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 i23GvMI29095; Wed, 3 Mar 2004 11:57:22 -0500 (EST) Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2004 11:57:22 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <023e01c40140$1f363f00$6b00000a@maria02> 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: "Maria Elena Gonzalez" <maria@alri.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9976] Re: Staff Diversity in ABE ESOL Programs X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1106 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 4449 Lines: 118 Thank you Maurice for responding. I've been out of the office a lot and haven't had a chance to respond to the many postings on this issue. Is it possible for you to elaborate on what measures are currently being taken in Kentucky to address the issue of a lack of diversity in staffing in ABE programs? Also, thank you for your leads about the Black Professionals group from TESOL. I plan to go to Long Beach for the upcoming conference and will visit their booth. Best, Maria Elena Gonzalez maria@alri.org ----- Original Message ----- From: "m.white" <ma.white@morehead-st.edu> To: "Multiple recipients of list" <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 1:26 PM 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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