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Out of the Cloud of Illiteracy

Out of the Cloud of Illiteracy PERSONAL REF1 ECTIO N 8 I ‘m a year into my stint as a Peace Actually, a temfic amount of mate- circles with a grand total of foltyeight excellent organizers and motivators. Corps literacy volunteer in Honduras. rial is covered in just one week of students, trained four animadors and Their example alone motivates. And, to my great surprise, the experience classes-about ten to twelve pages, was on my way. hide from all the Maestro en Casa has gone exactly as the Peace Cop including the homework in the book When my counterparts returned, activities, I try to carry out other projects model of succgs. The idea behind PC each student buys at a reasonable price. they helped me tremendously. I worked as well. For example, since my World literacy volunteers is to enter a commu- In first and second levels, the emphasis most closely with the World Neighbors Neighbors counterparts moved on to a nity, initiate the program, and train is on language and math. From the program, especially the health exten- new municipality, I have helped women others to carry it out in your absence. hrd to sixth, there’s also science, social sion sector. I became a sort of consul- to organize themselves to carryon the It’s happening here in Cantarranas, studies, human development, and Bible tant in helping them use adult program without W support. We have Honduras, thanks mostly to the great study. Students are tested twice in the education participatoly techmques in just held our fmt mion, and plan ses- support I’ve received from my host four-month course of a grade. Students their work, and they helped me to sions for every two weeks. ‘hg will country agency, Maestro en Casa, a lke the fact that they can pass two understand the most pressing problems be different hs time. Instead of the Catholiczhurch-affiliated radio literacy grades in one year, and when they com- confronting each community. Through WN coordinator always imparting the plete sunh @ they receive a bona- WN, I gained acceptance in many instruction, there will be a different Program. People have been very respectful to fide diploma approved by the Ministry COITlmUnities. nieniber, or pair, running the show. me, but at first they were very curious. of Education. During our three-month Nurturing the participatoly prms This is something I tried to suggest to At first, the kids yelled “gringa” at me, training to become PCV’s, I was more needs both practice and reflection. It the former WN coordinator, but she but now they all call my name, using imp4 with the Maestro en Casa hasn’t been easy for nie to let go of didn’t have enough confidence in the an affectionate ending, “Carita” Way program than any of the others in Hon- respnsibility, especially letting mi- women’s abilities, although she billed down the street, they call “Carita, duras. Sor Marta, the nun who directs madors lead groups when they barely her sgsions as leadership training. Carita, khos Carita” “Adios,” which the program, demonstrated in such a understand the material themselves. At There is a lot of talent in the group and we gringos learned in school meant warm, humanistic, competent fashion first, th led to the opposite of my good they are beginning this year with great “goodbye,” is used to say hello to some- how the program materials worked that intentions. For exanlple, in an effort to enthusiasm. We may see some self- one passing by. I get to say “adios” to I knew I’d be happy wohg with her give an animador and a group some esteem building now. every single person I pass everyday and even though I had my reservations confidence, I led demonstration classes It has been very interesting visiting every time. about wohg with the church. I was so they could get an idea of how am- all the communities. Peace Corps subs- The PC literacy sector has had lim- aftad I would be placed with the dread- sion works through its review. But then dized my purchase of a bike, which gets ited sum until w hooked up with ed government program. the group preferred my mions and me to three villages. Getting to one vil- do programs. The other programs, I was overjoyed when I was assigned wouldn’t meet with their animador. lage quires bike and hike, another by “nocturnals,” involved recruiting com- to coordinate with four host country So I crated dependence rather than bornwed horse, a couple others by bus, agencies (Ha) to act as a catalyst in a independence. munity teachers to lead classes every bike and hike with fording two rivers. community with no previous literacy First semester last year, we had four night with government (read patriotic) If I find myself stuck walkmg on some materials. Dropout rates in some cir- program. Not only would I be promot- groups with a total of fortyeight stu- country mad, I have no problem hitch- cles reached 80 percent. I’m guessing ing the Maestro en Casa program, but dents. Second semester we had nine hg a ride. Everyone wants to help I’d be doing it in tandem with the most groups with one hundred tho-four that the problem with the nocturnah is the gringa. Wow! And housecleaning that pple have to meet five days a progressive development organization students. Th~s year w have eighteen too. If anyone catches me with a week and be on time for the whour workmg in HondurasWorld Neigh- groups and more than three hundred broom, they offer to sweep. bors. I also work with Foster Parents class. That’s asking a lot in Honduras. students. Not every group has a volun- The experience so far has been Plan International (PIAN), and the teer animador, but some have two. Last The fact that the poorly trained com- deeply gratdying as I see pple come government ministry of adult educa- munity teachers have a hard time keep year 1 trained nine animadors and this out of the cloud of illiteracy or develop tion. I was glad I was not sent to a ing up with the schedule doesn’t help. year there m hrty, plus now we have teaching and organizing skills that Maestro en Casa (teacher at home) remote village to live in a mud hut. I three coordinators, as well. I never imagined they had. Most impor- is different. It’s just twenty minutes a am only an hour and a half away from The coordinators have the responsi- tant for me are the deep friendships I day of claws listening to your do at PC headquarters in Tegucigalpa, the bility I had last year and they receive have formed. My best friends, of mum, home. If you mis the 2 o’clock class, capital of Honduras. Closeness to the PC small stipends. My job is to guide them are women. It never cem to amaze you can tune in at 4 or 6. Students are office means access to free photocopy- through th year so that they can carry me the way people have accepted me encouraged to attend weekly review sg- ing and work-pming. on the program alone in subsequent into their horn and their hearts. If I sions with their community teacher, It was tough at first since all my HCA years. We meet once a month formally weren’t working myself out of a job, counterparts were on vacation the Janu- called a volunteer animador. The an- mostly to plan the monthly training I could stay f0rever.A mador is usually a Maestro en Casa ary I started. But I had to get some cir- for the volunteer animadors. I also student at the same time and attends cles started by the first of February. accompany them periodically in their -by Cam Fulton monthly training sgsions with the Sympathetic community members community visits. It has been quite a Fultrm S a grduub student helped me to promote in town and in coordinator (me). Some volunteer an- challenge. ’hoof them are Maestro en in adult eduuatim at the Uni- madors are school teachers. We have two nearby villages, and a local person Casa students themselves and have had z~err@ ofthe LkM of Colum- attendance problems with the once-a- rode over on horseback and held me a hard time helping students studying bia) carrying out fgld work in wk review sessions, so we try to make sign up students in his village. By the at their same level. What makes them Honduras. grea~ coordinators is that they are up for that with home visits. first of February, I had started four 28 A Adult Learning http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Adult Learning SAGE

Out of the Cloud of Illiteracy

Adult Learning , Volume 4 (6): 1 – Jul 1, 1993

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Publisher
SAGE
Copyright
© 1993 American Association for Adult and Continuing Education
ISSN
1045-1595
eISSN
2162-4070
DOI
10.1177/104515959300400613
Publisher site
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Abstract

PERSONAL REF1 ECTIO N 8 I ‘m a year into my stint as a Peace Actually, a temfic amount of mate- circles with a grand total of foltyeight excellent organizers and motivators. Corps literacy volunteer in Honduras. rial is covered in just one week of students, trained four animadors and Their example alone motivates. And, to my great surprise, the experience classes-about ten to twelve pages, was on my way. hide from all the Maestro en Casa has gone exactly as the Peace Cop including the homework in the book When my counterparts returned, activities, I try to carry out other projects model of succgs. The idea behind PC each student buys at a reasonable price. they helped me tremendously. I worked as well. For example, since my World literacy volunteers is to enter a commu- In first and second levels, the emphasis most closely with the World Neighbors Neighbors counterparts moved on to a nity, initiate the program, and train is on language and math. From the program, especially the health exten- new municipality, I have helped women others to carry it out in your absence. hrd to sixth, there’s also science, social sion sector. I became a sort of consul- to organize themselves to carryon the It’s happening here in Cantarranas, studies, human development, and Bible tant in helping them use adult program without W support. We have Honduras, thanks mostly to the great study. Students are tested twice in the education participatoly techmques in just held our fmt mion, and plan ses- support I’ve received from my host four-month course of a grade. Students their work, and they helped me to sions for every two weeks. ‘hg will country agency, Maestro en Casa, a lke the fact that they can pass two understand the most pressing problems be different hs time. Instead of the Catholiczhurch-affiliated radio literacy grades in one year, and when they com- confronting each community. Through WN coordinator always imparting the plete sunh @ they receive a bona- WN, I gained acceptance in many instruction, there will be a different Program. People have been very respectful to fide diploma approved by the Ministry COITlmUnities. nieniber, or pair, running the show. me, but at first they were very curious. of Education. During our three-month Nurturing the participatoly prms This is something I tried to suggest to At first, the kids yelled “gringa” at me, training to become PCV’s, I was more needs both practice and reflection. It the former WN coordinator, but she but now they all call my name, using imp4 with the Maestro en Casa hasn’t been easy for nie to let go of didn’t have enough confidence in the an affectionate ending, “Carita” Way program than any of the others in Hon- respnsibility, especially letting mi- women’s abilities, although she billed down the street, they call “Carita, duras. Sor Marta, the nun who directs madors lead groups when they barely her sgsions as leadership training. Carita, khos Carita” “Adios,” which the program, demonstrated in such a understand the material themselves. At There is a lot of talent in the group and we gringos learned in school meant warm, humanistic, competent fashion first, th led to the opposite of my good they are beginning this year with great “goodbye,” is used to say hello to some- how the program materials worked that intentions. For exanlple, in an effort to enthusiasm. We may see some self- one passing by. I get to say “adios” to I knew I’d be happy wohg with her give an animador and a group some esteem building now. every single person I pass everyday and even though I had my reservations confidence, I led demonstration classes It has been very interesting visiting every time. about wohg with the church. I was so they could get an idea of how am- all the communities. Peace Corps subs- The PC literacy sector has had lim- aftad I would be placed with the dread- sion works through its review. But then dized my purchase of a bike, which gets ited sum until w hooked up with ed government program. the group preferred my mions and me to three villages. Getting to one vil- do programs. The other programs, I was overjoyed when I was assigned wouldn’t meet with their animador. lage quires bike and hike, another by “nocturnals,” involved recruiting com- to coordinate with four host country So I crated dependence rather than bornwed horse, a couple others by bus, agencies (Ha) to act as a catalyst in a independence. munity teachers to lead classes every bike and hike with fording two rivers. community with no previous literacy First semester last year, we had four night with government (read patriotic) If I find myself stuck walkmg on some materials. Dropout rates in some cir- program. Not only would I be promot- groups with a total of fortyeight stu- country mad, I have no problem hitch- cles reached 80 percent. I’m guessing ing the Maestro en Casa program, but dents. Second semester we had nine hg a ride. Everyone wants to help I’d be doing it in tandem with the most groups with one hundred tho-four that the problem with the nocturnah is the gringa. Wow! And housecleaning that pple have to meet five days a progressive development organization students. Th~s year w have eighteen too. If anyone catches me with a week and be on time for the whour workmg in HondurasWorld Neigh- groups and more than three hundred broom, they offer to sweep. bors. I also work with Foster Parents class. That’s asking a lot in Honduras. students. Not every group has a volun- The experience so far has been Plan International (PIAN), and the teer animador, but some have two. Last The fact that the poorly trained com- deeply gratdying as I see pple come government ministry of adult educa- munity teachers have a hard time keep year 1 trained nine animadors and this out of the cloud of illiteracy or develop tion. I was glad I was not sent to a ing up with the schedule doesn’t help. year there m hrty, plus now we have teaching and organizing skills that Maestro en Casa (teacher at home) remote village to live in a mud hut. I three coordinators, as well. I never imagined they had. Most impor- is different. It’s just twenty minutes a am only an hour and a half away from The coordinators have the responsi- tant for me are the deep friendships I day of claws listening to your do at PC headquarters in Tegucigalpa, the bility I had last year and they receive have formed. My best friends, of mum, home. If you mis the 2 o’clock class, capital of Honduras. Closeness to the PC small stipends. My job is to guide them are women. It never cem to amaze you can tune in at 4 or 6. Students are office means access to free photocopy- through th year so that they can carry me the way people have accepted me encouraged to attend weekly review sg- ing and work-pming. on the program alone in subsequent into their horn and their hearts. If I sions with their community teacher, It was tough at first since all my HCA years. We meet once a month formally weren’t working myself out of a job, counterparts were on vacation the Janu- called a volunteer animador. The an- mostly to plan the monthly training I could stay f0rever.A mador is usually a Maestro en Casa ary I started. But I had to get some cir- for the volunteer animadors. I also student at the same time and attends cles started by the first of February. accompany them periodically in their -by Cam Fulton monthly training sgsions with the Sympathetic community members community visits. It has been quite a Fultrm S a grduub student helped me to promote in town and in coordinator (me). Some volunteer an- challenge. ’hoof them are Maestro en in adult eduuatim at the Uni- madors are school teachers. We have two nearby villages, and a local person Casa students themselves and have had z~err@ ofthe LkM of Colum- attendance problems with the once-a- rode over on horseback and held me a hard time helping students studying bia) carrying out fgld work in wk review sessions, so we try to make sign up students in his village. By the at their same level. What makes them Honduras. grea~ coordinators is that they are up for that with home visits. first of February, I had started four 28 A Adult Learning

Journal

Adult LearningSAGE

Published: Jul 1, 1993

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