Return-Path: <nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id gBKFSjX10354; Fri, 20 Dec 2002 10:28:45 -0500 (EST) Date: Fri, 20 Dec 2002 10:28:45 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <se02d3cc.003@wdoc.state.wy.us> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Betty Abbott" <BABBOT@wdoc.state.wy.us> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-FOBASICS:638] Re: Response to "Trauma and Adult X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII X-Mailer: Novell GroupWise Internet Agent 6.0.1 Status: O Content-Length: 5327 Lines: 157 As a special educator and now working in correctional education, I have found the best thing we can do is provide assessment and information to adults. If the student does have a learning disability, providing the information and educating them about their learning problems is the best step to understanding the difficulties they have had in the past. It's amazing to see the change in attitude when they realize that all those years there was a reason they had difficulty and that they aren't "stupid", as one student put it. Betty Abbott WDOC Assistant Program Manager 307-777-6104 >>> arthur@ellijay.com 12/18/02 12:25PM >>> Actually what I'm saying Janet is that IF a teacher would ask a student some school history questions rather than assume that they spent 8 years in special ed because they obviously were "disabled", they may discover that it's not an "ability" question as much as it is a temporary diversion issue as I've indicated previously. That does not mean that the teacher should delve into the students' personal history and act as 'counselor' by any means. Insight as to possible causal factors other than 'disability' may make the transition back to a learning environment a little easier. Simply to provide a quiet study place and appropriate materials does not appear to me to be serving the whole student. Art Janet Isserlis wrote: > Art and all > > I'm not sure what you mean by '20 questions' here; if you're alluding > to the kinds of questions teachers might ask students directly, I'm > not sure that such questions are always useful or necessary. Knowing > that a particular student -- or colleague -- has experienced a > particular event (traumatic, or otherwise) is not the issue as much > as creating safe places for learning for everyone. > > Some adults drop out; others stop out -- to address logistical > (childcare, financial, transportation, etc) issues, and need to be > able to return to educational settings where they will be welcomed > and have both needs and strengths addressed within the program. > > Janet Isserlis > > >Anne, NIFL, NCSALL, etc, > > > >I'm further curious as to what, if any, current or future projects might > >be planning on looking back in the adult learner's history in an effort to > >identify some of the causal factors for the 'drop-out' condition. > >I personally have strong feelings in this direction that is supported by > >many years of playing 20 questions with adult students. It appears to me > >the emotional factors generated by children who experience early life > >situations that are difficult for them to resolve create a scenario > >wherein they are unable to focus on school-work for a time and from that > >point on it appears to be a downhill run culminating in drop-out. > >This can and often does include the issues mentioned in Anne's statements > >below, and can include family crises, personal crisis, embarrassments, or > >some other experience that diverts attention away from 'school' for a long > >enough time that they miss integrating some of the critical issues of > >math, or reading, or language, etc. It also appears that this is most > >prevalent in the K-6th grade range which would coincide with the 6-11 year > >old range of development. > >I would think that NIFL and or NCSALL might look closer into this area. > >It could be easily accomplished by recruiting practitioners nationwide and > >provide them with a standard question bank for their students. It > >wouldn't have to be very formal just to get an idea as to the reality and > >depth of the issue and then develop a more thorough investigation. > > > >Does anybody else have thoughts in this direction? > > > >Art > > > > > > > >Art LaChance > >Gilmer Learning Center > >Ellijay, GA > > > > > >Anne Murr wrote: > > > > > Another prevalent trauma for adults in basic education classes is the > > > emotional abuse they suffered in school because of their learning > > > difficulties. These memories cause blocks to learning in their > > > present setting. I'm angry because it's not their fault that they > > > didn't learn. They simply were not taught in a way in which they > > > could (and can now) learn. There is injustice in their experiences. > > > > > > Their traumas include being made fun of, being required to read aloud > > > and feeling that they made fools of themselves, being made to feel > > > it's their fault for not learning, being told is so many different > > > ways that they are stupid, suffering the anger of the frustrated > > > teacher, suffering abuse from frustrated parent, etc, etc. You've > > > heard the stories too. The result is a litany of negative messages > > > which must be "reprogrammed" before learning in the present can occur. > > > > > > Laura Weisel calls emotions the prerequisite for learning. As > > > educators, we are not therapists, but we can help our students > > > "reprogram" with positive messages as simple as "I can learn, I am > > > learning, I will do my best now." > > > > > > What other ways do you address this issue? > > > -- > > > Anne Murr, Coordinator > > > Adult Literacy Center > > > School of Education > > > Drake University > > > 3206 University Ave. > > > Des Moines, IA 50311 > > > anne.murr@drake.edu > > > Tel 515-271-3982 > > > Fax 515-271-4544
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