They are so proud of being part of the school that trips to the book store to purchase binders, sweatshirts, and knapsacks bearing the Humber logo are as frequent as finances will allow.
Being at a community college or university has multiple benefits to a person’s self-esteem. Colleges and universities are socially valued environments because the pursuit of higher education is regarded so positively in our society. The power of belonging to a valued place in the comunity goes far beyond the support provided by a teacher or the knowledge gained in a course. It creates a positive mood for learning and the value of the environment is transmitted to students, who often convey an entirely new sense of personal bearing.
Adult education, particularly, is by nature an accepting environment. Society has a healthy respect for the experiences that have made up a person’s life by the time they reach adulthood. The experience of life with a disability has a claim on that respect; and, while allowances are being made in adult education programs for disabilities, the challenges and expectations of the educational environment prepare students for life off-campus.
Teachers of adult education often see their profession as a continuum which incorporates all people who want to learn. The best teachers will argue that they are less interested in teaching content to students than in encouraging them to consider themselves as agents in the process of learning. The teachers impart to students that learning how to learn rather than devouring a body of text will better prepare them for life in a rapidly changing society.
More and more, teachers are using a combination of teaching strategies to accommodate students’ different learning styles. Lecture style works best for those who like to take notes or record information for review purposes; audio visual aids help theme who need to “see” the main points; group discussions are useful for those who need to exchange ideas to grasp them; and field trips or work placements are essential for those who need hands-on learning.
