Take Action to Stay in School

TAKE ACTION TO STAY IN SCHOOL

Write to Read Adult Literacy Program

Write to Read, Alameda County Library’s Adult Literacy Program, is proud to announce the publication of several student and staff writings in the September 2007 issue of The Change Agent, a national adult education newspaper for social justice.

The theme of the issue is “Taking Action To Stay in School.” Three student writings have been published, as well as an article and activity by staff instructors and the program’s student advocate. Three long-time students wrote articles entitled, “I Found a Solution,” “Real Life Struggles,” and “Students Helping Students.” Margarita Lopez, a student who joined the program in 2004, writes about a creative solution she found to family pressures. Samuel Perez, who has been with Write to Read since 2005, writes about the personal obstacles he faces to staying in the program and why the small group model of the Write to Read program has helped him persevere with his goal to continue to learn. Bruce Larson, a student of 8 years as well as an active peer tutor in the program, writes about how he has taken on leadership in the program in order to support other students and motivate himself.

Write to Read instructors, Kiran Malavade and Krista Shaffer, wrote the article “Creating a Learning Community,” which discusses the unique learning model of the Write to Read small group adult tutoring program and how it supports students in their efforts to continue learning. The article also includes an activity developed by the program’s student advocate, Darlene Garcia, for her student orientation which helps illustrate the student-centered, participatory philosophy of Write to Read.

The latest edition as well as other issues of The Change Agent can be found online at www.nelrc.org/changeagent/