Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id i1JGECI06989; Thu, 19 Feb 2004 11:14:12 -0500 (EST) Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 11:14:12 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <20040219161125.48706.qmail@web12305.mail.yahoo.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Antje Meissner <antjemeissner@yahoo.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9941] Re: Staff Diversity in ABE ESOL Programs X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Status: O Content-Length: 7040 Lines: 233 Lynne, it was somewhat of a coincidence but the two ESOL coordinators that our program had were both from other countries. My predecessor was from Kenia and I am from Germany. While my ethnicity does not represent the majority of our student population, my students will tell me things that they are usually too shy to communicate to others, hoping that I will understand better, because I have been in the same situation. I have been to conferences were programs had hired former students as administrative staff which helped to serve the students who were walking in to find out about the program. It also helps to make a deeper connection between the program and the participants. Participants really felt that it was "their' program. This is such an interesting and necessary discussion. Antje Meissner Literacy Volunteers of Leon County --- Lynne Weintraub <lynneweintraub@hotmail.com> wrote: > David--this is a good example in a native speaker > ABE context, but I think > the issues in ESL programs (especially those serving > multi-ethnic > communities) are a little different. Would you offer > an example that relates > more to ESL? > > > >From: David Rosen <djrosen@comcast.net> > >Reply-To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov > >To: Multiple recipients of list > <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> > >Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9935] Re: Staff Diversity in ABE > ESOL Programs > >Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 10:18:09 -0500 (EST) > > > >John and Maurice, > > > >I would like to suggest why staff diversity is > important in achieving > >quality. To do so, let me give one example. Many > adult literacy programs > >have difficulty recruiting/attracting and retaining > African American male > >adult learners. A community-based program I have > visited in Boston, > >actively concerned to address this problem, has > hired several > >well-qualified African American male teachers, some > of whom have also been > >in circumstances similar to the students they have > recruited. They are > >good teachers, good role models, and they can > understand and empathize from > >experience. So far -- in its second or third year > now, the program has a > >100% retention rate. > > > > > >David J. Rosen > >djrosen@comcast.net > > > > > > > >On Thursday, February 19, 2004, at 09:51 AM, John > Kamplain wrote: > > > >>Maurice, > >> > >>Well, I would say that it's a sometimes difficult > thing to strive for, > >>this "...goal that staff > >>reflect similar cultural, racial/ethnic, and > linguistic background as > >>that of the student population." > >> > >>For example, at Albany Park Community Center's > Literacy Program (where > >>I'm a teacher and coordinator) we have a student > body that represents 30 > >>different languages and almost as many different > countries; as well, the > >>surrounding neighborhood we serve is the most > ethnically diverse in the > >>city of Chicago. Our teaching and administrative > staff doesn't come > >>anywhere near representing the diversity of the > population, and yet > >>we're one of the best run agencies in the state > with one of the best > >>retention and success rates. I can't speak for the > hiring practices of > >>our administrators, but it seems to me that > although I know they're not > >>in any way against diversity, they've always > concerned themselves with > >>hiring the best person for the best job. In my > humble opinion, > >>government agencies should be more concerned that > funds are being spent > >>on qualified teachers and programs and not on > whether or not there's a > >>quota being met. > >> > >>I will say that a positive side of the issue Maria > is bringing up is > >>that I'm now interested in the policies of my own > state's programs. I've > >>heard anecdotal evidence from teachers in Chicago > Public Schools as well > >>as within the community college system in Chicago > that if you don't meet > >>a certain ethnic "profile" your chances of getting > the job are pretty > >>slim. And that's a sad statement to make no matter > which profile they're > >>pushing. > >> > >>Anyway, this an interesting topic and I look > forward to reading on. I'm > >>particularly curious if anyone has read any study > that establishes a > >>positive correlation between good teaching and > matching diverse staff to > >>diverse groups. > >> > >>Regards, > >> > >>>-----Original Message----- > >>>From: nifl-esl@nifl.gov > [mailto:nifl-esl@nifl.gov] On Behalf > >>>Of m.white > >>>Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 5:33 PM > >>>To: Multiple recipients of list > >>>Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9933] Re: Staff Diversity in > ABE ESOL Programs > >>> > >>> > >>>John, > >>> > >>>No one would disagree that good teaching isn't > based on skin > >>>color. Your thoughts on the larger issue Maria > brought up > >>>would be interesting to read. > >>> > >>>Maurice White > >>> > >>>John Kamplain wrote: > >>> > >>>>I always thought that teaching (like anything > else) wasn't > >>>based on a > >>>>person's skin color but how well they teach? > >>>> > >>>>>-----Original Message----- > >>>>>From: nifl-esl@nifl.gov > [mailto:nifl-esl@nifl.gov] On Behalf Of > >>>>>m.white > >>>>>Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 12:27 PM > >>>>>To: Multiple recipients of list > >>>>>Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9930] Re: Staff Diversity in > ABE ESOL Programs > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>>Dear Maria, > >>>>> > >>>>>This is not a non-issue. I brought this > subject up at a recent > >>>>>strategic planning meeting for adult education > here in Kentucky. > >>>>>The state is serving an increasingly more > diverse adult > >>>population, > >>>>>but that diversity is not relected in the > overall > >>>staffing patterns > >>>>>- this includes the administration and the > people in the field. > >>>>>However, there are currently efforts in > progress to address this > >>>>>issue. > >>>>> > >>>>>As an African-American of mixed heritage, and > the ESOL > >>>professional > >>>>>development specialist for adult education in > Kentucky, I > >>>am keenly > >>>>>aware of the situation. Over the last year of > conducting > >>>a variety > >>>>>of training workshops for ESOL practitioners > and program > >>>>>supervisors, I have had the pleasure of working > with hundreds of > >>>>>wonderfully dedicated professionals - two of > them have > >>>been Hispanic > >>>>>and one of them has been African-American. > >>>>> > >>>>>There are many good reasons why people are > drawn to this > >>>field, and > >>>>>as was mentioned by another respondent, there's > an equal > >>>number of > >>>>>reasons why this profession does not top the > "1st choice" > >>>list. For > >>>>>adult students of color, this means there is a > paucity of > >>>>>professional who they can fully identify with. > We know > >>>how this may > >>>>>affect motivation, retention, and success in > our programs. > >>>>> > >>>>>These are just a few thoughts. A growing > group, one of > === message truncated === __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! 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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Thu Dec 23 2004 - 09:46:38 EST