[AAACE-NLA] What is purpose of AELS?

[Merle Ayres]

Thanks for your reply David. I guess my thoughts are narrowminded as yes 
times have changed. More competition with other countries. I orignally 
thought a struggling student getting a technical skill is worthy. This would 
mean success to a teacher who helped them. Thanks for the reasons that you 
brought up. Merle

Merle Ayres
412 8th st. North
Humboldt,Iowa 50548
Tel.1-515-332-4630
Fax 515-332-1738




>From: David Rosen <DJRosen at TheWorld.com>
>Reply-To: National Literacy Advocacy List sponsored by 
>AAACE<aaace-nla at lists.literacytent.org>
>To: National Literacy Advocacy List sponsored by 
>AAACE<aaace-nla at lists.literacytent.org>
>Subject: Re: [AAACE-NLA] What is purpose of AELS?
>Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2006 08:11:40 -0500
>
>Hello Merle,
>
>On Mar 5, 2006, at 5:18 PM, Merle Ayres wrote:
>
> > I always thought that adult ed. was to meet the most needed to get
> > into the
> > workforce. If its a stepping stone to college then we are catering
> > to a
> > select group.
>
>Why do you think these must be mutually exclusive, Merle? After all,
>for those who start with basic literacy needs and who also want to go
>to college, the ladder must be planted firmly in the ground _and_
>reach up to genuine college preparation.  There is nothing in what I
>am arguing that implies fewer resources for basic literacy.  I
>believe we need more resources for basic literacy as well as for
>transition to higher education and that we must not settle for less.
>The students we serve need both.
>
> > Not all kids want or can go to college as my neighbor reminded
> > me again and again. To be a good skilled worker is good enough goal
> > for
> > adult ed.
>
>I  don't think it is enough.  Not in the new economy.  All the
>evidence points toward the need for at least one year of college for
>family-sustaining jobs. it's not good enough to say we are preparing
>people for college when they have barely passed the GED, knowing from
>the evidence that this isn't enough preparation for success. We must
>raise our expectations for our system and ourselves.
>
> > To go on to college is a personal choice and ok too.In my own
> > situation it was personal choice with help from Nixon with the G.I.
> > bill.
> > After Vietnam many colleges were full of ex servicemen. Some went to
> > technical school. some went to work. I think the goal whatever in this
> > democracy is to get on to self sufficiency. Not as some farmers
> > say. Quote "
> > what do I get" from the new farm bill that I overheard at a trackmeet.
> > Hopefully not all my farmer friends think this way as some do work
> > darn
> > hard. The government should be in the business to help people out with
> > funding, but make them a good taxpayer like they should be.
>
>But Merle, times have changed. There is no G.I. bill now.  Low-
>skilled GED students and high school graduates  who become
>developmental students in college too often use up their financial
>financial aid for developmental courses because they are not prepared
>for college level work, and never matriculate.  We need to change
>that.  One important way is by seeing to it that when they leave an
>adult secondary education program with the goal of attending college
>that they are prepared to do college level (not developmental
>studies) classwork.
>
>David J. Rosen
>Adult Literacy Advocate
>DJRosen at theworld.com
>
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