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LR/RI produces a bulletin roughly every two weeks in order to inform area practitioners of news, events, and calls for participation and also as a forum for posing questions, issues and discussion topics. The current bulletin is posted below. To read previous bulletins, go to Bulletin Archives.

28 May, 1997 

Bulletin #10

Dear Colleagues, 

This bulletin contains reminders about summer work and study, as well as some new announcements about June events. Many learners, teachers, and directors participated in Adult Education Day last week at the State House. If anyone would like to share reflections or observations about that experience, please send them along so that we can think about not only what the day meant for us, but also how we'd like to continue work for Adult Ed Day (and other events) in future. Thanks. 

Thanks very much. 

Janet Isserlis 

____________________________________________________________ 

NOTICES 

€ Practitioner Dissemination and Research Network 
David Hayes, Practitioner Leader for Rhode Island, is in the process of forming a focus group to address research issues in adult education. Information about the project appeared in the last bulletin, and a separate mailing will be sent to you shortly. In the meantime, to learn more about participation in the focus group, please contact David at DHayes@aol.com or 331-9261.

€ CITIZENSHIP FAIR: On Wednesday, June 4th, a Citizenship Fair will be held at the International Institute of Rhode Island from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Sponsored by the Feinstein Citizenship Center of IIRI, the fair invites participants to: learn about how to become a citizen; get citizenship study material and forms; register to vote and learn about the voting process; learn about educational and vocational opportunities for adults and young people; discuss ways immigrants and those born in Rhode Island can serve their communities; learn about new laws affecting food stamp and welfare reform; meet and discuss concerns and community needs with elected officials; learn to write letters to government officials, join in the recognition of volunteers and new citizens, and sample international food and much more. For further information, please call 784-4611 or 784-4644.

GETTING SMART:NONPROFITS SHAPING THE NEW ECONOMY is the title of a conference being held on June 10 and 11 at Bryant College in Smithfield. This two day event features Jeremy Rifkin (author of The End of Work), Oskar Eustis of Trinity Rep, Robert Leaver of Organizational Futures and others, and offers participants a chance to imagine their future organization, confront challenges ahead and become part of ongoing learning communities of civic leaders from throughout Rhode Island. Registration is $195 for these two days, as well as a third session to be on September 25th. A reduced rate is available on a limited basis. For more information, check the Swearer Center website (http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Swearer_Center/) or phone Rhode Island Foundation at 621-6110. Deadline for registration is June 3.

€ TELECONFERENCES - On June 5th, from 2 to 4 PM, a teleconference will be held in Room 427 of the Shepard Building. Dealing with Planning and Funding Technology for Adult Literacy: How can literacy programs with limited resources acquire the technology they need, the teleconference is open to all. In order to facilitate planning, however, please RSVP through LR/RI (863-2839 or via email) by June 2nd. 

Another teleconference is being planned for Tuesday, June 17th. This satellite town meeting will be held from 8 to 9 PM and is entitled, "Ready to Learn: Preparing Young Children for School Success." Leading with assumption that parents are children's first and most important teachers and need the skills, knowledge and support to help their children prepare for school and for life, US Secretary of Education Richard Riley will lead a discussion with parents, educators, business and community leaders from around the country who will provide ideas and strategies for working together to assure that every young child has the opportunity to succeed. The discussion will include the latest research on brain development and early learning. Details will follow in the next bulletin. 

RIAACE Reconstitution Meeting On June 25, a meeting has been tentatively scheduled from 3 to 5 PM at the Days Inn in Providence, in order to consider the future of the RI Association for Adult and Continuing Education (RIAACE). Organizers hope to develop membership, consider future plans and directions for RIAACE and invite all adult education practitioners to participate. More information will follow in future bulletins, and/or contact Bob Mason at 277-4600, X12180.

REMINDER: TEACHER SHARING SESSIONS

€ LEARNING DISABILITIES teacher share, 2:30 - 4:30 on Friday, May 30th, at the International Institute of Rhode Island. Lisa Roseman Beade will facilitate this session which is open to everyone with an interest in LD. 

€ ESOL teacher share - Thursday, June 5th, from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at Genesis Center, 620 Potters Avenue, Providence. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to bring a lesson, an idea, or a particular material that has been useful or worked particularly well with learners.

€ Intergenerational literacy/language teacher share - Friday, June 6th from 1 to 3, at International Institute of RI, 645 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI. 

€ SUMMER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES - REMINDER LR/RI, with assistance from the Swearer Center for Public Service at Brown, is finalizing plans for two strands of professional development activities for the summer. The responses so far have been positive, and we1re hoping to get things up and running in June. The technology strand is open to adult educators with limited previous experience with basic computing and internet use and whose programs have, or will soon have, access to computer and internet technology. This strand will run once a week, on Friday mornings, for two to three hours. Zach Franklin, a recent Brown graduate, will assist practitioners in learning basic word processing skills, using the internet for email and access to the world wide web. This will probably run for two four-week sessions, (10 participants in each) with additional assistance being available on an as-needed basis.

The second piece, open to everyone, is a reading/discussion group. I1ll soon be sending one or two short articles to programs and will invite anyone who has the time and inclination to meet informally once a week (late in the afternoon) to discuss these articles, and then, I hope, to bring other articles/issues to the group. Both events will begin late in June of this year. I1m thinking that June 26th would be a good starting date. Sooner? Any other suggestions? Please let me know.

€ LIBRARIES AND ADULT EDUCATION - SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT: At a recent meeting of library and adult education workers, connections between literacy work and the roles of libraries were discussed. How can libraries support adult education practice and how can we assist libraries in making appropriate referrals, strengthening their contributions to adult education (and their collections) and otherwise collaborate and assist one another in strengthening access to literacy for all in the state? Questions? Comments? Contact LR/RI; your concerns will be shared with library staff present at that meeting. If you'd like to get together with others to discuss this issue, please contact LR/RI, so that we can set up an informal meeting.

REMINDER: SUMMER PROGRAM and DIRECTORY UPDATE INFORMATION PLEASE! NATIONAL/LOCAL REFERRAL DATABASE

PROGRAM DIRECTORS/VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS: If your program is running classes this summer, please contact LR/RI so that we can make that information available to others. As well, as we continue to update the old RILRC web site and incorporate its data base into the new LR/RI site, we would very much appreciate it if you could check the page in the LVA directory and let me know if any information about your program(s) should be updated. These changes will be incorporated into the web site and into a revise Directory once this information has been compiled. I am also working on updating the National Institute for Literacy's (NIFL) database so that if and when someone calls their 1-800# for information about literacy learning or tutoring, the people at the national clearinghouse can make effective referrals. If you have not yet contacted me about inclusion on this list, please do so as soon as possible. NIFL will eliminate any listing that has not been updated by them since mid-1996; this is an opportunity to update their list.

SUMMER COURSE POSSIBILITY € Interested in GED for speakers of English as an additional language, and/or for those who need more time to study for the test? If you have or know of learners who would like to study this summer, please Call CCRI, Lincoln, Community Service 333-7169. There's a possibility that a GED-related course can be offered, with fees for 16 weeks (for reading skills work) are approximately $65. The course will run with sufficient enrollment, so if people are at all interested in taking the course, they are urged to call CCRI as soon as possible.

TUTOR NEEDED - Kate Balaschak, a graduating student at Brown, has been tutoring a 64 year old woman from East Providence whose first language is Portuguese. Kate's been tutoring for three months but she will be leaving Providence soon and is hoping to be able to find someone to work with her learner. Maria can speak English with difficulty; she wants to learn to use English at church, at the grocery store, and in writing notes to her family. They usually meet once a week at the East Providence library. If you'd like to learn more, please call Kate at 331-8072 or e-mail at Kathryn_Balaschak@brown.edu.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES -- Navajo Reservation Adult Educator This was posted to the popular education list serv on May 16th: Small rural community south of Gallup, NM, Pre-GED, GED and post-secondary level teaching in family education program. Begin September 1997. Full-time, 10 months, $22,000+. Required: B.A., experienced adult educator in grassroots settings. Preferred: 1)Proven skills in : teaching adults, especially at pre-GED level, integration of language/math skills with cultural community traditions with ECE and parenting and practical action/lifeskills, vocational education, contextual, learner-centered, strengths-based approaches, balancing individualized and group-based and a learning centers approaches, curriculum planning as a team, CASAS and portfolio assessment, Apple Macintosh and CAI. 2) Ability to work in a remote rural setting. 3) Knowledge of native American/Navajo cultures (ideally Navajo or other Native American heritage), but not required. 4) Knowledge of ECE 0-8 (3-5 especially). Send resume with letter of interest to: Mae Lee, Ramah Navajo Continuing Education Program, Box 160, Pine Hill, NM 87357.

€ The Smith Hill Center is looking for a coordinator for its Generation One Program--a youth leadership and summer employment program that is part of the Environmental programs at Smith Hill. The program focuses around developing leadership, team building, and community organizing skills, growing flowers and vegetables at a farm on Smith Hill and another in Rumford for local sale to restaurants and distribution to food closets, landscaping, volunteering in the community, and planning community events and celebrations. The position pays a $3000 stipend. For more information call Patrick McNiff at 455-3880x231.