Interview with Susanne Foulk Ed.D.

LP: To begin, why did you decide to start FFGOIL?
SF: It was based in my experience of having established a preschool that developed into a [K-12 private] school that I ran for over ten years [1989-1999].  It was a pro-social program that welcomed children and adolescents of different ages who had difficulties in the traditional school setting.  From my experience these families were typically, working parents, who were in need of assistance, but who would have been otherwise unable to come up with the [outside] financial resources to address their children’s needs.
LP: Oh I see.
SF: I found myself subsidizing the program…significantly.  For example, I had children who, in preschool, had been "kicked out" because they threw things at other children when they became upset.  Circumstances such as these at the preschool level were, at the time, difficult to find services for.  Children were being kicked out of private preschools and the mothers had to work, where were they going to go?  No one would take them and what about the child who was blind and/or autistic…at the pre- preschool level?  I welcomed those children too, but it was very difficult because they had high needs. 
Then, the child in the mainstream, public education elementary level, by giving them the individualized attention, they could developed confidence and excel in this setting versus the same child who was mainstreamed and whose individual and normal needs were not addressed.  So, just by giving the typical child individualized attention and the child with special needs the same—however, differentiated attention—these children thrived.  But every child should receive this, I thought.
LP: I agree.
SF: There needed to be funding to support these needs for each child.  I went on to establish the Foundation for Greater Opportunities in Learning in 1999 in order to invite others in the community to become involved in offering financial resource to support special needs of children.  --In 2000,  I entered into a contract with the County of Los Angeles, to develop a literacy project for children in foster care at the Edelman Children’s Court. Right now, there are over 32,000 children in the foster care system in the Los Angeles County alone, with the County acting on behalf of the children.  --In tandem with my own studies at USC in RSOE, [Rossier School of Education] I’ve been seeking ways to apply the research in learning and instruction for this particular population over the past few years.  What I’ve found is that what these children have in common with other children [I had been working with], is the important need of literacy.  --One of the largest gains experienced in my earlier work was in teaching children how to read.  When they could read, they could begin to address other learning activities with greater confidence and greater strides.  This changed the perception their parents had of them and gave them something productive to focus on with their children.  Behavior problems decreased because of more time on task and because their identity as learners changed.  Their efficacy for more challenging tasks increased and they became more successful learners.
LP: That’s great!
SF: The children in foster care have moved from place to place so many times.  They have not had opportunities to learn as other children have.  Their sense of confidence and self-worth is paired with their ability to experience success as others do…learning to read is critical.  The children in foster care the children are typically one or more grade levels behind.  Often these children do not qualify for special ed [education].  They typically have difficulty reading one to two levels behind.  Why?  And what do they need?  How does one learn how to read?  How did YOU learn how to read?
LP: I suppose I learned through school and my mom always used to read to me.
SF: Yes.
LP: I remember learning the alphabet and the sounds in kindergarten.
SF: Yes, learning is assisted.  Teachers, activities at school, being read to…but the child in foster care because of trauma experienced, stress, impedes learning in the first place. And then they are missing school.  And then even taken from school to a new home, new environment, has to make new friends.
LP: Right.
SF: Who's reading to the child?  You have to build trust a bit as well, right?  Ensure them that they’re not going to look stupid?  That it's okay to try?
LP: Yes.
SF: That takes time.
LP: For sure.
SF: And what if, just when the child is feeling a bit of trust, something happens?  Whether they return to the home for another try or on to another foster home, new school, has to make new friends...SO difficult, all the while worrying about what's going on at home and blaming him or herself for the reason he or she was removed from the home.  So, mentoring….establishing a trusting relationship from which a child who is experiencing these traumas can build and establish a context from which they can learn and develop.
LP: Right.
SF: That's where we are right now, building the Mentor/Tutor program, [in order to provide] scaffolding [to the] learning.
LP: Yes.
SF: So we are basing this program on the Social-Psychological theory in which learning is complex and dynamic. 
LP: Oh I see.
SF: Learning involves the individual, the social interaction, which is the teacher or mentor, and the context, which is the setting or the activity. 
LP: Oh wow!  I never thought about how complex the learning process was.
SF: And the Sociocultural nature of learning, in which the development of ones ability to perform a task, as in self-regulation, requires the gradual assistance of the teacher or mentor.
LP: Oh!  Something these children do not have. 
SF: Yes.  Gradual transfer of responsibility requires sensitivity of the teacher or mentor—who can be the parent or surrogate—to GRADUALLY changeover responsibility.
LP: It is really interesting how so many of these factors are related. 
SF: Yes.  So, for example, in learning how to read, the mentor may model reading, as your mother did and read to the child or adolescent. Then assist in sounding out words, giving them symbols and tools that will assist them in gradually learning to take over the task of learning.
LP: Oh I see.  So would you say that there was one pinnacle moment that got you interested in this type of educational work, or was it more of a series of events that tied together to get you where you are?
SF: Wow!  Good question…Yes, I would say so…there was a moment, but many moments in time.  I believe one was when I was 19 and was in New York, trying to figure out what I wanted to do [with my life].
LP: Yes...
SF: I was taking the Staten Island ferry to work right off Wall Street and I came across a book by Leo Buscaglia.  I believe it was the one, Living, Loving, and Learning. 
LP: Oh I should look into that.
SF: This book made me understand that learning was something we naturally want to do and it's vital to living life and through loving others enough to assist them in helping them grow, we are helping to give them the most wonderful gift.  It is a gift of life and everyone can do it! I wanted to do that for others. Give them, help them, with something like that.
LP: That is really powerful…wow.  What a neat story!
SF: It turns out he was a Prof at USC, way before I even thought about going there.  And, he was in the school of education!
LP: Oh really?
SF: And, a couple of years after I had begun my program at ‘SC I asked my wonderful advisor, Dr. Dembo, if he's known him.  And he said yes, that they were very good friends!
LP: Well that worked out nicely!
SF: I should have known.  It's amazing how God works, orchestrates our lives!
LP: Yes!  That is just the type of thing I am looking into!
SF: Yes and Dr. Dembo is just as amazing!
LP: That is nice as well.  So, if you had to give me four characteristics to describe yourself...what would you say?
SF: Ok.
LP: Haha I know that sometimes it’s harder to describe yourself, especially when you are as unselfish as you are!
SF: Well, I would say I'm demanding of myself.  I've learned, and am learning, to have grace..  Persistent.  I would say loyal…to things I believe in and to my friends and family and to those who cannot speak for themselves.
LP: Those are all great qualities and I would definitely agree that you embody all of them!
SF: Thanks!
LP: Ok I will ask just one more question…
SM: Ok.
LP: I know that you are very busy, between your new grandson and finishing your dissertation.  So what would you say motivates you to continue your work at FFGOIL and what drives you to work with the kids each week?
SM: I believe all children and adolescents can and should have the opportunity to learn.
LP: I would definitely agree with that!
SF: I believe that, in particular, the children in foster care have a particularly difficult situation.  I know that there is something I can do that will have an impact on their life and others want to help when they know what they can do.  These children in our own town can be very lost and lose hope.
LP: Unfortunately I am beginning to see that more and more each week.
SF: They could very well, and many times DO, end up having difficult life circumstances. But, there is a way that we can help.
LP: Yes!
SF: And that is by sharing with a young child or teen, giving them something that many of us take for granted.
LP: That is for sure.  I definitely take literacy for granted.
SF: Individualized attention, belief in each one of them, that they can succeed and develop their own gifts and skills in life. 
LP: Wow, what a great philosophy.
SF: And a way to begin is by sharing on an individual basis with one child, one adolescent, assisting them in learning how to read and apply it in their studies and in their everyday lives.
LP: That’s fantastic.
SF: Each week I go back to personally share with the children because I love to see their eyes sparkle when they have a chance to talk about what a story means to them or tell me their own story.
LP: Awww yes that is special.
SF: I know the experience offered to them, even if for one day in the Shelter Care will be connected with many more opportunities to learn. I love being a part of that and I love bringing people with me to share with them.
LP: Yes and judging from my experience, those “people” also love to share that experience too!
SF: They give the gift back to us; gives us a reason to do all the things we do.
LP: Yes.
SF: We all need opportunities to share with others.  We need them and they need us.
LP: Yes I agree.
SF: Eventually, we plan to extend the program to back to the adolescent area of shelter care at the Children's Court as well.
LP: That would be wonderful!
SF: So. Thank you for these questions, Lindsay. It was great thinking about all of this.
LP: Oh thank you!  I appreciate your honesty and your answers were fabulous! 
SF: I hope I have given you some good stuff for your project.
LP: Yes, this will help me so very much in doing my project!
SF: Great!
LP: Also I can bring some of the ideas you have talked about to the Shelter Care next week when I'm with the children.
SF: Ok. Great!
LP: Thank you again for your time.  I know this took awhile and I truly do appreciate it!
SF: My pleasure!