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 i2VIBfm28277; Wed, 31 Mar 2004 13:11:51 -0500 (EST) Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 13:11:51 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <001b01c4174b$54655690$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:1275] Re: clarification please 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: 3272 Lines: 73 Nancy, I borrow from Bonnie here: ".....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 do not think there is an increase in these numbers of student conditions, they've been there all along. Whether we've recognized it or not. This is the norm. The norm is not the 20% or so of public school students who complete the educational process unfettered and reading at a 12th grade level and ready for college. The norm is the 50% or better of our population who didn't get a complete take on it. For whatever reason. We need to realize that we in adult literacy only effectively serve about 5-10% of the group who need adult literacy services to improve their skills therefore the students who actually show up have reached a point in their lives where they are willing to face the exceptionally strong emotional issues that Bonnie refers to above. Whether we are ready to recognize and deal with it effectively and are able to help that person succeed probably for the first time in their lives - that is the question. Should we be professionally trained in those skills mentioned by Bonnie - is the second question. art ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nancy L Markus" <nmarkus@juno.com> To: "Multiple recipients of list" <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 8:26 AM Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:1267] clarification please > > > On Wed, 31 Mar 2004 08:18:33 -0500 (EST) "Art LaChance" > <arthur@ellijay.com> writes: > > 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. > > > I am unsure what philosophy you are refering to. Would you please > clearly define it for me? Thanks mcu.. > > Nancy Markus >
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