Adult Ed Week 2018: Being A Part of the Rally at the State Capitol

Riding the bus to Sacramento

On April 9th, fifty students and two teachers from San Mateo Adult School took a bus to the state capitol of Sacramento to join a rally for Adult Education.  The rally was held by CCAE - the California Council for Adult Education.  Students and staff from all over California attended the rally.  They rallied to bring attention to the need for strong funding for Adult Education.  They rallied to remind legislators that Adult Education matters.  Rie Shinohara was one of the students who attended the rally.  Here, with her permission, is her story about that day.

Being a Part of the Rally at the State Capital

When I first arrived at San Mateo Adult School, there were many new students in the lobby waiting to be registered. I could easily get in a class after I paid $30 fee for the semester. Later, the cost of going to this school became free, and one day, I heard that modern office technology classes became free, too. I thought that some people must have played an important role to waive fees from students; however, I did not think through how they did it. I assume that once students are in the school system, they take it for granted that their seats are secured and no further action is needed.

As I have worked as a volunteer to assist new student registration process for the last two years, I noticed how many people need more education to live in the United States. Last few semesters, classes got full quite quickly, and several of the scheduled registration dates were cancelled. There were waiting lists, and I knew some students who were dying to get into particular classes. I felt a growing need for adult education, and there was a chance to express my thoughts.

SMAS Students in the capitol building

On April 9, I was at the capitol of the state, Sacramento. More than 50 students and some faculty members from San Mateo Adult School headed for a rally for adult education that was organized by the California Council for Adult Education (CCAE). Before the rally began, we were trying to witness the moment when assembly members declared that the week was Adult Education Week. Third floor was literally full of people who wanted to appeal their own needs, and I could not even see how the room legislators were in looked like. I later heard that the declaration was not made on that day because the legislators had too many items on their agenda.

Adult School students in scrubs

Right outside the capitol building, with abundant sunshine coming down to us, the rally started. Groups of people from all parts of the state gathered to support adult education, and I was surprised by the number of people at the event. Many people held signs that said we need adult education. Some people were in scrubs, indicating that they pursue medical profession through adult schools. The group of us from San Mateo wore red clothes, like we do every Tuesday at the school to show adult education matters. Our presence at the rally clearly showed that there is a need for adult education.

Assembly Member
Kevin McCarty
speaking at the rally

It was so sunny that Kevin McCarty, an Assembly Member, asked if it was okay for him to come into a shade with those gathered. He actually benefited from the adult education system because he was short on credits to graduate from his high school. It was somewhat encouraging to me that someone who now works as a legislator took some courses at an adult school.

Margarita Lewis shares her story

From the beginning of the event, I was standing by a woman who anxiously held a palm-sized handwritten script in a small red folder. I instantly sensed that she was going to present her speech. In fact, the woman, Margarita Lewis, from Castro Valley Adult and Career Education, was the last person to share her story after two men who also spoke about their appreciation for adult education. When her name was called, she left my side, hastily asking her friend to take a video of her speech with her phone. Having witnessed her nervousness, I felt closer to her than any other speakers who came to the podium. She spoke about her situation, her family, and citizenship class at the school, where she prepared for the citizenship test and also made friends. After her speech, participants enthusiastically clapped, and her friends at the school came to her and gave compliments and hugs.

The rally reassured those gathered that the state of California needs places for people to study for their next stage. Many people need English to live in their communities, while some others need high school equivalent degrees or practical career trainings. Adult schools can serve people with so many different goals. For example, the first speaker Joshua Lang studies at Inland Career Center after serving way over 10 years in a correctional facility. The second speaker Erick Salas wants to work at a court after finishing his court reporting course at Sacramento City Adult School. If it were not for those schools, people would be having difficulties going from one to another phase of their lives.

Carolyn Zachry
speaking at the rally

Having been a part of the rally, I feel that I deeply understand the need for adult education. That was my first time to see students from other adult schools and hear their stories. Also, I had never seen people who are in charge of adult education, such as Carolyn Zachry, the head of adult education for the California Department of Education, and Kevin McCarty. It is crucial to talk with those who have power to make difference in adult education so that schools have more budget to serve a wide range of students’ needs. I would like to encourage other people to come to the rally next year to experience the feeling of being the part of the effort firsthand.

Will you join us next year?

Marina Kravtsova: A Student to Staff Success Story

Adult Ed Works!  A SMAS Student to SMAS Staff Success Story



Marina at her desk in the SMART Center

Did you know that several SMAS staff members are former SMAS students?  How did they go from student to staff?  Teacher Cynthia sat down with one of these success stories, Marina Kravtsova, to find out.  You might know Marina - she is our English Learner Specialist. Last year she was also our Student Council Advisor.  As part of her work, she helps coordinate the Student Ambassador program and works with Patty and Cynthia to provide students with information about resources.  Monday through Friday, you can find her at her desk in the SMART Center. 

When did you start attending SMAS as a student?

In August, 2011

What level of ESL did you start at and what level did you finish at?

Low Beginning to High Advanced.

What other classes did you take besides ESL classes?
Writing Intensive, Afternoon Listening Speaking, Finding Job, Gardening Club, Pronunciation, Distance Learning, and Student Council.

Student Leaders
Hitomi, Marco, and Marina
explaining Red for Adult Ed
and Red T-shirts Campaign to Students

Marina is shy to mention so Teacher Cynthia will tell you that Marina was very active as an advocate for our school and all Adult Schools during a difficult time for Adult Education.  She worked hard with other student advocates to carry the message that Adult Education Matters.  You can see some of her advocacy here, here, here, here, and here.  She was the first Adult School student to ever be part of state planning for Adult Education; she was part of the Workgroup that helped plan for the new system for Adult Education. She presented workshops at CCAE, and CATESOL, and participated in a Harvard symposium on Adult Education.  In addition to all this, she started and ran a Parent Club at SMAS for immigrant parents for several years.

How long did you study at SMAS?
Around 4 years.

What was your goal in the beginning?
Be able to speak with parents and teachers in my sons' schools

What was your goal at end?
To get a job.

What is your job at SMAS?
English Learner Specialist - testing students, placing them in classes, orienting within SMAS programs.   

What do you like best about working at SMAS?
I like the people I work with.

How did you feel about applying to work as staff at your own school?  
Less scary; It was my comfort zone, but at the same time it was little bit weird to be interviewed by people i knew for years as my teachers.  

Do you have any advice for other ESL students?
Don't give up!

#student2staff  #adultedworks  #learner2earner #adultedmatters  #don'tgiveup

Marina in action:

Marching in the San Mateo Parade

Denise, Marina, and Cristina
fundraising for their trip to the AAACE Conference -
a national conference about Adult Education.
They presented at the conference.



Marina mailing her letter to Governor Brown on Red Letter Day

SMAS Student Lucy Ochoa: "Adult Education: Why Does It Matter?"

Lucy Ochoa was a student in Teacher Jessica's evening ESL class.  Here is the article she wrote about our school and Adult Education for her class in journalism at UC Berkeley. 
In her home country of Ecuador, she is a journalist.

Adult Education,

 

Why does it matter?

 

By Lucy Ochoa

It's 6:30 pm on Thursday, the last day of school before the weekend. About twenty students rush into a room at the main campus of San Mateo Adult School, greeting each other in different languages. After signing the attendance sheet they choose seats behind of one of the long wooden tables that face the whiteboard.

Learning English is the challenge that brings these students together whenever their schedule allows it. Despite their different origins, all of them share two characteristics: they are adults and their native language is not English.

According to the Public Policy Institute of California and data from the U.S Census Bureau, this state has over 10 million immigrants, the largest number in the United States. Californian immigrants are, mostly, working-age adults. Their most common language spoken is Spanish followed distantly by Chinese. 

Adult school programs are how these adults improve their language skills and approach to the American society. However, since 2009, these programs have been affected by budget cuts.

ESL (English as a Second Language) is one of the 9 core programs offered by adult schools, and most of time, it is the gateway course to assimilate one into the new culture. These classes integrate all the language skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking and pronunciation; in units related to important topics for adult students as finances, society, house and home, community, etc.  Every year more than 1.2 million students benefit from one of the 340 adult schools across California.

In the second row sits 32-year-old Gerber Gonzalez from El Salvador. His first language is Spanish. He has been living in the United States for about 16 years. This semester, after an assess test to evaluate his English proficiency, he has been placed in the ESL Low Advanced level.

Since 1992 the ESL program has consisted of seven courses from beginning literacy through high advanced level. Gonzalez, who works in a Mexican restaurant at the San Francisco International Airport, has been taking ESL classes at San Mateo Adult School nearly for a year. His work schedule often changes. Like most of classmates, he has to prioritize his jobs above going to school. For this reason being able to choose between morning or evening ESL classes is convenient.  “Last semester I took some classes in the morning and some classes at night,” he says. “The schedule is flexible, it works for me.”

He wants to finish the program, get his high school certificate and start his own business. Language proficiency is essential. “I don’t say that I don´t want to speak Spanish, but English opens a lot of doors that otherwise will remain closed,” he says.  

In fact, according to state guidelines governing this program,  ESL courses help non-native English speakers to open “doors” by equipping students "with the language and cultural proficiencies required for the eventual fulfillment of personal, vocational, academic and citizenship goals so that they may participate fully in American society.”

Jessica Giambruno, who teaches ESL low advanced class at San Mateo Adult School, says teaching adults is challenging, but satisfying because the students are self-motivated. “I don’t know any teacher that is here just for a job,” Giambruno says. “Everybody cares deeply. Students really care about education, about school, about community.”

But financial considerations may determine whether or not districts like San Mateo continue to offer adult education classes. In 2009 the California Department of Education gave K-12 school districts the flexibility to divert adult education funds to other educational purposes. Since then, adult schools have been fighting for survival.

Tim Doyle, assistant director of the San Mateo Adult School, says that because of a budget crisis in the educational system, between 50 and 60 schools were closed around California. In 2008 the state spent $750 million on adult education through K-12 funding, but during the budget flexibility, the annual amount decreased to about $350 million. For instance, Oakland adult school programs were slashed, 90 percent, from $11.4 million to $1 million; and at least 60 percent of the budget of the San Mateo Adult School was cut. However the 2015-2016 California governor’s budget assigned $500 million for the Adult Education Block Grant, ensuring schools’ doors open.  

In response to the cuts and their repercussions, San Mateo Adult School promoted the slogan “Adult Education Matters”. Today, this watchword is shared among all of California’s adult schools to raise awareness.

Adult schools, says Doyle, “are the door to the country for a lot of people, a kind of the first place where they can imagine what their life is going to be in the United States.”

The clock strikes 9:15 pm and today’s lesson ends. Some students help to organize the chairs, clean the board, and close the blinds while they talk a mixture of languages again. After a busy day of responsibilities, Gerber and the rest of the group are ready to go home with the personal satisfaction of having invested time in their educational growth.   

 

 

Student ID Cards

The San Mateo Adult School Student Council provides students with Student Photo ID cards. 

The money from the Student ID cards is used by the Student Council to provide good things to the student community, such as pumpkins for the Halloween festival, turkeys for the Thanksgiving celebrations, new benches, and picnic supplies for Earth Day & Night.

San Mateo Adult School students can get Student ID cards if

* they have attended class at least 40 hours
* have a teacher signed application
* $10 cash

Photos will be taken

Evening at 8 pm                                            Morning at 10:30 am

Tues, Sept 29                                                 Wed, Sept 30

Tues, Oct 27                                                  Wed, Oct 28

Tues, Dec 1                                                    Wed, Dec 2

Get your smile on!

A New Day for Adult Education: New System - New Rules - New Money

A New Day for Adult Education

Today is July 1, 2015.  July 1 is the first day of the fiscal year.   "Fiscal" means money.    The first day of the calendar year is January 1.  The first day of the fiscal year is July 1.

"A new day" is an idiom that means the start of something big and new.  It has a happy feeling.

There are new rules for Adult Education and a new budget.   This is great news. 

During the bad economy, Adult Schools and Adult Education had many cuts.  Many Adult Schools closed.  All Adult Schools became smaller.  

All across California, we spoke up for Adult Schools and Adult Education.  We wore red for Adult Ed.  We wrote letters and emails.  We went to Sacramento.  We told the Legislature and Governor Brown:  Adult Education Matters!

People listened.  The people of California passed Prop 30 to raise the sales tax and help all Public Education.  And the Legislature and the Governor made a new budget for Adult Education.


Now we are beginning again.  We this new money, we can grow again like a plant with new water after a long, dry time.


New rules

In the new rules, Adult Schools and Community Colleges work together in Regional Consortia to provide the best Adult Education possible.  The name of our Regional Consortia is ACCEL.   There are four Adult Schools and three Community Colleges in our Regional Consortia.  It serves all of San Mateo County.   You can read more about the new system here and here.


New Budget

Finally, we have some money coming in.  We can relax and take a breath.  We will keep going!   The money is not as much money as before the economy crashed.  But it is something.  It is a good beginning.  We can begin again.  It is a new day. 



Questions and Answers about the Money


How much money is there for Adult Education?

For the next fiscal year (July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016), there is $500,000,000.

Who can use that money?

Members of the new Regional Consortia system.  These members could be

- K12 Adult  Schools
- Community Colleges
- County Offices of Education

How will the money be given out?

The Superintendent of the California Department of Education and the Chancellor of the Community College System (the two big bosses) will figure out how much money was spent on Adult Education in Adult Schools and County Office of Ed programs in 2012-13 (in certain programs).   That amount is called the Maintenance of Effort - the MOE.  That means the amount of money to keep things going.  Whatever that amount is will go to Adult Schools and County Office of Ed programs.   They will get the money by August 31, 2015.  The most they can get is 375,000,000.

The leftover money will be given to the Regional Consortia.  They must have plans on how to spend the money for Adult Education.  They will get the money by November 30, 2015.

What happens in the next fiscal year?

In the fiscal year after this one, there will be new rules.

The Regional Consortia will get money based on

* how much they got before
* how much they need for Adult Education in their area
* how good a job they are doing


Who is the Fiscal Agent?

Remember the term, "fiscal agent"?  The fiscal agent is the person in charge of the money.  They are kind like the banker in a Monopoly game.  They hold and hand out the money.  It isn't their money but they are in charge of it.

In the new rules, each Regional Consortium can decide to have the money go directly to members or elect a single fiscal agent to hand out the money.  Each Regional Consortium can decide.

This is important.  Our school community and many other schools asked the Legislature and the Governor for this rule.  We wanted to decide who will be the banker for our Regional Consortium.


What programs will get money?

* Basic skills, high school equivalency and diploma (GED and High School Diploma)

* Citizenship and ESL

* Workforce entry or re-entry, including older adults entering or re-entering the workforce

*  Adult programs, including for older adults, that help adults help schoolkids to do well in school. 

* Adults with disabilities programs

* Short-term Career Tech Education

* Pre-apprenticeship programs and activities.


How will Regional Consortia decide how to give out the extra money left over from the MOE?

Each Regional Consortium has to create a 3-year plan for money and spending money on Adult Education. 

All the decisions about giving out the money have to be made in an open meeting with input from stakeholders.  Stakeholders are people who have a stake in something.  They will feel the results in something.  Putting your stake in something means you own it.  




How will they decide if schools are doing a good job and how will they keep track of everything?

In Fiscal Year 2016, the Community College Chancellor and the California Department of Education Superintendent (the two big bosses) have 25,000,000 to create a data system that can be used for both Adult Schools and Community Colleges.   They must also decide what results the Regional Consortia must report on.  These results will include these things (and can include more):

* How many adults are served by a Regional Consortium

* How many of the served adults have
     --  improved their literacy skills (reading & writing)
     --  completed their high school diploma or equivalent (GED)
     --  completed a postsecondary certificate, degree, or training program
     --   got a job
     --  improved their wages (how they money they make at their job)


Gratitude for This New Day.  Gratitude for You.

This new day for Adult Schools and Adult Education happened because of hard work from many, many people.

If you

wore Red for Adult Education on Tuesdays

wore an Adult Education Matters button
put a bumper sticker on your car
write a letter to the Governor or a Legislator
went to Sacramento
helped make a video
talked to a journalist
talked to your friends and neighbors about Adult Education
joined CCAE
wrote an essay
made a poster
made a banner
went to a conference


or did anything else to help get the message out that Adult Education Matters -

you should feel good.  You made a positive difference!

Your effort helped bring this new day to Adult Education.

Your effort made a positive difference for millions of people and their families and communities.

You matter.   Your effort matters.  Thank you!

Easy English Times Story, "Wear Red for Adult Ed"

The Easy English Times is a national newsletter for English Learners all across the United States.

This month, San Mateo Adult School was on the front page!

Click here to read the Easy English Times newsletter.

Click here to see the special full-color article.

And here is the text (the words) from the article:

Wear Red for Adult Ed

There were many people wearing red shirts at the winter conference

of the California Council for Adult Education (CCAE) Bay Section held at
the Berkeley Adult School. The message on the shirts was “Adult Education Matters."

The image on the shirt was of a fist holding a pencil.  "Adult Education Matters" is a

state-wide grassroots political advocacy campaign.  It is to build awareness of adult

education, said David Doneff of San Mateo Adult School who was selling the shirts

at the conference.  Teacher Cynthia Eagleton said that while it was started by the

teachers’ union, the campaign at San Mateo Adult School is now in the capable

hands of students. Students and teachers have visited Sacramento to talk to legislators and have invited legislators to visit the school. Similar efforts are being made around the state.  Maricruz Leyva, evening student council president (picture below left, in the center), and members of the San Mateo Adult School student council have been selling the shirts at school. They wear the shirts every Tuesday saying “wear red for adult ed.”

 The goal, Maricruz says, is to make the community aware of how important it is for adults to have the opportunity to get a better life through education. “I ask my classmates to wear the shirt at their work, the gym, doing errands, etc.   Why? To get the attention of others, and get more support. If we don’t tell them why, the ones with the power will never hear our demands."

Why is Adult Education important? Maricruz shares her story: “I came to the USA 23 years ago. My brother sent me to San Mateo Adult School less than a week after my arrival. He said to me, ‘The sooner you learn English, the better you will do in this country,’ and he was right! I studied English for six months, but then I started to work and had to quit school. Now, I am a single mother with a 19-year-old daughter. She is in her second year of college. Adult Education is important to me and other people in my situation. Thanks to San Mateo Adult School, I could raise my daughter, help with homework, and talk to her teachers, friends and their parents.”

“I can tell you too that for my child it was good that I can speak English. I have seen kids feel ashamed when their friends ask them why their parents need their help to talk to their teacher, principal or at the stores... What a better way than to show them that it is never too late to learn any age."

 

Maricruz is now getting her high school diploma, to finish what she left 23 years ago. “It is never too late to learn and I hope this will help my daughter to never give up, " she said.

 

Funding for Adult Schools

Funding for adult education in California has been an issue for a long time. While recent progress has been made, adult education leaders have said that continued political advocacy is still critical. For more information, see adulteducationmatters.blogspot.com or www.a4cas.org (the website for the Alliance for California Adult Schools).

(Editor’s Note: Similar efforts to increase funding for adult education are happening in several other states and work is also being done to advocate at the federal level.)

 

 

VOCABULARY HELP*

 

ashamed - feeling guilt
 

capable - having the ability or power to do something, competence

demands - commands, what is wanted

fist - the closed hand

grassroots - located with ordinary people, not with the leaders or those in power
  

 

Essay Writer Ismael Gonzalez: This Is My Story

We celebrated Adult Ed Week 2015 in many ways.  Many ESL students wrote essays for an essay contest.  The topic of the contest was "I am an Adult School Student and This is My Story."  The essays were wonderful.

Here, with author Ismael's permission, is one of them:

This Is My Story

I am a student at San Mateo Adult School and this is my story.

My name is Ismael Gonzalez and I am from Mexico.  I cam to the this country on March 17, 200 to seek a better life.  I was eighteen years old.  I got a job at "Restaurant Depot."  My employer spoke Spanish, so I didn't need English.  In 2008, the company moved.  I got a new job at a laundry company.  The manager hired a teacher for employees to learn English one hour a day.

Now I am married and have two children:  one in kindergarten, and one in Pre-School.  I need to learn English to help my children and to participate in Parent Meetings at school.  That is why in 2014, I registered at San Mateo Adult School.  I like the school because the teachers are good and I am learning a lot.  I want to continue to study English to speak, read, and write very well.

Thank you, Ismael, for sharing your inspiring story.

Essay Contest Writer: My Wonderful Story

We celebrated Adult Ed Week 2015 in many ways.  Many ESL students wrote essays for an essay contest.  The topic of the contest was "I am an Adult School Student and This is My Story."  The essays were wonderful.  

Here, with the permission of the author (who wishes to remain anonymous), is one of them:

MY WONDERFUL STORY

            I’m a student at San Mateo Adult School, and this is my wonderful story. I have been living here for almost 8 years. I was a student at San Mateo Adult School 8 years ago and for two wonderful reasons in my life I stopped studying here after 1 year. I became a mother twice, and I raised my kids.

Last year I decided not to give up and made an effort to come to school as often as possible. Even though it is very hard, it is not impossible if I want to get one of my goals, to speak English fluently with my daughters and my friends. Another goal is to be my children’s model as a student and mother. My older daughter always encourages me to keep studying. She feels proud of me when I can communicate with her friends and her teacher. Another reason is I have to attend my two daughters’ conferences twice a year. It is not easy but I don’t use a translator.  It is a challenge for me to do it by myself in these meetings. The teachers and I talk about many things such as, my daughters’ achievements in all subjects and they provide me with different alternatives on how I can help them at home.

  In my opinion, San Mateo Adult School is very significant for our community, especially for people who come to this country for the first time and this is a huge opportunity that they should take advantage of. They can get a lot of benefits from the variety of programs that San Mateo Adult School provides. For example, I’m attending grammar, computer, and writing classes. And also, I can manage my time because this school offers different schedules for the students. And another reason is, you can meet people from different countries and learn about their culture and traditions. Everybody should be aware of how beneficial it is to keep this place open, so we have to keep demonstrating our support for San Mateo Adult School. I’m thankful for this wonderful school, especially for all the teachers for sharing with us their knowledge and experience.  They play a special role in our lives.  They always help students in many different ways, not only with the language, but also supports us emotionally or with personal problems.  They always give us good advice.   In others words my teachers are great and unique because they make me feel confident and happier, they are a special part of my life.  My family and I would like to extend our grateful thanks to San Mateo Adult School and all the staff.

High Quality Education within the Adult School System

Poling Tang is a student in the Writing Intensive class taught by Mary Peros.  The Writing Intensive class helps ESL students develop writing skills for college, career, and civic life.

Poling wrote the following essay as extra homework during Spring Break, "to express my gratitude to the adult school education system which plays an important role in my journey of life."

Thank you, Poling, for writing this remarkable essay and for sharing it with the larger community.  And thank you, Teacher Mary, for helping your students to achieve so much as writers.

High Quality Education within the Adult School System

John Adams, the Second U.S. President said: “There are two educations.  One should teach us how to make a living and the other how to live.”⁽¹⁾  Furthermore, John Jay, the First U.S. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court said that “I consider knowledge to be the soul of a republic...Education is the way to do this, and nothing should be left undone to afford all ranks of people of the means of obtaining a proper degree of it at a cheap and easy rate.”⁽¹⁾ The high quality education within the state adult school system follows the principles set by our forefathers by “directing resources to serving those traditionally underserved; especially those disadvantaged economically or academically.” (SMAS commitment)⁽²⁾   The following are two SMAS students who achieve success plus my personal experience, showing how the adult school education programs transform students from harsh conditions to better lives, a brighter future and being productive citizens.

As compared with academic college education, the high quality education within the adult school system does not have to cost a lot.  However, the school must be accessible to the public with available transportation, be aware of what the community needs and having an enjoyable and friendly platform for learning.  As the students are from all walks-of-life and from different cultural, they need flexible education programs, familiar neighborhoods and available public transportation.  Leticia Navarro⁽³⁾, a successful student from SMAS, said that the adult school provides a “comfortable atmosphere where the students can be free to use the language they have to communicate.”  Besides learning from classes, she also explored a new culture by a school field trip.  As a result, the trip taught her “so independent” that later on she took public transportation by herself.  She started from a “small step” in a comfortable zone-ESL classroom which progressively directed her to a “big step” of helping other children to acquire English at Fiesta Gardens School.  She concluded that Adult School is where “she gained a foundation in a new language and new culture and at the same time learned about how education could happen in a new way.”

Another advantage of adult school is the low cost or no cost funded programs available to the public in training English, job skills, and adult basic education.  Mr. Larry Teshara⁽⁴⁾, the Director of SMAS commented about the “Governor’s funding proposal” should not overlook the adult school students who “are the parents, guardians, family and neighbors of those same school children…setting a great example in their own homes by attending school.”  Alvaro Pirir⁽³⁾ another successful student, tells us how the low cost adult school programs help him to pursue his nursing career.  He “worked two jobs until he was 18, and then entered the adult school ESL program.”  Since then, he worked through Adult Learning Center for high school basic skills. Finally he “had attended a GED and had the confidence to enter the College of San Mateo.”  He continues to work and study with the goals of becoming a registered nurse, and then a physician “if he can save enough money” by that time.  He is living proof that affordable adult school programs play a significant role for those who strive for a better future and becoming responsible citizens.

The third advantage is the various and flexible education programs which meet what a resident needs within his or her community.  For instances, I have gone through different stages of my learning path through adult school programs for over 20 years.  When I was a new immigrant, I needed job skills (especially computer acknowledge) and assistance in job searching.  At the same time, I wanted to adjust myself in a new culture within a friendly environment.  After my job was secured, I required classes for self-improvement, for preparing citizenship and for hobby or interests.  In between layoffs, I attended classes for updating my work skills, for polishing my resume, interview…etc.  Just three years ago, I gained knowledge from Home Aide Care program for my sick family member at home.  Nevertheless, currently I am an adult school student again and a volunteer in serving our community.  The flexible and various adult education programs positively “teach us(me) how to make a living and the other how to live.”⁽¹⁾   I am always thankful for these “two educations”, offering support and knowledge to meet my needs in different stage of my adult life. 

In summary, two hundred years ago, our forefathers already valued the importance of education for “all ranks of people,” and “at a cheap and easy rate.”  From the above three successful stories, without a doubt the high quality education within the adult school system fulfills the opportunities for “all ranks of people” to excel and grow with affordable tuition fees, location accessibility, flexible class schedules and a pleasant learning environment.  As a reminder with reference to SMAS’s commitment, no one should be left behind due to economic or academic disadvantages.  The education programs are here for us to explore, enrich our lives and others no matter what stages of our life journeys are!  Thank you for making our nation and our education so great!

Notes:

(1)[http://www.rasmussen.edu/student-life/blogs/main/Educational-Quotes-from-Our-Founding-Fathers/ dated 3/28/2015]

(2)[http://www.smace.org/general-information/, dated 3/29/2015]

(3) [http://www.smace.org/students/success_stories/, dated 3/31/2015]

(4) [http://adulteducationmatters.blogspot.com/2013/03/perspective-larry-teshara-smas-director.htm, dated 4/1/2015]

Essay Contest Writer: What Adult School Means To Me

We celebrated Adult Ed Week 2015 in many ways.  Many ESL students wrote essays for an essay contest.  The topic of the contest was "I am an Adult School Student and This is My Story."  The essays were wonderful.  

Here, with the permission of the author (who prefers to remain anonymous), is one of them:

What Adult School Means To Me

    I came to the United States because of my husband’s decision.  It took me one year to decide to move to the U.S. because I didn’t want to lose my stable life in my country, including my job.  When I came to the U.S., I could speak only a few English sentences, even though I had learned English grammar for several years in my country.  I was disappointed with myself because I couldn’t ask a teacher if my son had problems, and I couldn’t make small talk if a cashier started to talk to me.  My early life in the U.S. made me feel miserable and worthless.  I refused to go outside, and I despised myself because I couldn’t integrate in my new life.  When I lost self-confidence in living in the U.S., I found out about adult education in a brochure.  I decided to learn practical English at San Mateo Adult School.

    First of all, the office staff is very tolerant.  When I registered at the office, they waited patiently until I finished talking, and then they explained school systems to me with a smile and respect.  I felt it was the first time that people speaking English treated me equally.  And also, teachers in this school are very dedicated, and they are trying to give us the most valuable classwork each semester.  Now I’m taking grammar, writing, and distance learning classes.  In grammar class, my teacher teaches us, not only grammar, but also news topics, American culture, American history, and so on.  In my writing class, my teacher goes over my writing with me, so I can learn natural English by rewriting many times.  And she also teaches us how to write paragraphs with topic, supporting, and concluding sentences.  Even though my vocabulary is quite small, I really feel I’m improving in my other English skills.

    Second, I have a chance to make friends here.  There are many students from a variety of countries in a wide age range, and they are studying hard with the same aim, improving in English skills or acquiring new skills.  Until I came to school, my world in the U.S. was very small, and no one tried to talk to me because of my lack of conversational skill.  But every student in this school tries to communicate with each other, so I made friends with students from different cultures and languages throughout the world.  At this school, we have a fun event, International Day.  On that day, students prepare and bring food from their countries and perform traditional dances or songs.  This event is so exciting for me because I’m able to have an experience of different cultures in one day without traveling to many countries.  And relating to new students through this event provides me with an opportunity to find out something new about living in the U.S.

    In addition, I have a chance to acquire new skills at this school.  After I feel comfortable with my English, I can move forward by taking classes from different fields to become more independent in living in the U.S.  I’m planning to take “volunteer opportunities class”, “find a job class”, or even fun classes, such as fitness, arts, etc.

    Finally, I’m really lucky to have adult school still open in this area, and it gives me

a chance to learn many things.  So I want to tell newcomers to the U.S. that they

should take advantage of this opportunity as I have.  And the most important thing is

that each of us should think about how we can support adult

education in our community for people who have various needs.