING. GREAT BOOKS PROGRAMS COMBINE CLASSROOM MATERIALS AND THE SHARED INQUIRY METHOD OF LEARNING TO PROVIDE THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS STUDENTS NEED TO MEET AND SURPASS THE GOALS OF THE COMMON CORE AND OTHER STATE STANDARDS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS.K-12 DIGITAL PROGRAMS: TO REMAIN RELEVANT AND SUCCESSFUL IN THE 21ST CENTURY, GREAT BOOKS CREATED A DIGITAL EXPERIENCE BY DEVELOPING DIGITAL PUBLICATIONS AND PRODUCTS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO CONTENT. THIS INCLUDES GREAT BOOKS PLUS, A DIGITAL PLATFORM THAT OFFERS ELECTRONIC VERSIONS OF GREAT BOOKS ANTHOLOGIES. THIS DIGITAL EXPERIENCE UPDATES AND ENHANCES THE GREAT BOOKS LEARNING MODEL AND ALLOWS THE FOUNDATION TO REACH A WIDER, MORE DIVERSE AUDIENCE. AS WE CONTINUE TO ENHANCE OUR DIGITAL OUTPUT, THROUGH MUCH OF THE FIRST HALF OF CALENDAR 2021 OUR TEAM WORKED TO PREPARE THE LAUNCH OF JGB DIGITAL CLASSROOM, MOVING US FROM AN E-READER PLATFORM TO A MORE FULLY AGILE DIGITAL PLATFORM.WITH COVID-19-RELATED SCHOOL CLOSURES IN THE SPRING OF 2020, GREAT BOOKS CREATED THE JUNIOR GREAT BOOKS VIRTUAL ACADEMY IN RESPONSE TO HIGH DEMAND FOR ENGAGING ONLINE INSTRUCTION, TO HELP PREVENT K-8 STUDENTS FROM LOSING GAINS IN READING COMPREHENSION AND CRITICAL THINKING, AND TO PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO COLLABORATE WITH THEIR PEERS. THE JUNIOR GREAT BOOKS VIRTUAL ACADEMY, LED BY EXPERIENCED GREAT BOOKS TRAINERS, COMBINES INTERACTIVE READING ACTIVITIES WITH STUDENT-CENTERED ONLINE DISCUSSIONS TO HELP STUDENTS DEVELOP IDEAS, USE AND EXPLAIN EVIDENCE, AND RESPOND CONSTRUCTIVELY TO THEIR PEERS.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE FOUNDATION'S PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PROVIDED OVER 900 EDUCATORS WITH SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION AND CLASSROOM ASSISTANCE IN THE SHARED INQUIRY METHOD OF LEARNING THROUGH READING AND DISCUSSION OF GREAT LITERATURE. THE FOUNDATION WORKED CLOSELY WITH SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO BUILD TEACHERS' PROFICIENCY AND INTEGRATE INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM BY PROVIDING CUSTOMIZED DAYS OF ONLINE TRAINING, MODELING, COACHING, AND CONSULTATION. THE FOUNDATION OFFERS TEACHERS AND PARENTS ONLINE INSTRUCTION IN THE SHARED INQUIRY METHOD OF LEARNING THROUGH BLENDED ONLINE COURSES, VIDEO COACHING OR WEBINARS ON SPECIFIC SKILLS. THE FOUNDATION ALSO PRODUCES EDUCATIONAL AND INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS NECESSARY TO PRACTICE AND PROMOTE SHARED INQUIRY AND CREATED WEBINARS TO SUPPORT TEACHERS TEACHING JUNIOR GREAT BOOKS IN-PERSON, HYBRID, AND REMOTELY DURING THE PANDEMIC.THE JUNIOR GREAT BOOKS PROGRAM HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE NATIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AS AN "EXEMPLARY PROGRAM" IN TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. FEEDBACK FROM THOSE WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE FOUNDATION'S PROFESSIONAL LEARNING ACTIVITIES SUGGESTS THAT THE FOUNDATION PLAYED AN IMPORTANT PART IN CREATING AND SUSTAINING VIBRANT, RESPECTFUL LEARNING COMMUNITIES AND INCREASED LITERACY FOR ADULTS AND STUDENTS.

ADULT DISCUSSION GROUPS:THE ADULT EDUCATION DIVISION OF THE GREAT BOOKS FOUNDATION SHARES THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION AS A WHOLE: TO HELP SUSTAIN AND STRENGTHEN OUR DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY BY PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNERS TO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS OF WORKS AND IDEAS OF ENDURING VALUE AND TO DEVELOP THE HABITS OF MIND ESSENTIAL TO CIVIC PARTICIPATION AND PERSONAL FULFILLMENT. TO THIS END, THE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS A NETWORK OF BOOK GROUPS NATIONWIDE; CREATES SPECIAL INITIATIVES FOR OFTEN UNDER-SERVED SECTORS OF THE POPULATION, INCLUDING VETERANS OF THE ARMED FORCES; AND HOLDS PUBLIC EVENTS TO ENGAGE AUDIENCES IN THE DISCUSSION OF BOOKS AND IDEAS, INCLUDING ONLINE DISCUSSIONS FOR ADULTS HELD DURING THE PANDEMIC. THE FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH OTHER CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING ITS WORK TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. TO ENABLE THESE VARIOUS PROGRAMS, THE ADULT DIVISION PUBLISHES BOOKS AND OTHER MATERIALS DESIGNED TO ASSIST IN THE PRACTICE OF SHARED INQUIRY, THE GREAT BOOKS FOUNDATION'S UNIQUE DISCUSSION METHOD. IN ANTICIPATION OF THE FOUNDATION'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY, WORK BEGAN ON A NEW PUBLICATION, CLASSIC READINGS FOR DISCUSSION, WHICH WAS RELEASED IN THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR.