Adult Education Promoted in Mexico
by Sr. Janice Wiechman
"I never had the chance to go to school. I want to be able to sign my name," declares a woman in her mid 30's. Another in her 60's states, "I can read a little but I don´t know math." Seven teenagers, ages 15-19 add, "We want to finish Junior High. The school is too far away and we have no way to get there. We finished 6th grade four years ago and we want to continue our studies into Senior High too." Young mothers in their 20's say, "I want to learn more." These are the kinds of statements Isabel and I heard as we promoted an adult education program in two mountain towns.
INEA (National Institute for the Education of Adults) is a government education program a little like the GED in the U.S. This year Sr. Isabel and I (and Sr. Rose Mae and Sr.Aurora) live in the same town as the regional coordinator of this program. He has a very large area to cover. It includes part of the Sierra where Sr.Pat Forster and I have worked for these past 6 years. Because his area is so large, the coordinator has not taken this program to the Sierra. There is a lot of need for it in the mountain villages not only for the adults, many of whom have studied only as far as the third grade, but also for the youth who are not able to get to the Junior High Schools. There is a primary school (1-6) in each mountain village but there are only three junior highs in the 20 some villages.
Living in the same village as the coordinator has made it possible to work with him. Two days a month Isabel and I promote this adult education program in the mountains. Our first job is to find an assesor - a person who has finished junior high and is interested in helping others learn - and a person who will give the tests - also a graduate of junior high. Once we have found these two support persons we begin registration. They then take a diagnostic test to find their grade level and then begin their studies. Each course is sent in a box the size of a ream of paper. It contains their text/work book, supplementary readings and any other materials they need such as a calculator for math, a measuring tape, etc.
Estados is the first town where we registered participants. They now have their first course and are working toward the next test deadline which is November 15. If they do not finish, they will take the test in January. On our last visit we found that some had enthusiastically entered into their studies, finished the text, and are now preparing for their test. One woman received a course that is too difficult for her and will receive a less demanding course on our next visit. In a few cases there was confusion as to how to proceed, so we spent time answering their questions. The courses ranged in themes from "Fractions" to "Values of our Democracy" to "Protecting Ourselves and our Planet" to "Being Parents".
Our hope is that as persons develop through these studies they will have more confidence in themselves and their abilities. Hopefully new leaders will come forth. We find ourselves entering into the lives of youth at a place that is important to them. We are entering homes we have never been in before. Men have expressed their appreciation for the new opportunities especially for their daughters.
"I never had the chance to go to school. I want to be able to sign my name," declares a woman in her mid 30's. Another in her 60's states, "I can read a little but I don´t know math." Seven teenagers, ages 15-19 add, "We want to finish Junior High. The school is too far away and we have no way to get there. We finished 6th grade four years ago and we want to continue our studies into Senior High too." Young mothers in their 20's say, "I want to learn more." These are the kinds of statements Isabel and I heard as we promoted an adult education program in two mountain towns.INEA (National Institute for the Education of Adults) is a government education program a little like the GED in the U.S. This year Sr. Isabel and I (and Sr. Rose Mae and Sr.Aurora) live in the same town as the regional coordinator of this program. He has a very large area to cover. It includes part of the Sierra where Sr.Pat Forster and I have worked for these past 6 years. Because his area is so large, the coordinator has not taken this program to the Sierra. There is a lot of need for it in the mountain villages not only for the adults, many of whom have studied only as far as the third grade, but also for the youth who are not able to get to the Junior High Schools. There is a primary school (1-6) in each mountain village but there are only three junior highs in the 20 some villages.
Living in the same village as the coordinator has made it possible to work with him. Two days a month Isabel and I promote this adult education program in the mountains. Our first job is to find an assesor - a person who has finished junior high and is interested in helping others learn - and a person who will give the tests - also a graduate of junior high. Once we have found these two support persons we begin registration. They then take a diagnostic test to find their grade level and then begin their studies. Each course is sent in a box the size of a ream of paper. It contains their text/work book, supplementary readings and any other materials they need such as a calculator for math, a measuring tape, etc.
Estados is the first town where we registered participants. They now have their first course and are working toward the next test deadline which is November 15. If they do not finish, they will take the test in January. On our last visit we found that some had enthusiastically entered into their studies, finished the text, and are now preparing for their test. One woman received a course that is too difficult for her and will receive a less demanding course on our next visit. In a few cases there was confusion as to how to proceed, so we spent time answering their questions. The courses ranged in themes from "Fractions" to "Values of our Democracy" to "Protecting Ourselves and our Planet" to "Being Parents".
Our hope is that as persons develop through these studies they will have more confidence in themselves and their abilities. Hopefully new leaders will come forth. We find ourselves entering into the lives of youth at a place that is important to them. We are entering homes we have never been in before. Men have expressed their appreciation for the new opportunities especially for their daughters.
Two towns now have courses in their hands and we are preparing two more towns to enter the process in January. We are enjoying this ministry and the enthusiasm that we are encountering.
The Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, Minnesota, is a community of Roman Catholic women religious who follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ, walking in the footsteps of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi. We welcome those who wish to join us as sister, associate, volunteer, transfer sister, friend and donor. We live lives of prayer in community and in service to the poor as we seek to build a more peaceful world and to care for the Earth. We sponsor the St. Francis Music Center and St. Francis Health & Recreation Center, both open to the public.