Winter 2022 Groundwork issue by Adult Basic Education Association of British Columbia

Volume 42 Number 3 Winter 2022

Groundwork Return to Office Life A Better Quality Workday

Supporting Colleagues without Signing Up

for Overwork

ABEABC Board of Directors President

Michelle Vandepol

Vice President

Viviana Chiorean

Secretary

Danielle Deschamps

Treasurer

Izabela Mazur

Past President

Angie Lof

Conference Chair

Vacant

Groundwork Chair

Vacant

Aboriginal Liaison

Jennifer Narcisse

Membership Chair

Vacant

Government Liaison

Shauna Svekla

Delta/Surrey/ Fraser Valley Rep

Vacant

North Central Rep

Vacant

Metro Vancouver Rep

Stephanie Forgacs

Kootney– Boundary Rep

Lisa Bjarnason

Vancouver Island Rep

Heather delVillano

Cariboo Okanagan Rep

Christine Miller

Groundwork is published 2-3 times each year by the Adult Basic Education Association of British Columbia. Opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the policies of the ABEABC except where explicitly stated. We encourage participation from members and others in the field of Adult Basic Education.

Board Member contact information: abeabc.ca/contacts.htm Send manuscripts and accompanying photographs by email to info@abeabc.ca General enquiries about ABEABC can also be sent to info@abeabc.ca Many thanks to our contributors to this issue. The ABEABC homepage can be found at

www.abeabc.ca/

Letter from the President Hello and welcome to the Winter 2022 issue of Groundwork.

share with the membership as well.

Read through the issue to see In this issue we are pleased to what great workshops await bring you a sneak peek at the you at the conference. We look forward to seeing you there. 2022 conference. We would love to add your voice to the discussion. Are you an educator, administrator, advisor, or staff member in an ABE, CE, EAL, ASE, or community programming Last year’s was a great success area? and we are looking forward to Your point of view and connecting you with more great presenters and concepts everyday strategies can be of real help to your colleagues in this year and of course look a time when we all benefit forward to when we can get together in the future. We have from each other’s know how dates booked at the Harrison and encouragement. Hot Springs resort for 2023. If you are interested in taking a more active role in In this issue we cover topics ABEABC engagement, you from career strategizing to sustainable work. We also are are welcome to join us. Send pleased to bring you workday an email to info@abeabc.ca to inquire as to what kinds of hacks, suggestions for your next read, insights into what opportunities will be available in the coming year. your ABE colleagues are working on, opportunities to If you have ideas for the serve the membership by sit- conference or online meetings ting on the board, presenting and workshops you’d like to at the conference, or writing see in the coming year, drop an article. If you like to make us a line. We’d be happy to art, graphics, or take photowork with you . graphs, these are all great to In this season of uncertainty the board has decided to go ahead with another online conference format. See page 7 & 11 for registration info.

Michelle

WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS! Think of us when you attend a webinar or come across a new online resource. Your peers would appreciate reading a review, a summary, or a recommendation.

Have you read a book that was particularly valuable in your practice? A book review or synopsis would be of great help when your colleagues are looking to spend their department’s library allocations. Did you take some great photos on your staycation for your Instagram feed? We are always looking for cover art and would be glad to feature yours. Do you have a student who would like to gain a publishing credit? Let them know they can submit a student-view article.

Want to Write For Groundwork? email info@abeabc.ca

Michelle Vandepol, ABEABC president 3

WORKDAY EXPERIENCES

Strategies for Transforming Your Career Story During Uncertain Times Gena Hamilton The story I tell myself about my life becomes the lens through which I view my life and choose my life. Something may happen to me, but it is the story in my head that will determine how I experience it .... my story should enable me to find meaning and purpose in my life circumstances, good or bad, even when I don’t fully understand. (Poehnell, 2021)

occurrences, with unknown outcomes, play a part in opportunities and choices regardless of planning. Unplanned Trapped by early decisions? circumstances are inevitable in our career stories. The theme for the Is your career narrative no longer 2022 Adult Basic Education serving you? Association of British Columbia (ABEABC) Conference is How have you grown in your Overcoming: ABE as career story? What lessons did you Transformation Through Stories glean? and Strategies. An undertaking Many of the most inspiring people for all of us is to craft a story and and stories start with uncertainty, When have you been the most develop strategies that allows us to are saturated with doubt, yet arrive content in your career story? capitalize on chance events. triumphant at places in life they could not see when they set What are the most meaningful Let’s explore an idea moving out….They were prepared to experiences and relationships in forward in our stories: adapting navigate the unknown in pursuit of your career journey? your career narrative to the ill-defined because they knew accommodate and make the most that the only way to know the Looking forward, does your career of unplanned events. Below are future is to make it. (Heffernan, journey feel uncertain? three strategies to approach 2020, p. xviii) uncertainty in life as a potential Regardless of where we are in our opportunity for growth and What is your career story? career development process – transformation in your career story. Uncertain times can prompt exploring career options, searching reflection on our lives. A for work, maintaining our jobs, or Dream a Little (or a Lot) significant part of our identity is pursuing life-long learning – we Consider the following questions to intertwined with our career are subject to unexpected inspire your dreams to guide your narrative: past, present, and future. circumstances. The ongoing career story: Consider the following questions pandemic shifted career stories: about your career story: some of my clients experienced What do you enjoy in life so much internal shifts (e.g., priorities, What traits helped you to values, interests, etc.); others faced you would pay to do it? accomplish your career wins? external changes (e.g., restructuring, new opportunities in What are your most meaningful experiences during the week? How did you navigate and the market, technology, etc.). For overcome obstacles? some, their career story seems What does your ideal workday look irrelevant, on pause, or like? Did your career story change in directionless in the face of unanticipated ways? uncertainty of COVID-19. Continued on page 10 Whose expectations guide your There is a pattern within career career story? stories: strings of chance Do you feel stuck in a career story due to invested time and money?

CONFERENCE 2022 SNEAK PEEK Re-thinking and Re-designing our Course Syllabus to be a Visual Learning Guide for our Students’ Success

Presenters: Leonne Beebe

Lauren Lowe Lauren Lowe, a fourth-year student in the Bachelor of Arts program majoring in English, has Leonne Beebe been a student volunteer in Leonne Leonne Beebe’s educational career Beebe’s Fundamental English Workshop Description course for two and a half has included working with semesters. She is an aspiring fundamental learners at a high-school educator, who aims to “One of the immediate post-secondary Institution in a foster an inclusive and safe impressions I had of the visual variety of subjects, first and learning environment where syllabus was allowing students to second language students, First cultural diversity is taught and be welcomed by a construct of Nations literacy and numeracy celebrated. She has experienced new ideas, information, and students, research into ABE the significance of a instructions in a format, which is classroom methodologies, and learner-centered classroom and not as intimidating or confusing as community engagement work. most traditional Leonne is particularly interested in has deepened her understanding of reflective practices and Indigenous syllabi...transforming it from a applying best practices to her knowledge. Lauren has enjoyed more traditional classroom law course design, content and researching and presenting topics and expectation outline to a guide assignments to encourage and including educational approaches that holds the keys to a student’s motivate her students’ success. and issues, Indigenous knowledge, successful journey in her holistic and experiential learning, course.” Lauren Lowe. and social movements. Join us in re-thinking the purpose and role of our course syllabus and how we can re-design it visually to encourage us and our students to use our course syllabus throughout our course. Learn how to help our students relate to why they are doing what they are doing in our course when designing our course We look forward to learning with by relating our course learning and from you. Leonne and Lauren outcomes icons to our course content and assignments. Explore Registration information can be the benefits of the Indigenous found at https:// influence of incorporating visual www.eventbrite.ca/e/adult-basicgraphics into our word-based education-association-of-britishsyllabus to help students relate columbia-2022-conference-ticketsvisual concepts to words. 277195056877

and Lauren Lowe

Conference sneak peek continued on pages 16 & 17.

EDUCATORS SHARE RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES

https://bouncebackbc.ca/

Time management app Tiimoapp.com

BounceBack® is a free skill-building program designed to help adults and youth 15+ manage low mood, mild to moderate depression, anxiety, stress or worry. Delivered online or over the phone with a coach, you will get access to tools that will support you on your path to mental wellness.

Present for our conference, write for our magazine. Coaching along the way

Register for the 2022 ABEABC Conference Find session times, $10/session tickets, AGM information, donation opportunities, and membership information at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/adult-basic-educationassociation-of-british-columbia-2022-conferencetickets-277195056877 If your income has been affected by the ongoing pandemic, please reach out for a conference scholarship spot by emailing michelle.vandepol@ufv.ca

Send us your favorite online resource by emailing the editor (information on page 3) 7

SEMESTER NOTES

•

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Continued from p 4

References

presentations).

Heffernan, M. (2020). Uncharted: Ask recruiter or employees for How to navigate the future. informational interviews or seek an New York, NY: Avid Reader informal mentor. Gain insight on Press. emerging trends and ask for advice to transition to the field (e.g., What chance event do you wish training, professional associations, Krumboltz, J. D., & Levin, A. S. would occur? (2010). Luck is no accident: clubs, shadowing, etc.). Making the most of happenstance in your life and caBuild broad transferrable skills and What is your best possible future in experiences through new projects, reer. Oakland, CA: Impact. your career story? activities, training, or volunteer Poehnell, G. (2021, November 1). roles. Crafting a better story You may discover your dream is a through hope-filled engageStart with small steps that are broad lateral move into a career you have ment [Keynote address]. Uniin benefits to explore and evaluate always admired. Or perhaps you versity of the Fraser Valley would like to move into a role with options consistent with your Career Month, Abbotsford, dreams. You can pursue leads and more responsibility. You might BC, Canada. grant yourself permission not to act identify changes to propose for on them if you find they are not a your current job description to good fit. You will still gain career -make it correspond with your capital – knowledge, skills, dreams. Once you identify your Gena Hamilton is a Career network, and experiences – for dreams, you can experiment Education Coordinator at BC other opportunities. shifting your career story through post-secondary institution. small steps to test the waters. Keep Your Resume Revised and Ready Cultivate Your Career Capital What aspects of your career have you enjoyed the most?

My best career decision was to transform my small static story to a multipath career narrative. I leveraged my skills, stayed flexible to changing circumstances, and proactively took small steps towards a range of career possibilities.

Do not wait until a job becomes available to dust off your resume, put together your portfolio, and update your social media brand. Revise these items as you build your career capital. This makes it easier to tailor an application when circumstances present the chance to apply for a coveted position.

Cultivate your career capital with intention. Below are examples of steps you can try one at a time and then evaluate.

What is the upside of an uncertain future? None of us are boxed into a fixed fate. Unplanned events may pivot our career journeys to directions better than we planned Contact human resource departfor when we are alert to act on ments to request a copy of a job description/posting if not available opportunities congruent with our dreams. online. Network and develop relationships with key stakeholders. Find projects that you can collaborate on together (e.g., publications or 10

Conference Registration comes with a Membership to the Association as well as a year’s subscription to Groundwork.

Sign up for your $10 conference sessions at https:// www.eventbrite.ca/e/adultbasic-education-association-of -british-columbia-2022conference-tickets277195056877 If the pandemic has affected you financially or you lack professional development funds , please reach out to michelle.vandepol@ufv.ca to inquire about scholarship spots

Membership in the ABEABC is open to you if you are involved in:

• • • • • • •

Community literacy programs First Nations adult education programs Literacy in libraries ESL programs for adults Workplace literacy programs Correctional institution programs Upgrading and university preparation Organizational memberships are also available.

https://www.abeabc.ca/membership/

READING BREAK

Candid, hysterical, and wise. Loved this capture of the love intersection between neurotypical & neurodiverse. Highly recommend if you're looking for aspie insights.

Practical and funny advice. Short enough to read on a lunch

Engaging, motivating, and enlightening. Keep a pen handy for taking notes and clear a space in your calendar for the writing you're going to want to do. Highly recommend

Advice on life and work from 78 year old working choreographer and dancer. From being creatively brave to planning and executing your second and third acts; Tharp shines a light on the appealing road ahead. A refreshing read in a world simultaneously obsessed with celebrating youth and early retirement. This book is about neither.

Fascinating memoir that is as much a brilliant social commentary as it is ultimately a compassionate look at the human race with all its foibles and fears. In turns, laugh-outloud funny and stick-with-you insightful. Will be recommending this to anyone who wants to read or write memoir.

Beautiful gift for yourself or someone else. Remind yourself of what matters: live out love.

A social anthropologist takes the reader through the history of psychiatry and accompanying diagnosis, labelling, and stigmatizing. With case studies from all over the world that open the reader's eyes to what could be when it comes to inclusivity and how social constructs are just that, the book is an enjoyable, informative read. 12

WORKDAY HACKS

NETWORKING REMOTELY

SATISFYING BREAKS

1. take time to write recommendations and thank you’s through email and linkedin. 2. forward job postings to people they’d be a good fit for 3. schedule meetings for self-assigned working group topics to forge new working relationships

1. a brain boosting game 2. a chapter of a current read 3. stretching 4. calling or texting a friend 5. doing something creative

WORKPLACE CHANGE

1. keep an ongoing record of your contributions, achievements, and new projects for the time when you’ll be introducing yourself to new management. 2. look for new initiatives or service work that fit with your interests 3. keep a satisfying personal routine and pace your meetings

PANDEMIC SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES 1. 2. 3. 4.

outdoor activities online book clubs support groups connect with your hobby through a hashtag on social media 5. volunteer

Rita Harrison, student advisor for a post secondary institution in Saskatchewan, created this infographic for her colleagues. It is a visual summary of MacKinnon, S. (2013). Healing the spirit first: Aboriginal second-chance learners in three inner city programs. In J. Silver (Ed)., Moving forward, giving back: Transformative Aboriginal adult education (pp. 49-60). Fernwood Publishing.

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

CONFERENCE 2022 SNEAK PEEK

Jodi McBride is Executive Director of nonprofit Read Right Society, in Hope BC, where she leads a team in delivering literacy, life skills, and early childhood programs. She has a diverse professional background with an underlying theme of literacy.

Workshop description

It’s been a challenging few years with COVID, fires, floods and snow storms. In 2020, BC Nonprofits and the Impact of COVID-19, showed 15-19 per cent of nonprofits were facing closure and 23 per cent feared not lasting more than six months due to Prior to her work in Hope, COVID alone (Vantage Points, BC, Jodi taught English in Japan Victoria Foundation and and Mexico, and elementary school in Florida, USA, where she Vancouver Foundation, 2020). developed and implemented a Between pandemics and natural Writing Intervention Program to disasters, how do we keep help struggling students nonprofit doors open, lead, and succeed. Jodi also worked as a work strategically to move forward freelance writer, helping in this volatile, uncertain, complex businesses and nonprofits with and ambiguous time? This proposals and marketing. workshop takes a different In recent years, Jodi developed and approach to nonprofit best practices, guiding participants implemented a social enterprise, Swetexel (swa tay hill) Daycare & through Greenleaf’s characteristics of Servant Leadership. Preschool, bringing together a Christian church and First Nation, to overcome historical trauma and work toward reconciliation. Jodi also teaches part-time in Trinity Western University’s MA Lead program, and is involved in community arts as the Vice President of the Hope & District Arts Council. Ultimately, she feels her biggest accomplishment is empowering others through her work and seeing lives change as a result.

Christine Miller & Izabela Mazur are ABEABC Board Members and colleagues at Thompson Rivers University and will be co-facilitating a workshop looking at the process faculty members go through when applying for tenure and promotion. Workshop Description:

The tenure and promotion process can be an arduous and often solitary journey. Despite the differences in the process between institutions, some strategies and struggles are parallel. Join Izabela Mazur and Christine Miller as they share and reflect upon their recent applications for tenure and promotion.

Jodi lives in Hope, BC with her family where she enjoys the outdoors, gardening, and pottery.

CONFERENCE 2022 SNEAK PEEK Workshop—Strategies for Transforming Your Career Story During Uncertain Times

Lisa Bjarnason – Bio Lisa is a long-time educator with a diverse background. Her teaching experience includes working in the K-12 public school system, facilitating employment programs, instructing at the AUD department at Selkirk College, and presently working as a Community Literacy Outreach Coordinator. Her chosen career path led her to continually search for an effective pedagogical framework that would create an optimal learning environment for vulnerable learners. Her research into trauma-informed practice in education offers another piece of the puzzle of an effective pedagogical framework.

There is a pattern within career stories: strings of chance occurrences, with unknown outcomes, play a part in opportunities and choices regardless of planning. Unplanned circumstances are inevitable in our career stories. The theme for the 2022 Adult Basic Education Association of British Columbia (ABEABC) Conference is Overcoming: ABE as Transformation Through Stories and Strategies. An undertaking for all of us is to craft a story and develop strategies that allows us to capitalize on chance events.

Workshop – Trauma-Informed Practice in Adult Education This workshop explores the value of using a trauma-informed approach in the adult education setting and will provide participants with knowledge and tools to support vulnerable students in overcoming barriers to learning. Participants will also have the opportunity to discuss how this relatively new field of research can be applied in their classrooms.

Gena Hamilton is a Career Education Coordinator at the University of the Fraser Valley. Her article can be found on page 4.

See pages 7 & 11 for conference registration information

Art from canva— ABE is heartwork, new dates