The other side of adult education

I haven't written much about my new(ish) job, partially because there are aspects of it that are difficult to explain without saying where I work. Also, I’ve been so busy trying to sort out everything at work & with my life that I've barely had time to blog at all, much less about anything of substance. However, things are finally settling down at work (I've been there three months already!) so now I have a little more time to explain exactly what I’m doing now.

As I've mentioned before, I'm now working at an adult-focused literacy center. Basically, it's a nonprofit that offers various free literacy classes that are taught by MA level or above instructors. We're funded by the IL Community College Board, so all of the classes are structured and held to the state's standards. Although the classes are college-like, the student population is vastly different from what you would find at a community college.

The majority of students I deal with are there for Basic Skills classes, or are enrolled in the ABE (Adult Basic Education) or GED programs. Students in the latter program are usually those who, for one reason or another, had to drop out of high school; they have had at least nine years of school and have basic reading and math skills. Some of the students even went through the majority of high school, but ended up dropping out senior year, or just didn't have enough credits to graduate and didn't want to come back the next year. These students come with a load of personal problems (usually related to children), but are very motivated. They have the foundations of literacy and are able to move through the classes at a decent rate & secure their GEDs.

The students enrolled in the Basic Skills classes and ABE classes are the ones who are usually difficult to deal with - not because they are belligerent or unmotivated, but because of the vast amount of emotional issues that come along with the literacy issues. Students in the ABE classes are reading at a sixth grade level or below and the students in the Basic Skills classes are reading at level 2.5 or below (many come with almost zero reading skills).

When you work with adults who cannot read, there are so many more issues that have to be dealt with before you can even address the literacy portion. Many of the students have been abused and/or have spent their whole lives being told that they’re stupid/worthless. Many are in their thirties and forties and cannot work because they cannot fill out job applications. They have been beaten down for years and severely underestimate themselves.

In my current position, I complete intake for all of the programs; part of the intake process involves discussing the potential roadblocks and their educational history. Many of the students become emotional during this process and break down as they tell me their stories.

One of the students (E) told me that her four year old grandchild can read better than her; she sobbed as she told me how she felt like a horrible grandmother because she can’t read her a story at night. Every time her granddaughter asks her to read a book, E makes up an excuse as to why she cannot. She’s too embarrassed to let her grandchild know she can’t read and wants to catch up/surpass her before she figures it out.

Another student (N), who is just a few years older than me, said that she dropped out of school in the middle of forth grade. She said she had been placed in the “slow” classes and had been tormented by the other students. Her mother told her she was too stupid to learn anything anyway, so there was no reason for her to stay in school. N is now 32 and is reading at a .8 grade level (less than first grade).

L was raped by her stepfather from the time she was six years old up until she was fifteen. Her mother knew about it, but didn’t do anything to help her. She dropped out of school at fifteen and ran away from home to get away from him. She is reading at a college level, but lacks self-confidence. Although the has more than the skills needed to pass the GED, she has failed the test twice because she doesn’t feel like she is smart enough or that anything will ever go right for her.

My favorite student (W) dropped out of school in sixth grade. During the spring of that year, his stepfather went after him with a hatchet and tried to cut his arm off (he has a long rectangular scar that runs from his bicep to his wrist). He also sliced a chunk off of the right side of his head. After the incident with his stepfather, W left home and joined a gang; he started selling drugs shortly after and moved up to stealing cars a few years later. After three years in jail and another year in a rehab program, W is here trying to get his GED so that he can get a job and get his life together.

It’s hard not to cry along with the students as they tell me their horror stories. They are all so determined to make something out of their lives, but have so much working against them. This is the population of students who yearn to be taught, but in many cases, are pushed to the side. Many of these students never mention going to college; they simply just want to be able to read a book on their own.