Understanding and Teaching the At-Risk Adult Student: Strategies to Improve Retention and Success

by Diane Mierzwik

Overview

This is a guide for teachers entering or continuing in the specific realm of adult education of students who are at-risk due to their criminal backgrounds, substance abuse issues or undiagnosed learning disabilities. The book provides readers with an overview of the teaching challenges for this population of students, presents research on their unique challenges as learners, and provides teachers with evidence-based practices to enhance the success of this adult learner population.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781475801651
Publisher:	R&L Education
Publication date:	03/25/2013
Pages:	124
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Diane Mierzwik has been an educator for over 25 years, teaching all grade levels, serving as a program coordinator for adult education and a mentor teacher for others. She is the author of several books and articles. www.dianemierzwik.net

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction
Part One: Understanding the At-Risk Adult Student

1. Defining "At-Risk"
2. Undiagnosed Learning Disabilities and Behavioral Disorders
3. Substance Abuse Induced Brain Dysfunction
4. Chronic Criminogenic Behaviors
5. The Adult Brain

Part Two: Teaching the At-Risk Adult Student

1. Managing the At-Risk Adult Learner
2. Classroom Environment
3. Delivery of New Materials
4. Explicit Teaching of Problem-Solving Skills
5. The Use of Graphic Organizers and Other Non-traditional Teaching Strategies
6. Group Processing and Cooperative Learning Strategies

Editorial Reviews

Ms. Mierzwik has written a clear, concise text that identifies the at-risk adult student, outlines their learning needs, and gives clear direction on creating effective teaching strategies. The book is well organized, and the bulleted summary of each section captures the essential elements for training teachers who elect to enter this challenging field. The cited source documentation provides excellent direction for those who want to delve further into specific areas researched by this author. As a former state-wide administrator of correctional education programs, I wish I had such a resource for pre-service training. This book is a “must” for teachers, curriculum developers and administrators who work in this alternative field.

MaryLou Browing

What a great book for the corrections education professional! Diane clearly has mastery over the material. What I like best is how she brings it to life with character studies of her past students. It almost reads like a novel.

Tom Quayle

This book competently addresses explicit skills every teacher needs when teaching all adult students, especially those who are considered at-risk. In the spirit of creating life-long learners who are ready to tackle the rigors of the 21st century skills, Diane's writings help teachers help adult students who are at-risk master the art of life-long learning.

Nancie Payne

In a technically comprehensive yet practical delivery, Teaching at Risk Adults serves the much needed function of explaining educational, cognitive behavioral, and motivation theory with high risk adults. It provides today’s professional educators an opportunity to better understand modern education theory, barriers for high risk learners, as well as the evidence based principles and practices needed to effectively impact high risk adults. This book is a must read for professionals who want to enhance their ability to impact student motivation for change, decrease difficult classroom behaviors, and ultimately develop a style of delivery which enables a safe, effective, and impactful learning environment for at risk adults.

Scott E. McClure

If you are looking for a clearly written road map to building an effective classroom with at-risk adult students, then Ms. Mierzwik's excellent book, Teaching At-Risk Adults is one resource you must have. This book is full of relevant examples and practical tools for managing a classroom full of at-risk grown adults, each of whom brings their own experiences, biases, values, idiosyncracies, addictions, fears—in short, their baggage—to class each day. Particularly helpful are the Points to Remember that she includes at the end of each chapter; a short, bulleted list chock full of practical guidelines that work in ANY classroom, with any age group, collectively they provide a primer for successful teaching with tough populations. I highly recommend this book!

Shannon Swain