The Gradual Approach to Adult Education
Hoping to clean up that mess just a little here is offered half a dozen observations, in the form of cautionary notes for other teachers of so-called adults.
1. School: love it or leave it?
Frankly speaking, some of adult learners hated school the first time around. They had a bad time there, and are back now under duress and maybe heavy sedation. But others loved every minute of it, or at least that’s how they remember it now, and may have come back in order to re-live it. However both types of students need to realize that it was then, and this is now. This is the only way to avoid both the nightmares and the nostalgia trips that can interfere with new learning.
2. How am I doing so far?
Perhaps some adult learners will bring a lot of confidence into the classroom, a lot more than they ever had in the old days, largely derived from their more recent life experience. Others won’t be so confident, especially in a school setting. Although all types of students will be in need of a certain amount of praise and encouragement, and will respond well to it. Such positive feedback simply will come as much more of a surprise to some than to others.
3. I just want to be alone
There are adult learners that love working collaboratively, love working in pairs and in groups. But another group of learners really just want – and, to be fair, maybe need - to be left alone at least sometimes to do their own thing. They flinch at the mere sight of flip charts and magic markers. Some kind of compromise obviously has to be reached between these two diametrically opposed learning styles, but the thing to remember is that both have some legitimacy. You shouldn’t expect or demand that students undergo some kind of personality transplant in order to make your “teaching” a success.
4. As it was said, I just want to be alone
Adult learners may have come to school looking for their new best friend; they may be lonely – while others may have no such interest at all. Also they can have no time or energy to be “nice” as their lives are already too full of other people and responsibilities. This is less about learning styles than social dynamics, but of course the two overlap. On the other hand, some students may be looking to their classmates, and maybe even their teacher, for a date on Saturday night. Be cautious with this one.
5. Oh, grow up
Some adults are just those learners with the maturity that naturally comes with the number of years they have spent or even misspent on the planet. But others cannot really lay claim to any maturity. These ones are just, well… old, or at least older, and no more grown up than they were the first time around. They may still refuse to sit next to certain classmates, whom they regard as yucky, do not work and play well with others, and are completely obsessed with one question: what will or what will not be on the final exam. “Do we should know this? Are we in charge for this material?” They usually love to ask it, thereby flaunting their essential irresponsibility. Beware this kind of student too. They have a tendency to call their lawyer whenever things don’t go their own way.
6. Respect
Keep in mind, if there’s one thing you need to give your adult learners, it’s the respect they deserve – and naturally expect to be shown. You can however not to show it unless you feel it, so every now and then remind yourself, especially when the going gets tough, about how brave and brilliant these folks are, and what a great decision most of them have made to come back to school, either in person or electronically or both. Letting them know you care, your adult students will come to believe you, and to believe in you gradually.
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