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From: Ellison, Art 
Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 11:21 AM
To: 'specialtopics at nilf.gov'
Subject: Adult literacy education leadership

 

The best quality for a leader is to be an excellent role model for everyone in the organization. This does not mean that we should all have the same skills and experiences because organizations need a variety of both, but we want leaders who respect our work, encourage us to grow and explore new ideas, and are committed to the clients of the organization, in our case the students. 

 

I have always felt that a good adult educator comes to the work or quickly understands that adult education is a means to an end for our students. At a basic level it means working with students to help them acquire the skills that will allow them to gain some control over the institutions with which they must interact in their daily lives. Some of the very best teachers and administrators in adult education have prior experiences as community organizers or involvement with union work on a variety of levels. 

 

Role models for me have been:

 

 Myles Horton, the founder of the Highlander Center, the legendary adult education center in New Market, Tenn. Myles believed that the "answers can only come from the people", a philosophy that guided Highlander in its work in training union organizers, civil rights workers and community folks from throughout the south.

 

Fred Harris, a former US Senator who ran for President in 1976 on a platform based upon the belief that "the issue is privilege"

 

Dwight Allen, the former Dean of the University Of Massachusetts School Of Education, who believed that schools should be a vehicle for meeting the needs of people in the community and in the power of people working together. 

 

And for the reasons stated above and many more:  Barak Obama

 

 

Art Ellison, NH State Director of Adult Education, Policy Committee Chair, National Council of State Directors of Adult Education

 

 



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