Hi all,

Barriers is an extremely interesting topic for me and I have spent some time thinking and writing about it over the last decade.   Essentially, we focus on Relationship, Content and Environment. We use William Glasser's Choice Theory to guide our behaviour in relationship building and setting environment, and a learner/community centered model for content (basically, we adapt what we do to individual learner's or community's wants and stated needs - some may remember as Student Centered Individualized Learning from Frontier College Student Handbook).  

I've personally shifted my thinking about barriers from what I've been calling a 'checklist approach' (generic list of barriers, like transportation, childcare, healthy snack, etc) to thinking about it as a process, as individual as the learner's themselves, that provides specific assistance for overcoming obstacles to participation.  Funny this topic should happen to come up today - we've just talked about writing a paper about this, so if you're interested in hearing more, let me know off list.

Cheryl Brown, Community Literacy Coordinator
Quality Learning New Brunswick
Saint John, NB
Canada
sjfamlit at nbnet.nb.ca

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Gail Price 
  To: The Family Literacy Discussion List 
  Sent: Monday, January 07, 2008 4:10 PM
  Subject: [FamilyLiteracy 901] Re: Peppermints Help Test-Takers


  Hey Jeri,

   

  Don't we all wish that keeping learners in our programs were as easy as providing peppermints and bottled water? 

   

  Persistence is a complex issue and is pretty highly individualized, yet is something all adult education programs have to deal with. Studies over the years about persistence have suggested ways to keep students in programs-i.e., having a goal and making progress toward it; enjoying the classroom relationship with other learners; having an intake process that effectively counters barriers to attendance; and helping with logistical barriers such as transportation and child care, etc. 

   

  How about it list subscribers-share your practical experience with us.  What do you do to ensure that you keep learners in your program? What have you tried that has worked well? What has not worked quite so well?  

   

  Gail J. Price

  Multimedia Specialist

  National Center for Family Literacy

  325 W. Main Street, Suite 300

  Louisville, KY 40202

  gprice at famlit.org

  502 584-1133, ext. 112

   

   

  Join us for the 17th Annual National Conference on Family Literacy!
  "Literacy Grows Families and Communities"
  March 30, 31, & April 1, 2008-Louisville, KY
  Register online at www.famlit.org/conference

   


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  From: familyliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:familyliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of jalsails at aol.com
  Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 11:15 PM
  To: familyliteracy at nifl.gov
  Subject: [FamilyLiteracy 893] Re: Peppermints Help Test-Takers

   

  Gail, 

   

  Back when Brain Research was hot (about 10 years ago) we read research on the negative effects of dehydration on concentration and fatigue. We (LIFT, Missouri's Literacy Center) began providing bottled water at all of our workshops which in turn motivated family and adult literacy staff to provide it for their adult learners. Drinking water was encouraged to maximize extended attention spans for study and test taking. Perhaps it was the halo effect, but we had enthusiastic feedback. Now, if we'd used ordinary tap water to preserve the environment, added a peppermint candy to cut the frustration, and given ginger snaps for pregnant moms to reduce nausea, we may have made the news!

   

  What other practical strategies appear to spark and maintain learner persistence?

   

  Jeri Levesque, Ed.D.

  Evaluator, Missouri and Kentucky Even Start

  LIFT


  -----Original Message-----
  From: Gail Price <gprice at famlit.org>
  To: The Family Literacy Discussion List <familyliteracy at nifl.gov>
  Sent: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 12:23 pm
  Subject: [FamilyLiteracy 891] Peppermints Help Test-Takers

  Just for fun!

  An article titled "Peppermint prepares test-takers, a study says" recently appeared in the Middletown Journal, Middletown, OH.

  The articles states, "Candy canes greeted test-takers at Middletown's Adult Education center Friday before the General Educational Development exam. The purpose of the treats was two-fold: spread a little holiday cheer and awaken the test-takers, said Principal Rose Marie Stiehl. A NASA-funded study revealed that the smell of peppermint decreases fatigue and frustration by 15 percent and 25 percent respectively and increases alertness by 30 percent, said Stiehl. Ever since the study, the center has offered peppermints to test-takers."

   

  And Middletown's Adult Education programs seems to be doing very well. You can read the article at http://www.middletownjournal.com/hp/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/12/29/mj122907gedcanes.html

  I think I'll buy a stash of peppermints for my students. How about you? 

   

   

  Gail J. Price

  Multimedia Specialist

  National Center for Family Literacy

  325 W. Main Street, Suite 300

  Louisville, KY 40202

  gprice at famlit.org

  502 584-1133, ext. 112

   

   

  Join us for the 17th Annual National Conference on Family Literacy!
  "Literacy Grows Families and Communities"
  March 30, 31, & April 1, 2008-Louisville, KY
  Register online at www.famlit.org/conference

   

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