I have the opportunity to serve on a board that promotes adult and community education in the state of Utah. We recently held a conference for adult educators from across the state and I was reminded of the wonderful individuals that serve in this critical segment of the education landscape.
Most aspiring teachers see themselves teaching somewhere in the K-12 space, helping children or young adults to improve their lives and realize their dreams through education. Very few new teachers ever fathomed that they might someday work as an adult education professional. However, for most of them, once they find this unique niche they never want to go back to the K-12 classroom. It is challenging and emotionally draining work that also requires extreme flexibility. Many of these teachers have students who range from 0-12th grade level in all of the key content areas. It is difficult to cater to individual needs and schedules and to feel the frustration of losing a student to work or relocation when they were finally "breaking through."
I was recently participating in a video shoot at UMASS-Dartmouth and had the opportunity to speak to a few of the amazing teachers who work there. They expressed their deep appreciation to work with adults and the rewards they realized as their students made significant improvements in their reading ability and in their lives.
I salute adult education professionals across the world who committ themselves to this noble work and the students that need them most. Thank you for your diligence and for your genuine interest in making a difference. We're proud to partner with so many of you in helping to remediate struggling readers.