OurMission:

To enhance the quality of Basic Skills Instruction

througheffective

professional development.

ABSPD ConnectionThe

Project UpdateWith the holiday season behind us and the beginning of a new year, it is time to take a brief look back and then focus on the future.

In the fall, the Project completed the series of GED Mathematics Train-the-Trainer Workshops. These workshops were based on the findings of the research conducted by GEDTS and MPR Associates, Inc. This training was designed to provide GED teachers/trainers with the information they need to recognize those areas of mathematics with which students are having the most difficulty and how to adapt their instructional practices to help students perform better on the GED mathematics test. Participants received a training manual, CD-Rom, and tool kits. We are now editing lesson plans submitted by participants and planning follow-up sessions for March, 2007.

The Project also completed the first in a series of “Becoming Mathematically Literate” workshops. These fall workshops focused on number sense and geometry. To continue the “Becoming Mathematically Literate” theme, five additional spring workshops will focus on algebra and data analysis. These workshops will provide hands-on activities and professional development using research-based methods, strategies, and techniques to enhance instruction. Activities

will be designed for teaching students from basic to adult high school math, while addressing student learning needs. All workshops will be from 8:45 am to 1:15 pm. Registrations will be accepted until March 1, 2007 or until seats are filled. Email Jackie McInturff at mcintrffjm@appstate.edu to register. If you have not registered, please register soon. I look forward to seeing you at one of the following locations:

March 10, Lenoir CC, Bullock, Rm 150 March 13, Wilson TCC, E Building, Rm E102 March 14, Sandhills CC, Van Dusen, Rm 103 March 16, Davidson CC, Mendenhall, Rm 116 March 20, McDowell Tech CC, TBA

At present, the Project is immersed in writing a new math training manual and producing an interactive math CD-Rom.

Winter, 2007

Dianne

The ABSPD Connection page 2

Ross and Jenny are a retired couple teaching part-time in Adult Basic Skills at Vance-Granville Community College. Ross teaches GED to inmates in the prison sys-tem. Before that he taught at the high school level and was in the military. Jenny has been teaching Adult High School in a pilot program for prison inmates. In our years of doing this newsletter, we have been delighted to find that adult educa-tors often come from diverse backgrounds. Ross and Jenny came from California, where Ross was a Navy Seal, and Jenny was a Navy photojournalist. They met, fell in love, and married. When Ross retired, they moved back to Jenny’s home state of North Caro-lina, where Ross got a BA at NC State. From there they went into high school teaching. Ross was a teacher and var-sity coach in soccer, but he soon found he wanted another challenge. “The tempera-ment for me inside the classroom was a little too juvenile after being in the military for a quarter century and I needed an adult set-ting.” Jenny had a friend that suggested adult education, and soon they were both involved in adult basic education. In 2004, the Huddlestons attended their first ABSPD Institute; their supervisors were sold on the Institute, having been there them-selves, and suggested they go. The Huddle-stons felt privileged to have been chosen to come to Institute, even though they were part-time instructors. After attending the 2005 Institute, Ross says that his supervisor asked him if they had received the “bang for the buck” that Institute provides. Ross says that after the Math and Reading Institutes he learned things he did not know, and had been able to apply them immediately when he came back, “I think the community colleges got their money’s worth.” Jenny says, “I’ve tried to take something from each Institute; trying to bring different methods and strategies into the classroom, and even though it can be difficult bringing them from the instruction to the classroom

and it takes a little more thinking and plan-ning, it is worth it.” Ross says the Realia part of instruction, especially in the Math Institute, helped him to connect his students to the real world, and this stands out as a memorable experience to him. Jenny adds that in the prison environ-ment they are limited in what they can do, but the Word Web and the lesson plans have expanded vocabulary, and learning different songs has helped her students learn adjec-tives and prepositions. Doing Mental Pictures has also helped her students learn what words mean. Institute 2006 was Ross and Jenny’s third Institute, and they are now Certified Re-source Specialists. They have imparted what they’ve learned, and the teachers they’ve worked with are excited, so they have rec-ommended the ABSPD Institute to them. Ross says, “It’s something you can use, just as a carpenter has something in the bag to use.” Jenny says that coming in as part-time instructors they originally didn’t have a lot of classroom instruction and that she has grown with the program. With just a BA in liberal arts, this has really given her a solid foundation in all of the many areas that are taught in education. “This really opened our eyes to a lot of the strategies, methods and plans that are just normal for other instruc-tors. It really helped fill the gap between being a new instructor . . . and knowing how to do it better.” The Huddlestons are a delight to know and we hope they, and others who are CRS’, will continue to attend Institute as we contin-ue our goal of training trainers. And we look forward to more musical performances!

Ross & Jenny singing at Institute 2006.

Instructor Spotlight:Ross and JennyHuddleston

“It’s something you can use, just as a carpenter

has something in the bag to use.”

On Institute:

In December Dianne, Ryan and I visited Sandhills Community College’s Westmore Campus for a couple of days of videotaping for our latest CD-Rom. Becky Sanders and her assistant Don Harris were very accommodating and helpful. The students were excited and very eager to help out.

This year’s CD will have more lesson demonstrations, so we videotaped “mini-lessons,” for the camera. This meant starting and stopping, getting the right lighting and camera angles, etc. while the teachers gave actual lessons on things such as making a math monster and how to use measurements in cooking.

The students found the production process and the mini-lessons fascinating and fun, as well as learned a little bit.

We thank the students and instructors who graciously invited us to share in their teaching and learning.

A Note From OurMedia Designer…

David

The ABSPD Connection page 3

I left the ABSPD project to pursue a job in the private security community with the Ginn Company, in December, 2006. This does not mean however, that I will be out of touch; I would still love to hear from any and all of you (ncbig-dog21@hotmail.com). I want to thank everyone for welcoming me into the Adult Basic Skills community with open arms. I have learned a lot of valuable lessons over the past 3 years, and I have met some really awesome people. I wish all of you the best of luck in the future. Continue to do what you are do-ing, because even though at times it may not feel like you are getting through to your students, you are making a huge difference in their lives.

David Thompson Multimedia Designer

A Goodbye from Nathan . . .

Tameka Morrison and Brenda Richardson measure arm span while Lawrence Frye and Christie Brown record heart rates at Sandhills’ Westmore Campus.

The ABSPD Connection page 4

Appalachian State Uni-versity is committed to equality of educa-tional opportunity and does not discriminate against applicants, students or employees on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability or sexual ori-entation. Appalachian also actively promotes diversity among stu-dents and employees.

We’re on the web

See us at......

www.abspd.appstate.edu

David ThompsonMultimedia Designerthompsndp@appstate.edu

Jackie McInturffAdministrative Asst.

mcintrffjm@appstate.edu

Dianne B. BarberDirector

barberdb@appstate.edu

Scholarship opportunity for Institute 2007

This year we are offering one scholarship to a new participant from each region and one scholarship to a new participant from a community-based organization for a total of 6 scholarships. Each scholarship will cover the meal plan, housing, copy card and parking fees. The recipient will be required to pay the registration fee(s) including the ASU processing fee if enrolling at ASU for academic credit for the first time.

Eligibility Requirements: 1. North Carolina resident 2. Part-time (less than 30 hours per week) instructor or assistant instructor in a NC basic skills program or community-based organization 3. A minimum of two years experience working in basic skills 4. Not a previous Institute participant 5. Interest in professional development, training and leadership

For additional information and to download the scholarship application in PDF format, go to www.abspd.appstate.edu/scholarshipapp.pdf

Complete applications must be in our office by March 16, 2007. Scholarship recipi-ents will be notified by April 1, 2007 and required to submit their payment (regis-tration and processing fee) by April 15, 2007. A waiting list will be maintained in the event a recipient refuses the scholarship.

ASU Box 32047Boone, NC 28608

Ph: (828)262-2269

Fax: (828)262-6086

Thursday night fun during Institute 2006.