1. What topics would you like to suggest we discuss here? 

            What do the public, donors, and elected officials REALLY
need to know about the impact of low-level literacy skills in our
country so that professionals get the help that they need to meet
service demands?  What is essential information we should be collecting
or calculating?  We have to appeal to different audiences:  What
messages are attractive to the general public vs donors vs elected
officials?

            

2. What guests -- or kinds of guests -- would you like to see invited? 

            Answer: People with influence who have the ability to be
advocates...or people who are adversarial who also have influence.  We
could learn from those who are anti.

 

3. Based on what you have seen so far, what would you like to see
emphasized in the future?

            Emphasis...as in topics?  Why have not compiled statistics
in a way that serves all of our purposes?  Most of the data on the NIFL
web site is very dated.  That's sad.

 

4. What discussions have we had that you think deserve follow-up, and
what areas do we need to probe in more depth?

            Simultaneous unification of the ABE and Literacy field.  We
all came together when ABE was on the verge of being cut.  We need to be
proactive (not that I have been) not reactive.

 

5. Consider the Special Topics discussion list as part of your
professional development. How could the content of the discussions
better meet your needs as a teacher, tutor, state or program level
administrator, counselor, curriculum or professional developer,
researcher or graduate student? 

            As a literacy coalition administrator, I simply need
back-up.  Our work is really not hard work...but it is a lot of work.
We are addressing various tasks on a number of fronts.  I can live
without getting the help I need...I guess.  I'd like it if folks knew a
bit more about the battles we are waging just to get attention for our
issue.  It's not easy for nonprofit organizations these days.  

 

6. What topics aren't covered by other discussion lists that might be
addressed on the Special Topics list?

            I don't think we are very politically outspoken.  Over the
past seven years, the media has failed us and the many of us have opted
to be CAREFUL about how we express our discontent.  Support for people
most in need has dwindled down to a pathetic state and, in general, the
outrage is but a peep in the night.  It's disgusting.  I don't know that
it serves us to bash The Administration...but let's stop pretending that
there wasn't a genuine attempt to dismantle the ABE systems just a
couple of years ago.  The worst kind of politics is when one side
doesn't want to acknowledge blatant abuse of the public...because it
makes their party look bad.  I don't really care for the left or the
right.  We need to do a better job of being on OUR OWN SIDE...the side
of greater literacy for all.  We need to take risks that might
regenerate the movement.  I'm under-impressed with discussion lists in
general.  They tend to be heavy on philosophy, intellect, and light on
raw truth and gutsy calls to action.

 

7. What would you like to be different on the Special Topics list? 

            The format.....my wish is for live chatting...

 

Jose

 

Jose L. Cruz

Chief Executive Officer

San Diego Council on Literacy

2515 Camino del Rio S., Ste. 125

San Diego, CA 92108

P: 619-574-1641, ext. 103

F: 619-491-9242

E: jcruz at literacysandiego.org <mailto:jcruz at literacysandiego.org> 

www.literacysandiego.org <http://www.literacysandiego.org/> 

 

 

 

________________________________

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/attachments/20070820/d998380f/attachment.html