----- Original Message ----- 
  From: James H Andre/FS/VCU 
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
  Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 4:53 PM
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 976] Re: ImplementingState Adult EducationContentStandards: Louisiana



  I would agree, Bill, that the resistance, at least at the instructional level, comes from instructors' perceptions of how standards have been implemented and not from the standards themselves. 

  In Virginia, our adult education content standards for GED and ESOL are still in the formative stages, but we anticipate final publishing soon. We have begun professional development to introduce standards and help programs throughout the state devise plans to align curricula and assessment with standards. During trainings, time is allotted to discuss perceptions of standards. Participants, many of whom have taught in the K-12 system, appreciate knowing what students should know and be able to do within a defined content area and agree that standards improve learner outcomes and provide a level playing field for all learners. Although they understand the influence of standards on curriculum and assessment, their resistance emerges when they think about instruction. "I don't want anyone telling me how to teach," seems to be the perception fueling the resistance. We spend a good amount of time during the training discussing how standards affect what we teach but not how we teach. Using a black box model* that follows the student cycle from intake to goal attainment, participants identify the importance of aligning curriculum, assessment, and standards and the effected elements of each stage of the cycle. We identify the "black box" as the uniqueness, the magic--the instruction-- that each teacher brings to the classroom to transform curriculum into student learning. What to teach remains independent of how to do it. 

  *adapted from Mark O'Shea's From Standards to Success: A Guide for School Leaders 

  Jim Andre'
  Program Development Specialist
  Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center
  www.valrc.org 



        William R Muth/FS/VCU <wrmuth at vcu.edu> 
        Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
        06/13/2008 03:51 PM Please respond to
              specialtopics at nifl.gov 


       To specialtopics at nifl.gov  
              cc  
              Subject [SpecialTopics 972] Re: Implementing State        Adult        EducationContentStandards: Louisiana 

              

       




  Good question, Paul - I've experienced this resistance from both perspectives, as a prison-based  ABE teacher and as an agency administrator. For me the problem is closely tied to trust and intention. In the early days of strategic planning (1989-1992), there was a great grass roots effort to engage all staff at all levels (the age of "the retreat" was upon us!) While it was often messy and misunderstood, the level of engagement  was high. Second-wave strategic planning took lots of short cuts and, in essence, just asked folks to comment on the "received" plans from the early years. Third-wave just asked the wardens to comment on second wave, etc.  Each iteration becoming more estranged from (and less accepted by) the grass roots. To some degree, this is a problem of scale. As our agencies grow in mass, the gulfs of mistrust grow proportionately. 

  So, like resistance to strategic plans, maybe resistance to standards has less to do with the standards themselves, and more with implementation and the level of participation employed to gather staff input, quell fear, and address misunderstandings. 
  Bill Muth 
   
     

        <JURMO at ucc.edu> 
        Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
        06/12/2008 07:51 PM 
              Please respond to
              specialtopics at nifl.gov 


       To <specialtopics at nifl.gov>  
              cc  
              Subject [SpecialTopics 964] Re: Implementing State Adult        EducationContentStandards: Louisiana 


              

       




  Thanks to everyone so far for the informative discussion about the Why's
  and How's of standards as a tool for reforming adult basic education at
  the state level.  My guess is that some readers who are new to the
  notion of "standards" might be wary of being forced to use some
  standards developed by others.  (Or some might have had a bad experience
  with "standards.") 

  Rather than seeing standards as a framework of content and best
  practices that programs can adapt to the particular learners they serve,
  some might feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too
  cumbersome.  Several people in this discussion have mentioned
  "resistance to change" as a challenge in the development of standards-
  based systems.  Does anyone want to comment on what the sources of such
  resistance are and strategies for responding to this resistance? 

  Paul Jurmo
  Union County College
  New Jersey

  -----Original Message-----
  From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
  [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
  Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:43 PM
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 961] Implementing State Adult
  EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

  Colleagues,

  Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks, Pam Blundell and  
  Miriam Kroeger. Don't be shy now : - )

  Thursday I would like to welcome Raye Nell Spillman who will report  
  on her experience in implementing adult education content standards  
  in Louisiana. Raye Nell will answer the same questions I asked Pam,  
  Judy and Miriam to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other  
  information based on the questions we have asked other guests .

  For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will  
  find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

  http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html


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






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