Mastery-Oriented Approach vs. Learned Helplessness
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Many people have heard of learned helplessness. Perhaps someone that you know comes to mind already. Learned helplessness is when a person attributes negative outcomes to their own low ability or to bad luck, but when something good happens, they don't give themselves credit; they blame luck again or some other factor outside of their control. They view themselves as helpless and their own actions are not what matters.
But this is not the only way to live. The opposite of learned helplessness is called a mastery-oriented approach or mastery-oriented attribution. People with this outlook view their own agency and abilities as the main determiner of their outcomes. If something bad happens, perhaps it was bad luck or perhaps there is something they can improve upon next time. If something good happens, they know that their good decisions or abilities brought it to be.
Significant to an adult education instructor is that a person with a mastery-oriented approach would feel that they can learn and improve themselves, thereby improving their outcomes. A person with learned helplessness would not.
Here are some wa
ys that we can foster a mastery-oriented mindset in our students:
- Select tasks that are meaningful and appropriate (don’t overwhelm).
- Communicate warmth and confidence in the student's abilities and the importance of effort in success.
- Model high effort in overcoming failures.
- Make evaluations private (avoid publicizing).
- Emphasize individual progress and self-improvement.
- Accommodate individual and cultural differences in learning styles.
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Teaching Tips and Resources
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Seven Ways to Spark Engagement
A
recent article
from Edutopia describes student engagement we
ll: "Student engagement is the Mega Millions of education: When you hear about it, it seems so easy to win—and then you read about the odds." It goes on to give seven strategies for increasing student engagement in the classroom. As usual, this article is written for K-12 teachers but applies very much to our adult education learners. Tip #6 ("Give students a WIIFM") is something that you probably encounter every day.
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ISTE Standards podcast
There is a new podcast from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). It is called
Upskill with EdTech
. In a recent episode, guest
Glenda Rose
discussed her work with ISTE standards in professional development with ABE teachers in Texas.
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A Focused Practice for Relationship Building
We all want to improve the relationships that we have with our students. We know that one of the many reasons to do so is to make students more comfortable in class so that they perform better academically, thus reaching their goals. A recent Edutopia article titled
A Focused Practice for Relationship Building
lays out a strategy for thoughtfully reflecting on each of your students each week, allowing you to gather your thoughts on what that student needs and what actions are within your power to help them. Also included in this plan is a meaningful and positive interaction with each student.
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Professional Development Opportunities
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Mental Health First Aid course
Mental health first aid can provide help for someone in the midst of a mental health crisis, just like CPR and medical first aid can save a life during a medical emergency. This year, one in five adults will experience a diagnosable mental disorder and with proper training, you can learn to identify, understand, and respond to the signs of mental illness and substance use. WellSpan Philhaven offers a free 8-hour Mental Health First Aid course. If you would like to learn more about the course and obtain contact information, visit the
course website
.
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Webinar:
Developing Apprenticeship Opportunities in Prisons
On Wednesday, April 10, 2019, at 2:00-3:30 p.m., WorkforceGPS will offer a free webinar to explore how you can utilize employers in your community to create apprenticeship programs for prison inmates. An apprenticeship can be a path to success for an individual upon reentry to the community. Discussions will include first-hand lessons learned from existing pre-release apprenticeship programs presented by representatives of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Central Office, Education Branch, and the Office of Apprenticeship at the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
Register online.
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Pre-Conference Sessions at COABE
On Sunday, March 31, pre-conference sessions will be held to begin the 2019 Conference for the Coalition On Adult Basic Education (COABE) in New Orleans, LA. You can make plans to attend these sessions regardless of your attendance at the conference itself. Available in half-day (a.m. or p.m.) or full-day formats, these sessions are meant to provide real and useful best practices and how-to strategies to help you explore a single topic.
Learn more and register online
.
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State and National Adult Education News
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National Literacy Directory
To reach as wide an audience as possible, and to attract the people who need your services to your agency, you should make sure that your agency is listed in the National Literacy Directory at
www.nld.org
. This site is utilized by the website
www.careeronestop.org
to help people find adult education programs.
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PAsmart information
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania initiated PAsmart to increase opportunities for students and workers to prepare for jobs that are in demand now and that will be in demand in the future. These grants are intended to highlight careers that do not necessarily require a four-year college degree. PAsmart is based on four goals.
Read on...
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GED®
Test security flier for educators
GED Testing Service® wants to ensure the quality and value of the GED® credential by protecting against cheating and stealing of intellectual property. To do this, they have created
a new flier
to provides tips and reminders for educators.
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Pennsylvania Association of Career and Technical Administrators Conference review
When preparing adult learners to enter the workforce, or assisting learners to progress through their career pathways, providing opportunities to explore a variety of careers early in the educational process is crucial. Although some adults come to a program with a career goal in mind, many learners know little about possible careers that may match their interests and skills. To learn about the theme of
Pathways to Career Readiness
, in February, Chrissie Klinger, Workforce Development Project staff, attended the Pennsylvania Association of Career and Technical Administrators (PACTA) conference in Hershey, PA.
Read more...
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How to Prepare for a Site Visit
The thought of a funding organization visiting your agency, either before a grant is given or afterwards to check on progress, can be nerve wracking; however with preparation and planning, you can ensure that the objectives of the meeting are met. GetEdFunding.com has shared
a recent blog post
to help you navigate this important but intimidating event.
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College Assistance Migrant Program funding
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Migrant Education has invited institutions of higher education and private nonprofit organizations to apply for new grants under the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP). Projects funded by CAMP provide tutoring, academic assistance, and counseling services, as well as stipends, tuition, and room and board, to first-year undergraduate migrant students and assist those students in obtaining student financial aid for their remaining undergraduate years.
Learn more
about the application process.
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High School Equivalency Program funding
Applications are being accepted for new grants under the High School Equivalency Program (HEP), offered by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Migrant Education. Application is open to institutions of higher education and private nonprofit organizations. Projects funded by HEP recruit migrant students aged 16 and over and provide academic and support services (including counseling, health services, stipends, and placement) to help those students obtain a high school equivalency credential and subsequently to gain employment or admission to a postsecondary institution or training program.
Learn more
about applying for HEP funding.
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The job postings below are for adult basic education programs that are funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and, at least in part, by WIOA Title II funds. They can also be found on the
paadultedresources.org
website. To post a job, please email the job advertisement to
lbailey@tiu11.org
.
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PA Adult Education Resources
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Upcoming State and National Conferences
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- COABE National Conference - March 31-April 3, 2019, New Orleans, La.
- Employment, Training, & Education Conference - May 8-10, 2019, Hershey, Pa.
- GED® Annual Conference - July 24-26, 2019, Chicago, Il.
- Minds That Move Us Adult Career Pathway Festival - August 6-8, 2019, Miami, Fl.
- NCFL Families Learning Conference - November 4-6, 2019, Louisville, Ky.
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State and National Newsletters
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Listed below are state and national organizations' newsletters that may be of interest to you. To receive the most recent editions by email, please subscribe directly to the newsletter.
OCTAE Connection, US Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical, & Adult Education.
Features news and resources for adult basic, career, and technical education
World Education/U.S.
Features resources and information from World Education projects including The Change Agent, College for Adults, EdTech Center, National College Transitional network, and many others.
Families Learning: News of the Week, National Center for Families Learning
.
Features information and resources for family literacy, early childhood education, and parent education.
Workforce GPS, Workforce3 One.
Features career pathways and workforce development information.
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