As senseless violence grips our country and many other parts of the world, we at World Education express our sympathy for the victims of the physical and ideological violence, and we reaffirm our steadfast resolve to stand up and speak out for the principles of equity, justice, and opportunity that drive our work. We also express our solidarity with targets of white supremacists and the daily, insidious forms of racism, sexism,anti-semitism, and islamophobia. While many of us who enjoy privilege may not personally experience this hatred, it dehumanizes all of us when we allow it to go unchallenged. It is incumbent on us all to be part of the solution.

It would be foolish to think all this has nothing to do with adult education. The fear factor is greater than ever whether it’s due to assaults on our immigrant students, racism, or other forms of violence. We know from research and experience that the brain downshifts and academic learning cannot happen when people feel fear. As adult education and skills training programs get back in full gear this fall, a part of providing high quality education that is relevant to students’ lives is providing a safe and welcoming school community and teaching effective communication skills. After all, interacting effectively with others, critical thinking, media literacy, and effective communication are 21st century skills.

At World Education, we are committed to supporting adult educators in addressing this critical work, including the following opportunities.

Advancing connection through dialogue is the theme of the innovation workshop at our National College Transition conference this year. In this experiential workshop, participants will develop skills that foster open, honest conversation about challenging topics and will practice with modes of reflection, inquiry and listening to better plan, facilitate, and engage in constructive conversations. We hope you join us to connect and learn at the conference in Providence, RI, November 13-15.

For our teacher colleagues across the country, we also offer this special packet of free lessons from our Change Agent magazine to help you get the dialogue going while teaching standards–based reading, writing, and math ( Lesson Packet #12, Facing Racism).

As a teacher from Oakland, CA, writes in The Change Agent, “We need to talk about racism because, for those directly impacted, racism, when unspoken, becomes normal; and for people who are not directly impacted, racism, when unspoken, becomes invisible. We cannot accept racism as invisible or normal, so we must speak out. … With racism both visible and unacceptable, we can work together to end it.” (“Talking about Race”, Issue #42, p. 42).

In closing, here are words of wisdom from adult learners:

“ Communities need to work together to educate each other on the issues of race and culture so that future generations can understand that, while our differences make us different, they don’t make us enemies.”-- Sergio Hyland, student from PA

“ Talking about race is hard, but it is also inspiring. Black people experienced many abuses in their lives. But they were strong and fought for their rights. They joined forces. They were brave and they fought for their dreams. They inspire me to be strong and brave, and to focus on my dreams.” -- Rosa Imelda Quintana, student from AZ

Silja Kallenbach, Vice President

The federal Workforce Investment and Innovation Act (WIOA) has changed the landscape of adult education, focusing the field on workforce development outcomes and programming that supports the integration of education and training (IET) and career pathways. Programs are intensifying their focus on job preparation because adults need work-related math, communication, and technology skills for middle-skill jobs; because employers, overall, are providing less in-house training for their entry-level workers; and because funders see education as the solution to the problem of low-wage jobs.

Featured Speakers
Susan Eaton, Professor of the Practice and Director of the Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy, Brandeis University; Author of Integration Nation
Andy Nash, Professional Development Specialist, World Education
Claire Tesh, Founder and Director, LMNO Education
Sara Burnett, Curriculum Consultant and Director, LMNO Education

During this annual series of events, communities bring together immigrants and U.S.-born residents to raise awareness of the benefits of welcoming everyone – including new Americans.

Find out how you can host or attend an event at welcomingweek.org.