Return-Path: <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id fBAEJV001251; Mon, 10 Dec 2001 09:19:31 -0500 (EST) Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 09:19:31 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <sc147d6f.037@mail.jsi.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Andy Nash" <andy_nash@jsi.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:1942] EFF and civics X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Novell GroupWise Internet Agent 5.5.5.1 Status: O Content-Length: 2836 Lines: 50 As some of you may know, the Massachusetts adult education system is in the midst of a sudden funding crisis. Five months into the fiscal year, the legislature has passed a state budget that cuts adult education funding by almost 50% (and forfeits future federal matching funds). If you do the math, you'll see that a 50% cut mid-way through the year pretty much means that the entire system may have to shut down by February. Since the economic squeeze that has hit Massachusetts may be coming to your state soon, I thought I'd share some of the EFF-inspired ideas that some teachers are using to address this crisis with their students. Contrary to what you might expect, explicit use of the "Advocate and Influence" standard is not at the top of the list, since it's really been educators who have figured out the advocacy strategy (due to the need for speed and coordination). Instead, the standard "Use Math to Solve Problems and Communicate" has been at the forefront, guiding teachers as they've explained the fiscal situation to students, and as they've helped students prepare to express their concerns to legislators: "What message do you want to convey to your representative and what numbers can help to tell your story?" The notion that you use math to communicate has become very clear. The "Speak So Others Can Understand" standard has also been key, as students prepared to lobby at the state house. The particulars of the context * speaking to officials who may respond with "budgetese" that you don't understand; who may let you know, indirectly, that they're in a rush by not inviting you to sit down; who want to satisfy you without necessarily giving you a real commitment; etc. * these all provide material for roleplays and rehearsal. And students also learn the standard as they practice telling stories about the impact the cuts will have on their lives, figuring out how much detail to go into, where to focus, what tone to use, and how to connect their story to the stories of classmates. One group of immigrant students explained (after the senator's aide exclaimed at how easy it was to understand them) that they, on the other hand, couldn't understand him, and went on to describe the varied levels of success they have communicating in different situations (demonstrating clearly that they "use multiple strategies to monitor the effectiveness of communication"). It's only after the rush of activity has died down that classes will have time to return to the role maps, purposes, and common activities to note what they have done, and to address their many new questions about state government. The events remind us, I think, that our "goals and purposes" get changed and reprioritized as we deal with the world (or the world deals with us!) each day. Andy Nash World Education anash@worlded.org
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