I am sorry to be late to this discussion.  (I have included the original post.)  I am interested in my own leadership development and mentoring in Adult Literacy.  I manage the Patient Education department at DHMC and am passionate about health literacy issues and adult literacy issues in general.  I am working toward educating colleagues in the importance of clear communication and plain language with our patients.  I was hoping that this discussion list would provide some guidelines for me as I move forward.

I can't offer much in the way of my own advice.  However, I do find that leaders in health literacy awareness need to have a few important qualities: patience, perseverance, and dedication!

Fran Robinson
Patient Education Coordinator
Patient Education Services
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
One Medical Center Drive
Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756
(603) 650-6439

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Adult literacy education leadership is critical at all levels: program, state and national. What is leadership? What kinds of leaders do we need now? What kinds will we need ten years from now? How are we preparing today's potential leaders (or are we) for future responsibilities? How are they preparing themselves? How should today's more experienced leaders encourage and support younger leaders? 

The Special Topics Discussion List will hold an open discussion from September 25-September 29th on this important topic. There will be no guest panelists. All participants are encouraged to contribute. Below are some of the questions that will be considered:

1.       What are the qualities of leadership our field needs, leadership at the program, state and national level?

2.       Where do you see potential leaders who have these qualities? Among teachers, adult learners, program graduates, administrators, volunteer tutors, professional developers, researchers, graduate students, others? 

3.       Have you been formally or informally mentored by an experienced adult education leader? If so, was that a positive experience? If so, what made it especially beneficial?

4.       Have you mentored a potential adult literacy education leader? If so, was that a positive experience? If so, what do you think was especially effective?

5.       Does your state professional development system explicitly provide opportunities for leadership development, or "grooming", such as program leadership mentoring, public policy leadership development, and state-level program management training?

6. What are other ways that those who want to be leaders acquire these skills? Does our field have formal or informal apprenticeships? Internships? Leadership seminars?
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