Timely Topics: A Collection of Articles from Literacy Links

Count on Collaboration

by Stacey Weaver

Every now and then our classrooms fall into a rut. Whether it be preparing for the GED, learning how to apply some math formula or studying a particular historical period, sometimes we need to break the routine to reawaken our sense of purpose. You can always count on collaboration to do just that! I'll start by describing some of the collaborative efforts that occur with the adult education program I work for and suggest possible activities that can be integrated into the classroom as a result of collaboration. Hopefully you will discover some ideas that you can apply to your particular groups of adult learners.

The most important collaboration relating to my students is the one that exists between the Victoria College Adult Education Program and the Victoria County Sheriff's Office. Thanks to the efforts of these two agencies, we are able to provide education to incarcerated adults. The Adult Education Center provides qualified instructors and materials while the sheriff's office provides the students, two classrooms and an office, a full-time security officer, and the support of other jail personnel (security officers, maintenance, kitchen, inmate services, etc.). Our students have the option of transferring to our adult education center upon their release. If your program is looking for ways to expand, you may want to contact your local county sheriff's office.

On a smaller scale, here are some programs that have been presented to adult education students at the Victoria County Jail education program, Project: New Start.

Community Agencies to Help Adult Learners

HIV-AIDS Awareness. One of our most beneficial collaboration efforts has come from our local health department. Their special services department received a grant to do HIV-AIDS awareness outreach work with at-risk populations. Reuben Ybarra, LVN, a Prevention Specialist for the Victoria City-County Health Department, spoke candidly to our students about sexually transmitted diseases, answering their questions honestly and directly. A nurse provided free confidential testing as well. By working together, both our programs were able to fulfill grant requirements. Students benefited by learning about:

• How HIV spreads;
• Safe sexual practices;
• Medical advances;
• Their own HIV status; and
• Where to go for help, testing, or counseling.

Alcohol Chemical Treatment Series (ACTS)

Another popular collaboration exists with a program called ACTS, a state of Texas approved alternative to Alcoholics Anonymous. Recovered addicts talk to our students about twelve specific addictive substances ranging from inhalants and alcohol to "hard" drugs. After the series, students receive a certificate for completing the course and can sign up for individual counseling. They also receive community contacts for continuing support upon their release. The ACTS program has branches across the state of Texas. Students benefited by:

• Hearing real life stories of why people became involved in substance abuse, how their lives were destroyed, and their road to recovery. Not all instructors may be able to provide such personal experience with such a variety of abused chemicals;
• Learning about the body's reaction to different substances;
• Being provided with information to help them with self-discovery; and
• Having the chance to participate in one-on-one counseling sessions.

Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS)

Representatives provide valuable information on credit, debt, and money management. This national service is free and supported by United Way and client contributions. When students and teachers hear about the many ways credit card companies make money from credit users, our classrooms become extremely lively! CCCS Web pages are full of great information http://www.cccsintl.org/. Students benefited by learning about:

• How much an item can really cost when interest is added to the original price;
• Some methods of getting their debt under control;
• Why bankruptcy is not always the best option to erase debts;
• How to recognize when buying on credit becomes a problem;
• How to qualify for the debt management program;
• How much money a person "gives away" when paying only the amount due on a credit purchase; and
• Where to go for help.

Head Start

Representatives from the Head Start program visit with students to share information about early childhood development, as well as the benefits their program has to offer families and the qualifications for participation. One Head Start counselor even returned to talk about specific activities to help mothers, fathers, and families cope when a parent is separated from his or her children for an extended period of time. Students benefited by:

• Discovering this alternative to private child care facilities;
• Obtaining application forms;
• Receiving handouts with activities to facilitate early childhood development; and
• Learning about developmental milestones and age-appropriate activities.

Expanding the Impact of Collaboration

Once you begin to look for community agencies to share the responsibility of widening the horizons of adult learners, you'll find there are many ways to incorporate a "visit" with other classroom objectives. Keep in mind, adult education classrooms not in a correctional setting may wish to travel outside the classroom to actual sites within the community.

Before the Visit...

Prior to a visit from a guest speaker, adult learners can discuss what they already know or what experiences they have regarding the upcoming topic. From there, a little research may be done in order to get the most from the presentation of information. Have learners prepare a list of questions ahead of time, but encourage students to actively engage with the guest speaker at appropriate times. Discuss active listening and practice note taking. If traveling outside the classroom, organize and plan the trip, make an appointment, look at a map, and calculate any travel expenses.

After the Visit ...

Think of ways to condense and share the information with a larger audience -- family members or other groups of adult learners. Students in our program often write an article for our newsletter to share with the rest of the jail population. Many times they refer friends or family members to the agencies. Have students do some follow-up research or report on using some of the services introduced to them. Send a "Thank You" note to the speaker or agency and share how the information benefited the class.

Collaborating with other service providers in your community is a wonderful opportunity to familiarize your students with more options and choices than they might otherwise have. Bringing in a person or people from the "real" world should provide a fresh change of pace to your classrooms. Not only do these visits provide valuable information to adult learners, but also in most cases, the agencies involved are fulfilling their own outreach goals as well.

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