BLAST Project, New Mexico

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Blast Project, New Mexico

Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:2049] Blast Project, New Mexico
From:jataylor_at_utk.edu

Hello again, all,
To start off our discussion, I have a couple of questions for Will.

Will, I noticed you mentioned that the VALUE Core Leadership training has a project template for teacher training that was written based upon the BLAST system for students teaching teachers. Before we get into the discussion of the VALUE training next week, would you tell us how the Blast Project evolved? Was the Blast Project always involved with developing and delivering teacher training? Why did Blast became involved with teacher training, and how did that happen?

Thanks so much,
Jackie

Subject:[NIFL-AALPD:2052] Re: Blast Project, New Mexico
From: BlastGrant_at_aol.com

Teacher training evolved as the major focus of BLAST because the ABE field in New Mexico asked for student led PD and because teacher training was a priority for the student leaders.

>From the beginning, the BLAST student leaders' priority has been bridging the gap between students' worlds and ABE. They have worked on both sides of the divide. They help students navigate the ABE system and find their voices so that they can communicate with their teachers and programs. And they have worked to help teachers understand where ABE students are coming from.

The BLAST project began from a wish of the New Mexico Adult Education Association to have students on the state board of directors. But from the first meeting of the BLAST project, we all saw that there was a really powerful role for students to play in teacher training.

The first BLAST meeting happened at the ABE state conference 1996. At the end of the BLAST meeting, the students made a presentation to the educators at the conference.

The topics that the students talked about -- the transformative effect of education on their lives, the complicated dynamics between students and teachers, the role of culture in education for immigrants -- had more depth than anyone expected. Most of all, what came out was how different the students' view of education was from the educators'.

Over the next two years, BLAST got more and more invitations to present at PD conferences. We were also asked to help ABE programs train their own students to make PD presentations.

The consistent feedback from teachers was that they were learning about who their students were from the BLAST team. The teachers were learning about ABE students' perspectives, emotions, mindsets and cultures. The BLAST team were not representing all students -- they were representing themselves -- but they could give teachers important insights into ABE's students. Over the years, the BLAST student leaders have been men and women who are able to articulate the world views of Adult Students.

Gilbert Zamora, is our cofounder. He began as a literacy student and is now our Vice-president. The way he explains it is this: "When that Adult student comes into a classroom, he is walking into the educator's world. When we teach teachers, what we are saying is 'Welcome to our world'"


Will Grant
Director of Education
Voz, inc
(505) 989 1699

Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:2054] Re: Blast Project, New Mexico
From: kraft_at_ypsilibrary.org

My name is Blair Kraft and I'm a Program Coordinator at Washtenaw Literacy. Part of my job is tutor training and as a former learner-student in our program I feel I add insight. We put all our tutors through a fifteen hour training with a lot of time spent on sensitivity. This is the part of the training most of our former teachers tell me is there favorite part. I think the more students work to help educators in the training of teachers the better. I feel the most important thing for the students to remember is the teachers are not the enemy. The best way to learn is to teach and maybe the best way to teach is to learn.

Blair Kraft
Program Coordinator
Washtenaw Literacy
(734)879-1320

Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:2055] Re: Blast Project, New Mexico
From: jataylor_at_utk.edu

Hello Will, All,
Thanks Will, for the background about the Blast project - very interesting! If any of our other guests or list subscribers have experience with adult learner-led PD, I hope you will tell us about it.

Will, is there anything more you might add about what triggered the interest in learner-led teacher professional development? If there are any teachers and adult learner leaders on the list from New Mexico, I hope you will please comment from your experience as well.

Also Will, have you seen an impact from these trainings? Has there been an impact from the student-led PD that resulted in improving things like retention? Teacher satisfaction? Other?

Thanks so much!

Best,

Jackie

Jackie Taylor, NIFL-AALPD List Moderator, jataylor@utk.edu

Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:2058] Re: Blast Project, New Mexico
From: nancygray9_at_msn.com

Hello all,
I'd like to respond to your question, Jackie. At the Teacher Foundations Course here in New Mexico, a two day intensive for new ABE teachers, they always host a theater performance by the BLAST Social Impact Theater.

In the theater the learner-leaders/actors create skits based on the lives of adult learners. These stories range from parents hiding their inability to read from their children, adults returning to school after many years of struggle, domestic violence, alcoholism and the triumphs of reaching their goals. Actors then stay in character and then dialogue with the audience about the skit and the characters.

Teachers often report that the theater performance is the most powerful piece of the training, because it gives teachers an opportunity to more deeply understand who their students are. Teachers experience increased empathy and patience, but they also start to really see their students as adults with adult lives.

The theater wakes people up, teachers and learners both, and now it is an integral part of the training for all new teachers.--Nancy


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