At the Heart of Family Learning: Building the Foundations of Learning for the Next Generation

As I was putting the finishing touches on this week’s blog, the foundations on which children and families have built their lives were being shaken in Minneapolis. At times like this, we must double down on our commitment to supporting children, families, and communities. We must also remain unwavering in our efforts to build—brick by brick—a more safe, just, and welcoming future for the most vulnerable among us.

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Were you aware that this year will bring a major milestone in the completion of the Sagrada Familia basilica, which has been under near-constant construction in Barcelona, Spain for over 140 years? The basilica’s central tower is scheduled to be completed on June 10th of this year, just in time to honor the 100th anniversary of architect Antoni Gaudi’s death. Gaudi began work on the basilica in 1883, just a year into its construction. He devoted more than 40 years to the project until his death in 1926, just shy of his 74th birthday.

In many ways, NCFL’s work parallels Gaudi’s. Only instead of building grand basilicas, we’re building or reimagining systems to support child, adult and family learning–work that we’ve pioneered now for more than 35 years.

Recently, Dr. Shawn Ginwright posted to Substack a similar meditation:  “To the Ones Who Are Tired: A Message for the Cathedral Builders.” Dr. Ginwright is a Harvard professor and a leading voice on developing strategies that build stronger schools and reimagine systems–work with obvious connections to NCFL’s own Family Learning Community™ vision. 

I would encourage you to read Dr. Ginwright’s piece in its entirety, but here’s a brief excerpt that resonated with me in relationship to the building work that is underway at NCFL: 

Cathedrals are not built in a year. They are not built in a grant cycle…Generations of people laid stone after stone knowing, with absolute certainty, that they would never see the finished structure…Yet they showed up anyway. Not because they were naive. Not because they were in denial about the scale of the task. But because they understood something we keep forgetting…Some work requires a vision that extends beyond what any one person can accomplish. Some work is so essential that it must be done whether or not we personally see it completed.

So many educators have a gut-level understanding of the point Dr. Ginwright is making here–especially those who work with preschool or elementary-age students. As a former educator myself who spent most of my teaching career in elementary classrooms, I can certainly relate. Educators are bricklayers, laying stones that will serve as a foundation for children and all the learning that comes after. They build cathedrals of academic success and learning, 25 students at a time. And the final shape those cathedrals take is something they may never get the chance to see. 

NCFL’s multigenerational family learning programming is another example of this kind of cathedral building. Our long-standing mission is to eradicate poverty through education solutions for families. That’s not the kind of work that is accomplished in a 9-month program. It’s the kind of work that requires children and parenting adults to learn together over time, building the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in school, access better job opportunities, and contribute in positive and meaningful ways to their communities. The impacts of this work can last a lifetime and reach the next generation of learners.

You can find some of these stories of builders in our recently published 2025 Impact Report. Margaret’s story provides a good example. Margaret’s journey to success began in 2015 when she joined a family learning program. Over the next ten years, Margaret built the skills to support her children’s education. At the same time, she earned her GED and completed an associate’s degree in early childhood education. In 2025, she became the co-teacher of a local pre-kindergarten class, helping other local parents ensure their children are ready for kindergarten. Brick by brick, with support from her adult education teacher, Margaret built her cathedral. Now she has the chance to support other families as they build theirs. 

Working to redesign systems in communities is its own form of cathedral building. NCFL’s Family Learning Community efforts bring together civic and business leaders, school officials, and community-based organizations to build cross-sector relationships, develop and improve workforce pathways, and create new access to learning for families who are furthest from opportunity.

This is urgent work, but we’ve found it cannot be rushed. We must be deliberate and persistent in our steps toward progress. Existing systems are often composed of policies and practices that are deeply ingrained. Shifting those systems in ways that are both lasting and meaningful requires trust and deep commitment on the part of everyone involved, and these qualities can take time to develop. Progress can seem slow. But each new goal achieved represents another brick laid and another step closer to building a legacy of learning that can impact families across generations. 

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past five years, it’s that family learning and systems change is not for the faint of heart. The work of today in support of families and communities is more important now than ever given the shifting landscape and communities are strained. This work requires perseverance and steadfast dedication to an outcome that might be years in the making. Across the country, children and families are counting on our collective success. We cannot let them down. 

Let’s keep building–together!

About the Author

As President and CEO of the National Center for Families Learning, Dr. Felicia C. Smith brings decades of valuable experience to advance NCFL’s mission of eradicating poverty through education solutions for families. She is a firm believer in the power of family literacy and family learning for multi-generational impact, transforming the lives of families and communities.

Smith has served in a variety of leadership roles in P-12, higher education, nonprofits, and philanthropy. Her unique vantage point of a learner’s educational trajectory, from preschool to adulthood, is a result of her experience leading across multiple education systems. Recognized as an Aspen-Pahara education fellow, she serves on several local and national boards. She also holds the position of Vice Chair for the Southern Regional Education Board and was appointed by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear to chair the state’s Early Childhood Advisory Council. In 2021, Smith participated in The Equity Lab’s prestigious year-long Nexus Fellowship.

Smith holds an Ed.D. in education leadership and administration from the University of Kentucky, an M.A. in elementary education with an emphasis on K-12 literacy development, and a B.S. in elementary education from the University of Louisville.

Follow Dr. Felicia C. Smith on LinkedIn.