Update

Hi there tout la gang,

We don't have much to say about research in practice at the Café right now

but we are talking policy and practice over here now: Literacy Enquirers.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

sickie

Sorry, gentle reader, to be so long between posts but I have been quite under the weather this week. The cursed ailment comes and goes like allergies but feels like a head cold with all attendant nasties.

Back in writing form next week.

Until then, check out this job description for
Teacher Adult Literacy

"Many adult literacy and remedial education teachers work part time and receive no benefits; unpaid volunteers also teach these subjects."
Sound familiar? What about this?
Working Conditions

A large number of adult literacy and remedial education teachers work part time. Some have several part-time teaching assignments or work full time in addition to their part-time teaching job. Classes for adults are held on days and at times that best accommodate students who may have a job or family responsibilities.

Because many of these teachers work with adult students, they do not encounter some of the behavioral or social problems sometimes found with younger students. Adults attend by choice, are highly motivated, and bring years of experience to the classroom—attributes that can make teaching these students rewarding and satisfying. However, many adult education programs are located in cramped facilities that lack modern amenities, which can be frustrating for teachers.
Isn't it nice that the authors are so right about adult students?

3 comments:

Wendell Dryden said...

Haahahahaha... whew..

Somebody's not going to get the job of recruiting new adult literacy facilitators.

The wonder of it is, I'd never want to do any other kind of work!

literacies publisher said...

I sometimes do workshops about ESL Literacy for a local TESL certificate program. Every so often one of the TESL students, at the end of our 12 hours together, asks, "How can I become a literacy instructor?"

And I think - Oh no! Not another one. Somehow my love of the work has shone through my warnings about working conditions and another poor soul is about to embark upon a terrible, fantastic life in literacy. And once you start...

Anonymous said...

We do it all because this is our fulfillment, as human beings, to see a light come on, an "Aha!" moment, shoulders back and a new lift in the walk, a student from 5 years ago comes back just to see you and say, "Thanks", the 'letting go' to the next level, the "I always hated school before" comment, etc. etc. We've all had those times, and they keep us going despite the scrounging for resources, the bake-sales, and so on. Who else has the ability or opporunity to really influence people who have such low self-esteem and who have never succeeded at anything that truly mattered to them? What a responsibility, but wht a privilege it is to do this work.

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