Masters in Adult Education

Advanced Certificate in Training of Trainers

Vol. 2, No. 3, December, 1998                                                                                   Roger Hiemstra, Editor

Holiday Greetings!!

 On behalf of the entire Elmira College faculty and staff associated with Adult Education and the Training of Trainers, I wish you a very happy holiday season and a wonderful 1999. May your every dream for the year come true.

I'm being bold with New Years resolutions: let's all try to become more "fit" during 1999 (I should probably label this holiday greeting an editorial, so that's why its in italics).

1. Physically fit (this probably speaks for itself, but it is always worth mentioning)

2. Mentally fit (reading, studying, writing, and lifelong learning--spoken like a true professor!)

3. Spiritually (in whatever way that makes sense to you)

4. Financially (graduate courses help in this regard, but see a book review for a suggestion). 

Finally, above all let's find a way to slow down more often and smell the roses. Being too busy has become an epidemic. Can we overcome it?                   Rog

The great mind knows the power of gentleness.

Robert Browning

The Rainbow comes and goes,

And lovely is the Rose.

William Wordsworth

Applause, Applause 

Elmira College is recognized on "America's Best College" list. We can be proud to be associated with Elmira College. For the 5^th year in a row, the U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Colleges guide lists Elmira College at the top of its exclusive rankings. Several other sources also rank the college as a top higher education institution. It feels good!

AERC 2000 

The Adult Education Research Conference for the spring of 2000 in Vancouver already is being planned. Consider attending and even presenting a paper. Check out their web site for information and mark it for future reference. (www.educ.ubc.ca/edst/aerc/)

Syracuse Library

As you may know, we have an arrangement for students attending courses in Liverpool to use the Syracuse University library in addition to all our other library resources and materials. The SU library not only has a fine Adult Education collection, they also maintain the largest English Language historical archive related to Adult Education. Check with Roger for more information.

Congratulations! 

Congratulations to Peggy Arnesen. She was recently appointed as the new Alumni Relations Director at Elmira College. Peggy earned her Bachelors Degree from Elmira College in 1963 and a dual Masters in General Education and Adult Education in 1998. We are very proud of you, Peggy!

Galaxy II 

In the fall, 1969, the first Galaxy conference on adult education was held in Washington, DC. On that historic occasion several professional adult education associations and hundreds of adult educators gathered to help set a future agenda for the field. On October 12-17, 1999, the 48^th Adult Education Conference brings together many adult and continuing education leaders for the 30^th anniversary of the original Galaxy conference. This assembly in historic San Antonio, Texas, of educators and policymakers will discuss issues and priorities facing us as we enter the 21^st Century. Plan now to be part of this important step in the field's evolving history. See the calendar of upcoming events for more information.

Doctoral Studies 

If you are looking for a good doctoral degree program, we have established the beginning of an articulation agreement with Penn State. This will be an excellent opportunity and they are accepting applications now for both the degree and graduate assistantships. Contact Roger for applications, more information, etc.

Musings 

As some of you know the past year has been sad in terms of outstanding adult educators we have lost. Malcolm Knowles, Paulo Freire, and Cyril Houle are among those international leaders most of you have learned from in some way because of their various publications. Perhaps lesser known was William Lagner, who before his death was the country's leading authority on working with disabled adults. Disabled himself, Bill was usually present at national adult education conferences struggling along in his wheel chair but being an advocate for disabled adults until the end. He spoke in Syracuse on a couple of occasions in the 80's. He had a masters in adult education from Virginia Commonwealth and was employed many years in the Dept. of Education, Washington, DC. 

Many unsung heroes also pass our way touching lives but who may not be known as well nationally or internationally. Such was my friend John Wilson. I hired him on the Adult Education faculty at Iowa State University in 1977 and had the incredibly good fortune to work with him for three years. He didn't publish a lot, but it was always "good" stuff. He was a leader in state and regional associations and kept adult education alive at Iowa State even when they were facing tough financial times. Above all, John was one of the best teachers I ever met. John died of arteriovenous malformation this past April at age 59. We were born within days of each other and his death more than any other I've experienced in the past several months made me reflect on the meaning of life. I paid tribute to John at the recent AAACE conference and am including a memorial statement I read that was written by one of John's adult education students:

• Sometimes in life there is a teacher who touches you deeply, who makes you think twice, who believes in YOU for who you really ARE. Who doesn't care what you do or where you came from or even whether you agree with his ideas. He doesn't push you to think as he does, and sometimes he doesn't even tell you what he thinks but leaves you guessing!

• And if you pay attention, you begin to realize his teaching is through his every action, every gesture, every word, and every way of being in this world. Unlike other teachers who think that you want to know about the world in the way that he does, he understands that you really want to grow and become more of who YOU are.

• He understands that teaching is not telling and professing is what preachers do. He understands that teaching is allowing--allowing you the space to become, allowing you the space to develop, and allowing you to express your own ways of thinking.

• These are the Inspired Teachers. They understand that your experiences, and your life, and who you are can show you the way, and all they have to do is allow you the space to find the answers. John was the most Inspired Teacher whom I ever was graced with the gift of being his student. John was a teacher who touched my soul in ways that only Inspired Teachers can. Today he left this world, but I know that his spirit lives on. Because his teaching was beyond what he taught. He touched people in deeper ways. He envisioned the world of education, as something deeper than schools, because he didn't just love what he did, he loved the people he taught, and believed in them, too.

• Robin Martin, April 1, 1998

Book Reviews

My holiday gift for you is four book reviews in case you want something for your wish list. 

1. A friend of mine honored me with a gift of this first book. I just recently finished it and it had a profound effect as I "muse" about death and dying, cope with my Dad's rapidly declining health, think about adult education colleagues who have gone, and consider my own mortality. It also meant so much because of its message about what it means to be a good teacher. I think Morrie would have loved the statement Robin Martin wrote about John Wilson. 

Albom, M. (1997). Tuesdays with Morrie: An old Man, a young man, and the last great lesson. New York: Doubleday, 192 pgs. This true story about the love between a spiritual mentor and his pupil has soared to the bestseller list for many reasons. For starters it reminds us of the affection and gratitude that many of us still feel for the significant mentors of our past. It also plays out a fantasy many of us have entertained: What would it be like to look those people up again, tell them how much they meant to us, maybe even resume the mentorship? Plus, we meet Morrie Schwartz--a one of a kind professor, whom the author describes as looking like a cross between a biblical prophet and Christmas elf. And finally we are privy to intimate moments of Morrie's final days as he lies dying from a terminal illness. Even on his deathbed, this twinkling-eyed mensch manages to teach us all about living robustly and fully. Kudos to author and acclaimed sports columnist Mitch Albom for telling this universally touching story with such grace and humility. Gail Hudson, www.amazon.com

2. I mentioned earlier I believe financial fitness is an area we all must achieve; yet, it is often an area either left to others, put aside, or done haphazardly. I had the opportunity to hear author Robert Kiyosaki speak about financial fitness this past summer and it was clearly one of those "teachable moments" that comes along. I recommend him highly. I now understand how and why I need to change the things I do to make money, invest money, and save money. I have learned brand new information about how to think about assets and liabilities. I wish I had read this book 25 years ago, but it is never too late to affect your financial future. The authors also recommend other sources to enhance your knowledge.

Kiyosaki, R. T., & Lechter, S. L. (1997). Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Paradise Valley, AZ: Techpress, 184 pgs.

3. Bristol, C. M. (1985). The magic of believing: The science of setting your goal and then reaching it. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall and New York: Fireside Books, 172 pgs. I should have discovered this book a long time ago, but am glad I did now. This is a tremendous little book that talks about the power of letting goals get into your mind and your beliefs and how that enhances your ability to achieve what you want. Good for organizational, educational, and personal goals.

4. Straka, G. A. (Ed.). (1997). European Views of Self-Directed Learning: Historical, Conceptual, Empirical, Practical, Vocational. Munster, NY: Munchen and Berlin: Waxmann, 154 Pages. I think most of you know about my interest in Self-Directed Learning. Here is one that expanded my horizons. Self-Directed Learning, for some time a major interest area in North America, has begun to resonate to varying degrees on the European continent. This book formulates a beginning to what Straka hopes will stimulate European discussions and research on the topic. It contains an introduction and nine chapters by leading educators, representing nine European countries: Switzerland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Italy, Greece, and Germany. With the exception of Switzerland, all belong to the European Union, a coalition combining resources for the benefit of economic competition and European defense. Fiercely proud of their different roots, coalition countries doggedly guard their uniqueness and zealously retain their autonomy in all possible matters, including education. However, they all see self-directed learning in the future of education and recognize a need to share ideas and experiences. It has several writing and stylistic limitations that will irritate some North American readers, perhaps because English was not the first language of most authors, but it is worth reading to obtain a broader understanding of the topic.

Peggy Arnesen and Roger Hiemstra

Calendar of Upcoming Events 

• February 1-3, 1999, Training Magazine's 22^nd Annual "Training Conference & Expo," with pre- and post-conference workshops available, Lakeside Center at McCormick Place, Chicago. Elizabeth Dole and John Cleese are among the speakers. For more information visit their web site at www.lakewoodconferences.com or phone them 1-888-200-5078 (the fax is 1-800-654-8873).

• February 25-28, 1999, 13^th Annual Inter-national Self-Directed Learning Symposium, Holiday Inn Old Town, Scottsdale, Arizona. For symposium details, visit http://sdlglobal.com/.

• May 21-23, 1999, Adult Education Re-search Conference, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL. For more information contact Dr. Amy Rose (815-753-9373; arose@niu.edu) an electronic message.

• October 12-17, 1999, 48^th Annual Adult Education Conference, Galaxy II and Leadership Summit, San Antonio, Texas. Paper proposals are invited until February 1, 1999. For questions AAACE at 202-429-5131.

• November 6-9, 1999, 61^st Annual Meeting of the Association for Continuing Higher Education, Cincinnati, Ohio. Paper proposals are invited until January 15, 1999. See their web site for details www.uc.edu/cece/ACHE99.htm.

• June 1-4, 2000, AERC 2000, Adult Education Research Conference, Univ. of British Columbia. Contact Tom Sork tom.sork @ubc.for information on a call for papers or visit their website: www.educ.ubc.ca/edst/aerc/.

[Note: Send Roger professional conference notices that you receive so they can be included next time.]

Our Hectic Lives! 

At the December 9 CNY/CACE meeting, Dr. Tom Phelan (he has guest lectured in Liverpool classes and was one of the U.S. representatives to the V CONFINTEA UNESCO Conference on Adult Education in 1997) was expressing his concern with what I and perhaps you have been experiencing, that our jobs and other forces in our life keep us incredibly busy. It seems like there is no time to do anything anymore except the basics. What happened to smelling the roses?

He had a great idea I'd like to share. His notion is to find ways of building our interests right into our jobs in various ways so we can become re-excited about what we do. For example, Tom is a great singer (he used to sing professional with a Rock group) and when he discovered his organization was sponsoring some activity at a local minor league baseball game, he volunteered to sing the National Anthem. It rejuvenated him and he has since helped other work colleagues do similar things built around personal interests or past strengths. Getting that excitement or passion back regarding what we do can help us overcome some of the craziness of our lives.

Rog 

Happiness is a by-product of a thoughtful, disciplined life. Aim at fulfilling whatever talents you have inherited and develop yourself to your fullest potential.

Alexandra Stoddard

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AED REPORT is a newsletter for students and faculty involved in the Elmira College Graduate Program of Adult Education. The Editor is Roger Hiemstra. Please send any correspondence to him at 318 Southfield Dr., Fayetteville, NY 13066. His phone is (315) 637-0029; fax is (315) 637-0029. Email is rhiemstra@elmira.edu. Web Page is / Your Elmira College contacts are Dr. Ronald Sundberg, Dean, Associate Dean Judith Clack, Graduate Advisor Joan Swanson. Their phone is (607) 735-1825; fax (607) 735-1759; email continuinged@elmira.edu; address is Office of Continuing Education, Elmira College, One Park Place, Elmira, NY 14901. This newsletter is YOUR vehicle for networking, news, tips, and information. Its value is enhanced by your active support and involvement in reading it, contributing to it, and critiquing it.

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