I'd have to agree with Ms. Richardson. I do think accountability is a
factor that plays into leaner persistence. Recently, we made a move
towards holding our Adult High School students more accountable. It's
made a difference in the attendance over the summer and it wasn't an
easy transition for them. They were used to being able to miss 12 hours 
in mulitple classes, make it up, miss some more etc. This summer we went
to an 8 hour max for a particular class and a short 2 week window to
make it up. If they didn't get it made up, they got dropped from the
class. The students, (with few exceptions) have opted to attend class as
required. Sometimes, expecting students to act like adults and hold them
accountable is very important to helping them learn accountability.

Regards
Katrina Hinson


>>> "Darnelle Richardson" <drichardson at jclibrary.org> 07/18/06 9:21 AM

>>>

I managed to read most of the discussions on this topic and concur with
everyone on the strategies that need to be implemented or changed to
support our adult learners.  There's one thing I would like to add, and
most people might not agree with me.  In terms of our adults stopping
out and dropping in, I think we need to hold them more accountable.  The
trend I've seen is that some of them think it's okay to stop at any time
and jump back in at any time.  While I understand that circumstances
might warrant them having to take a break, all too often some of them
don't take their learning serious enough to try to make adjustments that
might enable them to continue in their programs.  Is it because we are
too lenient with them?    We try our best to be accountable to our
funders, which can be rigid at times when you consider how much manpower
goes into producing some reports, and yet we allow our adults to move
nonchalantly through our programs. Some of them place no value on pe
 rsistence because most of the services are free. Perhaps if they were
required to pay high fees like some of us do for our college education,
they might be persistent.  I realize this might be outside of the box
for most programs, including mine, but we should try to find ways to
make them more accountable; this might improve persistence.  

Darnelle L. Richardson
Program Coordinator
Literacy Program 
Jersey City Public Library
472 Jersey Avenue
Jersey City, NJ  07302
T: 201/547-5770
F: 201/435-5746
E-mail:  drichardson at jclibrary.org

"The ability to read and write is critical to personal freedom and the
maintenance of a democratic society."


-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of David Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 7:35 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 147] Last day of Discussion on Persistence


Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,

Today is the last day to post your questions and comments on  
Persistence.  After today, and after John Comings has responded to  
any recent posts, the discussion will close.  For those who have  
recently joined us, and others, the discussions on the Special Topics  
list are archived at http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2006/ 
date.html


David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion List Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net



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