Hi Everyone,

Okay – I have a lot to say about adult learner leadership – so please, sit
back, relax… and I hope you enjoy the read.

There is a new wave of adult learner leadership In New York City and now is
the time when positive change is happening in adult education.  Those who
have helped to facilitate the change within adult education include
government, educational institutions, community-based organization,
campus-based organizations, program managers/ administrators, teachers,
counselors, and guess what… adult learners.

Adult learner leadership happens when students are given the opportunity to
develop capacity and self-confidence.   Students that participate in
leadership positions have shown to advance in their academic performance
faster than those who do not.  When adult learners feel connected,
competent, and pro-active in their own learning process they understand the
value of education and find it to be meaningful.  This change in thought
process translates into adult learner leadership and into higher retention
and persistence rates.

In 2007, the New York City Mayor’s Office of Adult Education (MOAE) held a
Visioning Retreat “Growing into the Future – Keeping Students at the Center”
(http://www.nyc.gov/html/adulted/downloads/pdf/vision_retreat_report.pdf).  The
MOAE Executive Director Anthony Tassi did something different, he not only
asked adult education providers, allies, and government to attend this
event, he also invited adult learners to participate.   I was invited.

As an adult learner, I was honored and I felt empowered.  Someone actually
wanted to listen to what I had to say and offered an opportunity to bring my
experience to light.  My experience in adult education was always on the
receiving end, but now the tables had turned.  I was viewed as an expert of
adult education because I had successfully completed my GED, transitioned to
college and was on the verge of graduating with my BA.  I was viewed as a
leader that had the capability to contribute to the system of adult
education.  After that experience I understood that we, as adult learners,
needed a chance to showcase our skills and talents.

After the Visioning Retreat, I interned for the MOAE and “hit the ground
running” with the wonderful Ms. Katy Taylor, Director of Program Support at
the MOAE and with her leadership we conducted a participatory research with
adult learners from all over the city.  We asked things like:  “how can we
make the system student centered?” “What are your goals?” “What motivates
you?” “What student engagement and leadership opportunities do you see adult
learners participating in?”  “As an adult learner, what is your vision of
success in adult education?”  We gathered the responses, analyzed the
information and organized into categories of leadership (explained in a
previous post).  The results led to official leadership opportunities with
the Mayor’s Office and college campuses within the City University of New
York (CUNY).

In 2008, the MOAE created the Transition to College (T2C) Mayoral Internship
which helped to boost the development of adult learner leadership.  As
interns, we worked on community organizing and outreach to help multiply our
efforts.   With guidance and support from the MOAE and CUNY we learned to
apply strategic and intentional methods to help shift the perspective of
adult learner leadership.  With the collaboration of program partnerships,
we have been provided leadership opportunities in mentoring /modeling,
tutoring, speaking engagements, teaching, systemic and local participation,
college campus liaisons, advocacy events, internships, and employment.  I am
on a mission my friends, to help providers understand that we (adult
learners) are a bundle of assets that can help in every realm of what we
call adult literacy/ education.

We also created a core group of adult learners called the Adult Education
Alumni Alliance (AEAA) to help provide guidance to other adult
learners.  Through
something called “The AEAA Speaker’s Bureau,” we help other adult learners
identify their positive attributes by asking “what are your strengths,
skills, gifts, assets, and talents?”  We provide a platform for adult
learners to speak about their positive attributes through a listening
exchange – we ask for feedback and showcase their responses on the board
(this provides a visual).  The responses have been consistent every
time: Patience;
Organization; Courage; Determination; Creative; Strong / Strength;
Persistence / Perseverance; Consistence; Prompt; Responsible; Honest;
Motivated; Having Goals; Enthusiastic; Will (resolve); Inspired; Confident/
Self-confidence; Self-control; Don’t give up/ “In it to win it;” Sacrifice;
Support; Experience; being College and/or study buddies; Technology: email/
text/ phone; Practice; Commitment; Focus; and my favorite love.

We then explain to them that these are the qualities needed to be an adult
learner and these are also the qualities one needs to be a leader.  Although
there are many definitions for leadership, we tell them that we see
leadership as the decision to see that everything around us goes well.  We
ask them to reject all of the negative messages they have learned to
internalize and begin to see themselves as the leaders that they are,
because by making the decision to get their education they have already put
their leadership into practice… now it is just a matter of developing it.
 **

 It takes hard work, time, dedication, and perseverance on behalf of
providers and adult learners, but the winds have started to shift.   Call me
naïve or hopeless, but together I believe we can make the change in adult
learner leadership.  It is a challenge that we (adult learners) are ready to
accept.   Simple things, like changes in titles can have a grand impact on
how adult learners view themselves and are viewed by others.  So… if you
have a volunteer position available in your program, perhaps change it to an
internship and give an adult learner the opportunity to be committed,
competent, and connected.  This is how the program I work for taps into the
resilience of the students – they are seen as partners.

As an adult learner, I now share my experience in education with other
students and try to make the system better because my education is not only
mine, it belongs to everyone.

Thank you for your time.

Regards,

Jeniffer Herrera-Andujar
Leadership Coordinator
FUTURE NOW

leadershipcoordinator at gmail.com
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