Hi Cheryl,

 

Thanks for your comments. "Timing is everything" they say and I am glad
the timing of our posts was good for you.

 

You mention that you now are thinking of barriers as a process, "as
individual as the learners themselves, that provides specific assistance
for overcoming obstacles to participation." 

 

Can you explain a little about what you mean by process, what obstacles
individual students have made you aware of, and what you do (have done)
to help students overcome these obstacles? Are they the same
obstacles/barriers you described as generic?

 

 

 

 

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

 

________________________________

From: familyliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:familyliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Cheryl Brown
Sent: Monday, January 07, 2008 10:33 PM
To: The Family Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [FamilyLiteracy 903] Re: Peppermints Help Test-Takers

 

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 <mailto:gprice at famlit.org>  

	To: The Family Literacy Discussion List
<mailto:familyliteracy at nifl.gov>  

	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

	 

	
________________________________


	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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