What do new adult education teachers need to know?

Submitted by Kathy Tracey on Fri, 04/07/2017 - 10:13
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Colleagues, 

I had the opportunity to network with many experienced and new adult educators at the COABE conference in Orlando. As I talked with professional developers from across the country, we found common needs among our PD experiences as they related to new teacher orientations. Many PD experiences focused on instructional strategies and state standards. Other trainers felt that providing new teachers an understanding various learning theories as they applied to adults was the most important topic to cover. And yet others felt that helping teachers develop effective techniques to manage technology in the classroom was the most important topic to discuss. 

My question to this group: What do new adult education teachers need to know in order to be successful in the classroom? 

I'm looking forward hearing your tips and strategies. 

Sincerely, 
Kathy Tracey
@Kathy_Tracey

Comments

All,

Adult educators in Rhode Island have developed a new practitioner orientation (NPO) process designed to support all practitioners - teachers, support staff, ancillary workers, job developers.  For the past eleven years, practitioners either new to the state or new to the field have met to explore common issues, questions and concerns.  The NPO providence an overview of the adult education system in Rhode Island, invites reflection on key principles of adult learning, asks participants to consider who the learners are, who the practitioners are and how to identify and understand ongoing goal, needs and strengths.  

While some have suggested that the NPO could be completed online, I've long maintained that a key purpose of the session (4-7 hours, depending on numbers). is to enable adult ed practitioners to communicate with one another, to lower isolation among part time/disparate staff and to support network and community building .  My own view is that adult educators must understand contexts in which adults come to learn, must understand the importance of assets-based understanding, and need to open their classroom doors to peer observation, reflection and learning.  

Janet Isserlis, Rhode Island Adult PDC and LR/RI

(http://literacyresourcesri.org/npo.html)

 

 

Friends, 

I invite you to explore Janet's link - there is a wealth of resources to explore in their New Practitioner Orientation. Notice the questions that provide an anticipatory set for participants.

  • How can that be modeled in both your new teacher and even a new student orientation? 
  • Pre-work with great resources is provided. How do you set the expectations for staff orientation?
  • Their goals are clearly outlined. 
    • To learn with and about one another
    • To learn about the system of adult education in Rhode Island
    • To understand systems of accountability and reporting
    • To further our understanding of adult learning and learners
    • To explore persistence and goal setting and their implications for classroom practice and program design
    • To learn about workforce development and its connection to adult education
    • To further understandings of adult learning, practitioners and learners, and to increase critical thinking about our roles and repsonsibilities
    • To learn about and increase awareness of learning disabilities and available resources
    • To explore online and other resources
    • To learn more about one another's work and programs
    • To explore classroom approaches for multilevel learners, including planning processes and connections to goal setting
    • To consider the integration of numeracy into ongoing practice, and
    • To pull together our learning and explore next steps to support ongoing professional learning.

How do you provide orientation? 

Sincerely, 
Kathy