Hello John and all,

 

Renata's comment echos a concern I heard raised repeatedly in a NCSALL Persistence Study Circle which I recently co-facilitated with one of my SABES colleagues.  In Massachusetts, where programs are being asked to be accountable for retention by reporting on attendance and average attended hours, programs willing to embrace the concepts and effective practices associated with the NCSALL definition of persistence are caught in a bit of a bind.  They want to support the on-going learning of their students, and can see that many do persist, although not necessarily in the same program or in an uninterrupted fashion.

 

What advice would you have for programs that are attempting to reconcile these different approaches?   

 

Carol Bower

Director, NE SABES

System for Adult Basic Education Support

Northern Essex Community College

45 Franklin Street

Lawrence, MA 01840

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Renata Russo
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 12:43 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 92] Re: Persistence Strategies

 

Hello Bruce,

 

Thank you for sharing the two strategies that you have found helpful when dealing with persistence. A comment I have about the second strategy relates to funding and accountability. We as teachers and administrators understand our learners' barriers to participate. However, accountability has become a major barrier for some programs in recent years. The performance-based approach and funding measured by contact hours can have a major impact in our programs. 

 

Renata

	-----Original Message-----
	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Bruce Carmel
	Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 11:26 AM
	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
	Subject: [SpecialTopics 91] Persistence Strategies

	Dear John,

	I've been working in adult literacy since 1989, and student persistence (and retention) has been a challenge in every setting I have known. Students' dropout or irregular attendance makes educational gain difficult and really frustrates teachers. I learned a lot when you and I worked together on the Wallace Funds project, where we focused on persistence among library literacy students.  There are two main strategies I have found helpful:

	1) Offer high-quality instruction in a supportive environment (There are many components of this.)

	2) Re-define success. Accept that students are going to attend classes in a way that fits into their lives and satisfies their needs.  This might not fit into staff's concept of intensity and duration of instruction--so staff have to accept a new, irregular, sporadic model of participation. 

	 

	What do you think?  What do you think are the key issues, strategies, suggestions for programs and staff struggling with student persistence?

	 

	From Bruce Carmel

	Turning Point

	Brooklyn, NY 

	 

	
________________________________


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