About
Learning Dreams was developed by Dr. Jerry Stein, in the University of Minnesota's School of Social Work in the College of Education and Human Development. Learning Dreams has several components that include:
Implementation/Program sites
Learning Dreams Program sites support family learning and build the community capacity to support learning. A community-based Neighborhood Educator provides individual, home-based mentoring to parents through a face-to-face, personal relationship. The Neighborhood Educator works with institutions in the community to help them respond in new and more creative ways to family and child learning needs. Learning Dreams is presently being replicated in Southeast Minneapolis, North Minneapolis, and Worthington, Minnesota with plans to start sites in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (more)
Research and Evaluation
Learning Dreams is based on the hypothesis that increased family learning will lead to changes in parents' learning networks, increased social capital, and improved school outcomes for children. The Learning Dreams program sites are supported by research and evaluation tools that make it possible to test this hypothesis. (more)
Training
Dr. Stein has developed a series of workshops, extended trainings, and classes that address building a culture of learning. This training is for people and organizations who wish to improve their outcomes working with those who are not successful in learning or for those looking for new ways to effect cultural change. This may include social service organizations, community groups, businesses, PTAs, school administrations, neighborhood organizations, and policy makers. (more)
Resources
Through his work on the Learning Dreams program sites and his research on the development of a culture of learning, Dr. Jerry Stein has assembled a series of talks, and writings related to Learning Dreams and developing a culture of learning, including links to other educational endeavors and communities that embody similar principals. (more)
Learning Dreams is supported by a combination of educational, foundation, and government entities interested in improving the educational success of children. Funders have included:
- City of Minneapolis Neighborhood Revitalization Program
- General Mills
- Hennepin County
- Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation
- Mardag Foundation
- Mark Frost
- Minneapolis Public Schools
- Musser Foundation
- Northwest Area Foundation
- Prospect Park East River Road Improvement Association
- Rainbow Research, Inc.
- Southeast Council on Learning (Minneapolis)
- Southwest Initiative Foundation
- University of Minnesota
- Worthington Public Schools and Community Education