Hello,
   
  I hope I am doing this right. Your discussions about trying another way really struck me as a very important concept to keep in mind. I am not teaching right now, as I have retired to become a news reporter. I'm currently working on an article about literacy, so ended up here at someone's suggestion. 
   
  Your conversation got me to thinking. I taught ABE at all three levels, GED, and at an adult high school diploma program in Massachusetts for several years. The one thing that has always stayed with me was the way a student with even the most limited ability will somehow summon up learning skills no one would have ever imagined when that student was motivated by delight. 
   
  Your conversation reminded me of my student John. He was 45 and had serious learning problems. Though he was mildly willing to apply himself to the textbooks and workbooks we provided, his advancement didn't really begin to accelerate rapidly until I discovered (we discovered) what it was he really, really wanted to do that he wasn't able to do. John is a walking encyclopedia of old 1940's movies and TV shows, especially Lucy and Lassie, so he expressed a deep desire to write to the man who played Timmy on Lassie. In order to do this, he learned how to use a computer, create emails, and compose fan letters, and within a very short time all his skills were improving. He wrote better, read better, and found information on the Internet with surprising skill. 
   
  John had a high school diploma, so his main reason for coming to our program was to learn more than he had been taught. The fact that he was allowed to explore (with me) what his deepest goals were made all the difference. The fact that writing fan mail to the aging star of the Lassie series was given a high value by me, rather than being dismissed as childish or silly, unlocked abilities this middle aged man never knew he had. In the end John created an amazing PowerPoint presentation about 1940s television shows that was downright interesting and informative. He also began using his computer skills to help his family get information they needed. This boosted his self-esteem enormously. 
   
  To the people who insist on standardized testing alone and textbook materials only, the permission I gave this student would probably seem less than professional and not in keeping with what would be considered traditional learning goals, but for the last few years  John has emailed me several times a week (I live in Tennessee now) and each year his writing skills improve and our conversations become more advanced . 
   
  I'm not sure this fits into your thread. I have all the information I need to get from the discussion list, so I will be unsubscribing soon. I just felt motivated to share this with you. My admiration is always deep towards those who choose to teach students with learning problems. You're all heroes in my book. 
   
  Carole Borges


A society which muzzles its poets risks going to the dogs.
                                                       Carole Ann Borges

       
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