stop the fear

I would like to start by asking a question about, making mistakes. If the common rule is don't be afraid of making mistakes then why do bother rating or giving a test score? I feel that this is contradicting our way of teaching. If we can alleviate the stress that comes with learning, we might be able to understand the innocent mind.

The innocence of the active imagination through the early years is the time when your courage is in its highest adequacy. In schools, "Now I know, that when I grew up It was always stressed that making mistakes on your test was going to make or break your possibility passing your grade." That was always a frightening thought.

How can schools provide a good learning experience? I say stop the fear. Teach us how to better ourselves in what we are comfortable in, allow us to learn with your guidance rather then the formalities that is expected of us. Teach us about life, about family stability, and how we us students can help the teachers to help us grow out of those fears that hold us back.

by Mike Altirei

Learners Advisory Network

Hello everyone,

I am leaving for Ottawa to meetings with the Movement for Canadian Literacy (MCL); which is an organization that represents literacy in Canada and the Learners Advisory Network (LAN); which is made up of adult learners from provinces in Canada . I will return on Friday.

One of the topics of discussion will be looking into having Associations of Adult Learners/Students in every province of Canada.

What do you think of this idea?

At the present time Adult learner representation for LAN is selected by the Literacy coalitions from each province.

I believe Adult Learner representation should be chosen by Adult Learners not the coalitions.

What is your opinion about this?

I am very much in favour of this. We Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk and we have a right to represent ourselves.

I am an Adult Learner and your Adult Learner/Student Representative in Ontario. Everywhere I go I speak and represent Adult Learners/Students. The more I hear from you the better I can represent our needs, concerns and ideas towards the betterment of literacy, literacy programs, and Adult Learners/Students. Adult Learners/Students are 48% of the population of Canada; your words are important and powerful. Lets join in the circle has one and let our voices be heard.

Have a great week everyone and I wish you and all that you love the very best.

Patricia Ashie Very Proud Adult Learner

signs of the times

The different ways that Learners Speak is through their voice and through sign language.

It sounds like you want to know what they are saying so that you can put in what you think about it too. You learn what the person is thinking and they learn what you are thinking too.

Minnie doesn't want sympathy she just wants places that you could go for help and medical care.

Jerry wants people to be able to specify what they want to talk about and what they would like to Learn.

I want to be able to talk to different people without being shy and be able to Learn what they want to speak about.

by Sarah Fischer

becoming confident

Earlier in my life I was not confident with my speech because I have a disability. I became more confident in myself and I don't let my disability get in the way. I could speak up for myself and for others as well.

Michelle

I have a disability. It is called Cerebral Palsy. I have had Cerebral Palsy since the time of birth. I am a very smart woman. I have come a very long way with school and myself by being more confident. When I was younger I was afraid of speaking up because I wasn't sure of who I really was. Now I speak up because I am 100% sure I know who I am.

Maria

video for when learners speak

Click on the links below to see the videos:

Early Birds:
Learning is Power

Ontario School Children Speak up for Learning

Charlie Angus asks Chuck Strahl, the Indian Affairs Minister, a question about the school

Attawapiskat School Blog

Week 1:
Creating a Sacred Learning Space

Is Change Possible?

Music and Life

Do schools kills creativity?

Week2:
What would Minnie say?

What does Jerry Lee Miller say?

Week 3:
Bishop Tutu speaks about leadership and dreaming:

Almost all seem to want to see in the leader the attributes that they wish they themselves have: integrity, compassion, gentleness, magnanimity -- the things that make you and I proud to be human, to say, "Ah yes. There are awful things about us, but I realize I am actually made for the transcendent. I am made for goodness. I am made for laughter. I am made for caring. I am made for sharing." And those leaders who somehow embody these things show that it is achievable. Yes, the sky is the limit, and we are meant to reach for the stars and dream God's dream.

Read, watch and listen to more from Bishop Tutu here. The quote above in on page 4 and is the 4th clip down the page.

Working for change in a learning circle
For the full Guide to Learning Circles, click here.

Week 4:
Inviting People to Participate

what we need for good learning

I think people need to be comfortable with themselves and comfortable in the program they are attending. They need to feel safe, have their opinions heard, be able to ask questions and get the help they need. People need to work at their own pace, not feel they have to rush to get finished and maybe not achieve what they could have if given the time. I feel our program does have all these things.

I really liked all the videos, it shows that creativity is not given the importance in some places like it should be. A lot of food for thought in them all. I particularly liked the last one, Creativity with Sir Ken Robinson. He spoke a lot of sense.

Heather

new course

I work in an adult literacy program as one of the assistants. I think these alphroute courses are great for our group and they have really been enjoying them. It has opened up the world of on-line learning for them, giving them the chance to learn more, develop more computer skills and learn that Learning is great!

I really think this is a good way for many people to learn and I tell everyone about it who will listen. I have done on line courses myself and it opened up whole new world for me of learning and connecting with people.

I look forward to hopefully helping my students with many more courses.

I hope everyone enjoys this one

Heather