[NLA] Certification, state-approval, and the AELS

[Nashansen@aol.com]

Andrea Wilder wrote:

<< I truly hesitate to enter this fray, but here goes.  >>

She listed her credentials, which are truly impressive - as are her life 
experiences.  I would never lay alongside her degrees the little bit of 
education documentation that I have and would have avoided this discussion 
like the *plague* if she hadn't written this point:

<< 6)  BUT there is Nancy with her volunteers, who she trains before they 
begin 
 teaching, I assume they don't have certificates and wouldn't volunteer if 
 certificates were required. >>

Absolutely, Andrea.  Our volunteer tutors may be considered less skilled by 
some of the lurkers reading this because they don't hold degrees working with 
learning disabilities or do not hold teaching credentials.  But what I look 
for when I screen volunteers is whether or not they care and are eager to 
learn.  I seek people who have and share life experiences and personal 
interest in "the written word" and "in people".  

I would really hate to lose my Mormon farm wife, my female real estate agent 
who is in tune with the culture of her ESL student, my gentleman genetic lab 
tech who is non-judgemental, my CPA/CPA business firm co-owner whose grown 
son has dyslexia, my learner trained to be a LWR Bk 1-2 tutor, my physically 
disabled, retired spec ed teacher who has an affinity for her developmentally 
challenged learner.  They each bring their own talents to their task.  A 
degree wouldn't make them any better volunteers than they already are with 
"continuing literacy in-service training" as part of their involvement with 
me.

What's more?  The expectation for certification would also strip them of 
their director.  This administrative position may not pay a whole lot 
(something David Rosen intimated is important in the consideration of state 
certification), but it's the love of my life.  I've learned so much and am 
very proud of the quality program I provide, but I'm not as able nor educated 
as Andrea with her certification in so many different educational areas.  I 
would not live up to the comparison.

Nancy H
Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council
sfliteracy at mcleodusa.net 
or Nashansen at aol.com
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