NLA Discussion: voc training the sole purpose of adult ed?

[Andres Muro]

According to the Equipped for the Future project of NIFL and the Dpt of Ed, there are 4 important areas that adults need to be prepared for. The areas are: family, education, community and work. All of them are important. Also, students need to look at each of these areas comprehensively. There is a tendency by workforce literacy programs to simply teach students skills for specific low wage, no growth, jobs. There is vocation ed. monies in the department of ed. As I understand it, a vocation is an employment choice that fulfill us. My vocation is literacy. Just preparing people for low wage jobs because the local chamber of commerce is bringing them to your community to employ the poor minorities is not really vocational education.

Andres

>>> <rkrawiec at mindspring.com> 11/11 12:18 pm >>>

This language is part of the problem, because it reflects what we're really
thinking.  Education based on developing skills 'employers demand'...'we are
all motivated by money'...a 'marketable education'.

Is voc training the sole purpose of adult 'education'?  Should adult ed
exist only to serve the needs of capitalists?  Are we motivated solely by
money?

Socrates said the purpose of education is to produce dangerous citizens.

Maybe we need to think hard about the purpose of adult ed
Rich
-----Original Message-----
From: Sally McIntosh <grandeur at corinthian.net>
To: nla at world.std.com <nla at world.std.com>
Date: Wednesday, November 10, 1999 11:46 PM
Subject: NLA Discussion: Teenagers in ABE


>
>Wow!  Yes, Hal Beder, the K-12 segment of education needs to find a way to
>share some of its funding with the overworked adult education providers. We
>adult ed instructors are taking the youth that the "system" cannot or will
>not educate.  The young people have dropped out in the 8th or 9th grade,
and
>are desperately seeking help to acquire the skills local employers are
>demanding in potential employees.  In discussions with all age of members
of
>our classes, the basic reason for seeking a GED or improved reading skills
>still remains economic.  We all seem motivated by the dream of more money,
>and to that end we will try higher education or other forms of training.
If
>we are to aid these 16 to 21 year olds in achieving a marketable education,
>then we should be recieving some of the funds that were meant to underwrite
>said efforts.
>
>The alternative classroom is what we are offering those who come to us.
>This arrangement is often not provided by the K-12 program, but seems to be
>needed by more and more people.
>
>Sally McIntosh
>full time instructor
>Macon County, GA
>grandeur at corinthian.net
>
>