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 i23GqgI28825; Wed, 3 Mar 2004 11:52:42 -0500 (EST) Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2004 11:52:42 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <023501c4013f$9195d660$6b00000a@maria02> 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: "Maria Elena Gonzalez" <maria@alri.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9975] Re: Staff Diversity in ABE ESOL Programs X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1106 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 3935 Lines: 106 ----- Original Message ----- From: "m.white" <ma.white@morehead-st.edu> To: "Multiple recipients of list" <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 1:26 PM 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 the caucuses of TESOL is > International Black Professionals & Friends in TESOL. Diversity among ESOL > professionals is at the forefront of their agenda. I'll pass on the names and > email addresses of the current chair & co-chair of IBPFT: > > Shondel Nero, Chair neros@stjohns.edu or > snero@earthlink.net > Khadar Bashir-Ali, Co-Chair khadarbashir_ali@hotmail.com > > Good luck! Maria. > > Maurice White > > Maria Elena Gonzalez wrote: > > > Dear Colleagues, > > > > A week or so ago I posted a message inquiring about the issue of staff > > diversity in ESOL programs for adults. I am looking for information on how > > other states, programs, or individuals might have dealt with this issue. > > Except for one person who wrote directly to me asking that I post any > > information that I receive to the entire list, no one has responded. > > > > So now I'm pushing the envelope a little bit and asking: Is this a > > non-issue? In Massachusetts, the Quality Indicators for ABE Programs funded > > by DOE include under Program Management and Accountability that programs > > show progress "...toward the goal that staff reflect similar cultural, > > racial/ethnic, and linguistic background as that of the student population." > > It has been difficult for many programs to achieve this goal and that is why > > the Massachusetts System for Adult Basic Education Support (SABES) is > > currently researching promising practices in the hiring and retention of > > diverse staff in ABE/ESOL programs. We are planning to talk directly to > > programs across the state who have implemented such policies but are also > > looking nationally for similar information. > > > > What do you think? Does your program have a diverse staff? If so, why is > > it so? If not, why do you think it's so? Does your state have a similar > > goal for state-funded DOE programs? If so, are they posted somewhere so I > > can access the information? > > > > You can respond directly to me (email below) or to the entire list. If > > responding directly to me, please indicate if I may share your answer with > > others. Thank you very much for your help. > > > > Maria E. Gonzalez > > SABES Coordinator > > Adult Literacy Resource Institute/Boston > > SABES Regional Center > > 617-782-8956, X15 > > 617-782-9011 (fax) > >
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