Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion!  I too have 
managed to followed most of the comments.  All of the points made have 
merit, and reflect someone's reality. It is obvious that a variety of 
program options would be ideal!  I love the idea of "transitional 
goals"!   I also agree with Darnelle Richardson and others who believe 
that learner accountability is an important factor.  Persistence is a 
quality that leads to success in life in general, not just for our 
students, as students, but for their lifetime. We persist with things 
that are important to us, and we prioritize accordingly!    There is 
also such a thing as "goodness of fit".  The best program is useless to 
one who cannot access it.  There is more to it than just setting a 
goal.  Although I cannot remember the author, the saying " a goal 
without a plan is just  a dream" comes to mind.  I often discuss this 
saying as part of an intake process.  We fill out a calendar with 
everything that MUST be done at a particular time and cannot be 
changed.  This includes work and family committments.  The next level, 
what needs to be done, but has some flexibility.  After prioritizing in 
this manner, the student can determine whether the particular program 
is a "good fit".  Is the time the student has available compatible with 
the class time?  We also discuss the fact that progress may be 
disappointing to the client if frequency and intensity cannot be 
maintained.  The intake process is also a good time to discuss 
'self-advocacy".  It may be worth a try to ask for a work schedule that 
accommodates class attendance.    These activities are part of 
developing a plan to achieve the goal.  Planning is also an important 
ingredient to a successful outcome, and lack of it can result in chaos. 
  Prioritizing, planning, monitoring, and evaluating are "life skills" 
that can be continually woven into our "academic" programs.  Some 
students need "explicit instruction" and modeling in order to learn 
these skills in the same way that they  learn academic skills.



On Jul 18, 2006, at 2:11 PM, Katrina Hinson wrote:


> 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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Maureen