Return-Path: <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id i2VDJOm00799; Wed, 31 Mar 2004 08:19:24 -0500 (EST) Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 08:19:24 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <004201c41722$63747540$0b00a8c0@DDQPYT21> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Art LaChance" <arthur@ellijay.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:1266] Re: listservs and learning X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1158 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 6402 Lines: 158 I think that what we'll find IF somebody ever actually does a long term look into a real adult literacy classroom that consistently demonstrates high degrees of low skill level completions we will find this exact philosophy being exercised on an hourly basis. The problem is that while the funding sources expect success and set those rates higher each funding cycle we as field are being left to our own devices to train ourselves in the measures indicated by Bonnie here, and that doesn't appear to me to be in the best interest of the student nor the teaching staff. art ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bonnie Odiorne" <bonniesophia@adelphia.net> To: "Multiple recipients of list" <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 4:53 PM Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:1260] Re: listservs and learning > Yes! I agree. My own small program has seen a significant increase in > mental-health-related problems, ranging from Traumatic Brain Injury to those > on disability due to depression or other diagnosed mental illnesses. Those > who weren't "diagnosed" often were unable to learn because of emotional > issues. I did have a PD session, NOT to have the teacher act as a therapist, > but to be able to recognize the behaviors, to know some of the difficulties > that much of the population have (i.e. reaction to medication), the need for > a safe environment, structure; the "stigma" of mental illness). I've had > some good success. But I agree there needs to be much more. Many of my > friends tell me that what I do sounds more like social work than teaching, > and often that's true. But I have a style that chooses to take these kinds > of difficulties into account relatively openly (depending on the disclosure > desires of the students) and incorporate them into the learning process, to > have students reflect on their learning in relation to how they might > reflect on their illness, reactions to stress being the major indicator. I > did get some indications on how to deal with disruptive behaviors, to > negotiate those with the rest of the class, attempting to set clear > groundrules and boundaries. If I were one to address skills acquisition > above all, I doubt whether these students would (some might say should) > remain in my class. If my program is not ready/able/willing to teach, where > do they go? I am dealing now with someone who baffles me: when I manage to > engage him (which takes a great deal of prodding and a more "authoritarian" > stance than I'd like, he responds; if I leave him on his own, he loses > track, focus, stares out the window etc. I'm not in any position to > "diagnose" him. So what do I do? This is perhaps off the track here, but as > you said, we need intense awareness and cross training. I prefer to try to > reach the "forgotten," and not to dismiss students because they "don't want > to learn," "have too many problems," "always make excuses," etc. Any of > which might always be true, of course... > Warmest Regards, > Bonnie Odiorne Ph.D > Program Faciliator > Working Smart > Computers 4 Kids > Silas Bronson Library Information Technology Center > Waterbury, CT > Integrating Technology, ABE and ESL Instruction > > > -----Original Message----- > From: nifl-aalpd@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-aalpd@nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Art > LaChance > Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 2:32 PM > To: Multiple recipients of list > Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:1258] Re: listservs and learning > > > Jackie, > I think Professional Development - and wonder exactly what does it mean. > Improve my ability to deliver services ? That's where I go. Then what is > involved with that. What process can get me there. It reminds me of a > statement that I heard one time from somewhere that it doesn't matter what > you deliver as much as how you deliver it. So training in curriculum > delivery or how to fill out paperwork or how to do research or replication > of the processes that obviously didn't work for these now adult students > confounds our whole process. What I see is a desperate need for cross > training from other fields - medical - psychological - rehabilitation - etc > into the makeup of an adult who is economically and emotionally depressed > due primarily to their lack of education, and how to make effective contact > with them to a degree that would enable us to actually propel them into > their future. > > That's what I'd like to see happen. Cross discipline. Intense awareness > activities. Within our capability of understanding the associated jargon. > > art > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "jataylor" <jataylor@utk.edu> > To: "Multiple recipients of list" <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> > Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 11:36 AM > Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:1248] listservs and learning > > > Hello everyone ~ > Some of us mentioned experiences with discussion lists and professional > development. Art, you mentioned that you became involved in NIFL discussion > lists primarily "mainly as a means of acquiring validation for issues that > we > were experiencing in the classroom." Jean, you noted that you participate > in > listservs as a means of keeping on the "leading edge" and for your own > professional development. I understand both of you to convey a PD need for > learning and/or discovery over time, is this correct? Can this need for > informal PD be met in any other way? > > Eileen, I understand you to say that not only has participation with > discussion lists been an ongoing, informal learning experience for you, but > > one that can transcend the online interaction and has potential for lasting > change - can you tell us more about what you mean? > > What needs do discussion lists meet that cannot be met by participation in > other types of interactive, synchronous or asynchronous forums? If for > example, one of the national lists were converted to a different format - > like > a bulletin board instead of a discussion list, how might our experiences be > similar or different? What new needs would be met, and what needs would no > longer be addressed? > > Lastly, how do our experiences with different types of listservs compare? > In > other words, are the experiences of subscribers to fully-moderated lists > similar or different than open lists? How might these two formats impact > the > learning experiences in different ways? > > Your thoughts? > Jackie > >
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