Dear Jackie, Here's my story...
I had a K-6 teaching degree and substitute taught for 10years while
running an education program for a parish.
I applied to be an adult education teacher for the homeless for
Community Action Inc.
Over the 16 years I've worked at this agency, I have beeen part and
fulltime. I did homeless education(ABE-GED), GED, Pre-GED, now ABE, the
YALD Project(young adults with learning disabilities) and various
Curriculum Frameworks activities. What kept me afloat financially was
the fact that CAI provides insurance at 20 hours(!!! Unheard of anywhere
else!)and that I was able to do trainings as a result of the YALD
project (and for the first few years I had a spouse with a full-time job
{often that is how people stay...they have a partner paying most the
bills!} ) I make less than any school system teacher I know.I have a
pitiful retirement plan which is probably more than most adult ed
teachers, except if they work through a school system. I can stay now
because I have a second part time job tutoring adults ($15 an hour) and
I also do sporadic trainings ( LD/ADHD, reading, writing,math in Mass.
Conn, NH, and Maine.) Other teachers leave all the time because they
can't afford to stay and don't have the options I do. 
By the way, I love teaching, love the learners, love the co-workers, and
would love to have 
better pay.   Yours, Martha Jean  Massachusetts

-----Original Message-----
From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Taylor,
Jackie
Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2006 7:19 PM
To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 661] Career pathways - what does our
fieldhave to offer?

PD List Colleagues,
My, everyone certainly is quiet this fall!

I know you're busy, but I have a request of you this week. I am looking
for _specific_ examples of _all_ career pathways in our field. 

Not only are there pathways into our field, but pathways of promotion
within our field, pathways from part-time to full-time, and pathways out
of our field, perhaps to better paying, more stable positions. And
pathways vary by state, by provider (LEA, CBO) and perhaps in other
ways.  So I think the best way to make sense of this issue, is to hear
from you about _your_ experience. How did you enter the field, and how
did you get to where you are today?

Consider sharing answers to questions like:

1) What state did you start your career in adult literacy?
2) How did you enter the field and into what role?
3) How did you move within the field? Consider changes in:
-- role
-- provider type
-- part-time to full-time or vice-versa
-- promotion
-- location (did you need to relocate for the job?)

4) Did you leave the field, if so, to what position, and why?
5) If you left the field, did you return and if so to what role or
position?
6) To whom does the top pay go in your state or area?
7) What supports or resources, if any, were helpful to you along the
way?
8) Other thoughts?

I hope you will take a moment to respond; I always appreciate hearing
from you. Besides, what a nice way for us to get to know each other
better!

Best, Jackie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jackie Taylor, Adult Literacy Professional Development List Moderator,
jataylor at utk.edu National Institute for Literacy http://www.nifl.gov/
Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers
http://www.aalpd.org/ 

.

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