[AAACE-NLA] "Over what period of time..."

[Debbie Yoho]

As usual, our colleague David Rosen offers sensible, reasonable and
practical suggestions to at least move forward, in this case in regard to
"duration and intensity".  I think we can all agree that there are
innumerable variables that impact the effectiveness of instruction; in the
end, people like me, who want to resist standardizing anything we do, must
compromise in an era when the professional judgement of educators is no
longer credible to funders, the federal government, or even many of our
colleagues. I could actively support a standard of at least 5 hours per
week for a minimum of 20 weeks because it would be a definite improvement
over the status quo.  If we must reach general agreement within the field,
and we must, about what constitutes good practice, this suggestion seems
authentic to me, especially because it is based on professional wisdom and
experience, if not "scienfitic proof".
 
I reiterate my concern, however, that applying good practice to
accountability standards results in stratifying learners so that some,
perhaps many, are in effect denied service. Some are "winnowed out", given
inadequate funding that is unlikely to ever be sufficient.   For example,
we recently obtained a grant specifically designed to increase intensity
from our usual 3 hours per week to 6 hours per week.  The majority of our
learners have been unwilling or unable to commit to this expectation, and
we are convinced the reason has little to do with instructional practice.
No doubt the grant will not be renewed.  I suppose this discussion could
evolve into an argument over whether a little education is better than
none.  Regardless of what values we have as teachers and learners, the
prevailing culture is that resources should be concentrated where they will
quantifiably "do the most good", and some, perhaps many, are not to be
included.  While I and others shall continue to "cry foul", I realize very
well that we are whistling in the wind.  

This list is about "advocacy".  Sometimes that means compromising cherished
values in order to create a united front to achieve a specific gain, such
as amending the NRS standards.  Other times advocacy means "crying foul" in
the hope that somewhere, someone will hear, and where there is one, there
may some day be many. Incremental change is better than standing still.

"Turning Pages into Possibilities",  Debbie

Deborah W. Yoho
Director, Turning Pages
    a community service of Volunteers of America Carolinas
   formerly the Greater Columbia Literacy Council
2728 Devine Street,  Columbia, SC  29205
803-765-2555   Fax  803-799-8417   dwyoho at earthlink.net