Reflection on Adult Learners of Language & Literacy

After spending the past year working as a Teachers Assistant in the Bronx, I can say that it has been a year of learning and great experiences. For years, I took courses that would prepare me for to teach children and to work in the childhood education field. However after taking this course I came to understand that their is a whole other spectrum in the world of education, that of adult education. It is one that I had no idea was so intricate and so relevant to our society. I learned a lot of things in this class. I learned many statistics/theories, read interesting books but most importantly, I came to some realizations that perhaps I wouldn't have come to if I had not taken this course.

For one, I had the chance to research braille literacy. This is something I had no knowledge of before and now I find myself fascinated by it. I was shocked to learn about how much more independent a person who is visibly impaired can be if he or she can read and write braille. I also could not believe the scarcity of braille materials. The paper sparked my interest in braille and would like to pursue more research on it.
Another thing I was enlightened about was all the obstacles that adults face when returning to school. My own family members who have immigrated to New York have tried to return to school but have not been successful. They have enrolled in ESL and GED classes only to drop out before completing them. Prior to taking this class, my impression of this was that they lacked the motivation, the skills and even the intelligence necessary to be in school and learn the English language. I had not considered all the other difficulties they have faced. This class made me more appreciative of their efforts and come to a deeper understanding of adult education. I am more eager to help my family members pursue their education, especially my cousin Raquel. I think she would be a perfect candidate for the I-BEST program.

I would have to say that one of the highlights of our class was going to the Center for Workers Education because as someone who is new to the program, this trip made everything we've been learning about so much more real. It was also great to get some inside information that we probably would have never known if we had not visited the CWE.
Another thing I liked about this class was having the chance to speak with other students who went to through this program. It was important for me to hear from them about their experiences after the masters program.
My favorite book that the class read was Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed. It is one of those books that changes your life. It really opened my eyes and I will keep it in my personal library forever.
For me, this class was worth while. I learned a lot and and it only reassured me that I chose the right program after all.