by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
Some adults are “handicapped” not because of physical reasons but because they lack the basic skills needed to succeed in most jobs except for the most menial kinds.
Those skills include at least rudimentary skills in reading, writing, math or computer knowledge. Other adults lack a diploma and never managed to obtain a General Education Diploma.
But such people shouldn’t despair. Help is definitely available. In Sartell, a new program, Adult Basic Education, is about to start. The first two-hour session will take place from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27 at the School District Office Building. The help sessions will continue, also from 6-8 p.m., every Tuesday after the program’s debut. Karla Rick, a teacher from Cathedral High School, will teach the skills.
Adult Basic Education is open to anyone 17 years old or older who wants to brush up on skills so valuable to the workplace and to daily life in general. Many jobs, for example, now require workers to know rudimentary computer-usage skills. The ABE program will help them develop that kind of computer savvy.
There is a fee of $20 to participate in the ABE program, but all other materials and resources are provided free of charge. To sign up, call Sartell Community Education at 320-253-4036, ext. 1184, and ask for Kris O’Brien, who is the director of Sartell-St. Stephen Community Education.
People who register can come in at their convenience any time during the two-hour Tuesday evening sessions. In addition, if they must bring children, who would otherwise have to stay home, there will be childcare options at the District Office Building where the program takes place because Tuesday nights just happen to be the times Early Childhood Family Education programs (with daycare) take place in the same building.
Sartell has not had an Adult Basic Education program for many years, O’Brien noted, probably because nobody saw a need for one years ago, she added.
This brand new program is being implemented with help from the Central Minnesota Adult Basic Education Program, which has partnerships with 27 school districts in the area, including the St. Cloud School District, which is helping Sartell set up its brand new pilot program.
There are ABE sites throughout the area where adults gather to learn and brush up on skills – sites in cities, in schools and at organizations. Those helping the students include licensed teachers, paraprofessionals, social workers, support staff volunteer workers and others. The learning is tailored to the needs of each learner with lots of flexibility.
“We hope to get eight to 10 adults in Sartell-St. Stephen’s new ABE program,” O’Brien said. “St. Cloud (Community Education ABE) is helping us build it. We hope we can continue offering to more and more adults who need it in the coming years.”
O’Brien noted at this point, anyway, the Sartell site does not have English as a Second Language class available, though it hopes to in the future. Nevertheless, people who need that course can be put in touch with places that do offer such help.
At Sartell, the pilot program will offer the following options (more may be added if the program grows and develops further):
GED prep
Adults can learn how to prepare for taking a General Education Diploma, also known as a GED. Preparation includes learning test-taking skills, ways to improve basic reading, writing and math skills.
Computer skills
Adults can learn basic computer skills, such as how to use the Internet, email, word-processing programs and various computer-software programs such as Windows or Mac OS. A certificate will be issued that can be shown to employers at job interviews.
Skills enhancement
This option is for those who want to improve reading, writing, math, spelling and other basics of literacy. People can learn everything from how to balance a checkbook to how to use a computer.
Family literacy
Some adults might want to improve their parenting skills or learn new ones. Parents and children can “go to school” together and do fun activities together, and parenting topics can be discussed with an educator to ensure children enter school primed for success.
Careers, jobs
Career exploration and job-interviewing skills are also covered, along with topics dubbed “Workplace Literacy,” all ways in which adults can increase their chances for getting and keeping good, decent-paying jobs.
