Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id i1JG8DI06183; Thu, 19 Feb 2004 11:08:13 -0500 (EST) Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 11:08:13 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <b00a9a07.14a6b550.946cc00@punts5.cc.uga.edu> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: SPENCER SALAS <swsalas@uga.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9940] Re: Staff Diversity in ABE ESOL Programs X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Mailer: Webmail Mirapoint Direct 3.3.5-GR Status: O Content-Length: 7895 Lines: 266 As teachers our classroom practices and professional identities are in large part mediated by cultural tools of race, class, gender, ethnicity, and so forth. These tools, culturally mediated, in turn mediate our thinking. If there are few teachers of color in ESL--this speaks to a profession whose origins, orientation, and values are overwhelmingly white/upper-middle class male which is often glazed over in the "neutrality" of applied linguistics. Spencer ---- Original message ---- >Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 09:51:52 -0500 (BEST) >From: "John Kamplain" <john_kamplain@albanyparkcommunitycenter.org> >Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9934] Re: Staff Diversity in ABE ESOL Programs >To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> > >Maurice, > >Well, I would say that it's a sometimes difficult thing to strive for, >this "...goal that staff >reflect similar cultural, racial/ethnic, and linguistic background as >that of the student population." > >For example, at Albany Park Community Center's Literacy Program (where >I'm a teacher and coordinator) we have a student body that represents 30 >different languages and almost as many different countries; as well, the >surrounding neighborhood we serve is the most ethnically diverse in the >city of Chicago. Our teaching and administrative staff doesn't come >anywhere near representing the diversity of the population, and yet >we're one of the best run agencies in the state with one of the best >retention and success rates. I can't speak for the hiring practices of >our administrators, but it seems to me that although I know they're not >in any way against diversity, they've always concerned themselves with >hiring the best person for the best job. In my humble opinion, >government agencies should be more concerned that funds are being spent >on qualified teachers and programs and not on whether or not there's a >quota being met. > >I will say that a positive side of the issue Maria is bringing up is >that I'm now interested in the policies of my own state's programs. I've >heard anecdotal evidence from teachers in Chicago Public Schools as well >as within the community college system in Chicago that if you don't meet >a certain ethnic "profile" your chances of getting the job are pretty >slim. And that's a sad statement to make no matter which profile they're >pushing. > >Anyway, this an interesting topic and I look forward to reading on. I'm >particularly curious if anyone has read any study that establishes a >positive correlation between good teaching and matching diverse staff to >diverse groups. > >Regards, > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: nifl-esl@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-esl@nifl.gov] On Behalf >> Of m.white >> Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 5:33 PM >> To: Multiple recipients of list >> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9933] Re: Staff Diversity in ABE ESOL Programs >> >> >> John, >> >> No one would disagree that good teaching isn't based on skin >> color. Your thoughts on the larger issue Maria brought up >> would be interesting to read. >> >> Maurice White >> >> John Kamplain wrote: >> >> > I always thought that teaching (like anything else) wasn't >> based on a >> > person's skin color but how well they teach? >> > >> > > -----Original Message----- >> > > From: nifl-esl@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-esl@nifl.gov] On Behalf Of >> > > m.white >> > > Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 12:27 PM >> > > To: Multiple recipients of list >> > > Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9930] Re: Staff Diversity in ABE ESOL Programs >> > > >> > > >> > > Dear Maria, >> > > >> > > This is not a non-issue. I brought this subject up at a recent >> > > strategic planning meeting for adult education here in Kentucky. >> > > The state is serving an increasingly more diverse adult >> population, >> > > but that diversity is not relected in the overall >> staffing patterns >> > > - this includes the administration and the people in the field. >> > > However, there are currently efforts in progress to address this >> > > issue. >> > > >> > > As an African-American of mixed heritage, and the ESOL >> professional >> > > development specialist for adult education in Kentucky, I >> am keenly >> > > aware of the situation. Over the last year of conducting >> a variety >> > > of training workshops for ESOL practitioners and program >> > > supervisors, I have had the pleasure of working with hundreds of >> > > wonderfully dedicated professionals - two of them have >> been Hispanic >> > > and one of them has been African-American. >> > > >> > > There are many good reasons why people are drawn to this >> field, and >> > > as was mentioned by another respondent, there's an equal >> number of >> > > reasons why this profession does not top the "1st choice" >> list. For >> > > adult students of color, this means there is a paucity of >> > > professional who they can fully identify with. We know >> how this may >> > > affect motivation, retention, and success in our programs. >> > > >> > > These are just a few thoughts. A growing group, one of >> the caucuses >> > > of TESOL is International Black Professionals & Friends >> in TESOL. >> > > Diversity among ESOL professionals is at the forefront of their >> > > agenda. I'll pass on the names and email addresses of >> the current >> > > chair & co-chair of IBPFT: >> > > >> > > Shondel Nero, Chair neros@stjohns.edu or >> > > snero@earthlink.net >> > > Khadar Bashir-Ali, Co-Chair khadarbashir_ali@hotmail.com >> > > >> > > Good luck! Maria. >> > > >> > > Maurice White >> > > >> > > Maria Elena Gonzalez wrote: >> > > >> > > > Dear Colleagues, >> > > > >> > > > A week or so ago I posted a message inquiring about the >> > > issue of staff >> > > > diversity in ESOL programs for adults. I am looking for >> > > information >> > > > on how other states, programs, or individuals might have dealt >> > > > with this issue. Except for one person who wrote directly to me >> > > asking that >> > > > I post any information that I receive to the entire list, >> > > no one has >> > > > responded. >> > > > >> > > > So now I'm pushing the envelope a little bit and >> asking: Is this >> > > > a non-issue? In Massachusetts, the Quality Indicators for >> > > ABE Programs >> > > > funded by DOE include under Program Management and >> > > Accountability that >> > > > programs show progress "...toward the goal that staff >> > > reflect similar >> > > > cultural, racial/ethnic, and linguistic background as >> that of the >> > > > student population." It has been difficult for many programs to >> > > > achieve this goal and that is why the Massachusetts System >> > > for Adult >> > > > Basic Education Support (SABES) is currently >> researching promising >> > > > practices in the hiring and retention of diverse staff >> in ABE/ESOL >> > > > programs. We are planning to talk directly to programs >> across the >> > > > state who have implemented such policies but are also looking >> > > > nationally for similar information. >> > > > >> > > > What do you think? Does your program have a diverse staff? >> > > If so, why is >> > > > it so? If not, why do you think it's so? Does your state >> > > have a similar >> > > > goal for state-funded DOE programs? If so, are they posted >> > > somewhere >> > > > so I can access the information? >> > > > >> > > > You can respond directly to me (email below) or to the >> > > entire list. >> > > > If responding directly to me, please indicate if I may >> > > share your answer with >> > > > others. Thank you very much for your help. >> > > > >> > > > Maria E. Gonzalez >> > > > SABES Coordinator >> > > > Adult Literacy Resource Institute/Boston >> > > > SABES Regional Center >> > > > 617-782-8956, X15 >> > > > 617-782-9011 (fax) >> > > >> >
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