Effective & Efficient

We're back! And we are pleased to be joined by Jennifer Schroeder, the newly installed Director of Adult Education for South Arkansas Community College. Listen in as we find out about her background, what attracted her to adult education and brought her and her family to Arkansas from Orange Beach, Alabama, and how to tell good seafood from bad. Plus, stick around afterward for some updates and announcements for upcoming events in AdultEdLand. Get into it!

In this episode, we discuss what exactly WAGE is, how it has evolved over the years, how the new WAGE program differs from previous iterations, and how it is set up to benefit students and programs. We also dig even deeper with specific questions surrounding WAGE™, many of which are director-driven. Plus, we find out a little bit about LaJuana, and what she did before joining the team in Adult Education. 

As many of you know, Southeast PA - and friend of the pod - Jana Jenkins, has moved on to bigger and better things. But we couldn't let her leave without a proper Effective & Efficient sendoff! This week we reminisce with Jana about her time in adult ed, chat with her about what she will miss, and more. If you have an Arkansas Adult Education story to share with us - whether it's of a student, a teacher, or just something great going on at a program, we want to hear about it! Reach out to Dan at daniel.bingaman@arkansas.gov or Jon at Jon.Lee@arkansas.gov, and your story might be featured on a future episode of the podcast. 

The 2021 COABE (virtual) Conference is upon us! And none other than the Chief Executive Officer of COABE, Sharon Bonney, is joining us this week to mark the occasion and preview the event. Sharon was kind enough to stop by to discuss all of the different initiatives and advocacy campaigns that the Coalition on Adult Basic Education is spearheading, what it was like having to pull the brakes and re-configure a conference the size of COABE at the last minute due to COVID, the direction she sees adult education moving across the country, and so much more (31:40).  But first, Jana Jenkins drops in to tell us a little bit about what she has planned for the upcoming conference, and what skills and information participants can look forward to walking away with (3:55). You don't want to miss it!For more information on COABE, please visit https://coabe.org

This week we're sitting down with two of our newest adult education program directors, Julie Gordon of UA - Rich Mountain, and Becky Warren of the U of A Community College at Batesville to get to know them a little better, find out how adult ed has been treating them so far, and hopefully get them to open up and overcome some of their shyness.We cover a lot of ground in this rollicking episode, so strap in!For all your pig, goat, and other exclusive farm animal pic needs, make sure to check out @stellaroseandpearl on Instagram. 

Happy Festivus, Glad tidings, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays from your friends at Effective & Efficient! This week, we're coming at you with a special Christmas-themed episode, just for your listening pleasure as you put the finishing touches on your holiday preparation. Jon and Dan each share the top 3 things that define the holiday season for them, pass along some favorite seasonal recipes, and give the final word on whether Die Hard is a Christmas Movie. We'll be back next week with a special Year-in-Review episode, but in the meantime, hit up Albritton Pecans for some of their sweet, sweet drupes (look it up). They don't pay us to tell you about them, I just really think you should buy their pecans.https://www.albrittonpecans.com/

It's Thanksgiving! In this bonus episode, Dan and Jon discuss their plans for the upcoming holiday, their favorite Thanksgiving traditions (and favorite foods), and air their grievances with fall weather in Arkansas.Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

This week we're featuring another student success story in the person of Betty Krumwiede, a recent GED grad turned employee of Northark Community College in Harrison, Arkansas. Dan talks to Betty about what led her to adult ed, struggles she encountered, and people that helped along the way (00:12:53). Following that, we turn to a conversation with Chris Adams, Betty's teacher at Northark, to discuss working with Betty, and what he loves about teaching adult education (00:38:54). But first,  after a longer-than-usual recording hiatus, Dan and Jon catch up a bit to discuss a potential new venture (00:01:00), and Jon reveals a shocking oversight in his movie-watching history. Get after it!Music on this week's show by Brother and the Hayes. Check them out at the links below!http://www.brotherandthehayes.com/https://www.facebook.com/brotherandthehayes/https://www.instagram.com/brotherandthehayeshttps://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/brother-and-the-hayes/1263294710

This week, we are delighted to be joined by Adult Education's newest Program Coordinator, Andy Moysh. Andy recently filled the position formerly held by the venerable Sarah Yager, and dropped by to tell us a little bit about his background, his vision for his new role, and how things have been going since moving his family across the country to Arkansas (3:05). And stick around to hear Dan and Jon's plans for Halloween, as well as a special sign-off from a secret guest (42:35) 

This is Part II of a conversation we were fortunate to have with Carol Birth, the director of adult education at Phillips Community College in Helena-West Helena, Arkansas. In this episode, we discuss themes explored in HBO's hit television series, Watchmen, and its role in the ongoing conversation surrounding race and policing in America. We also share some pieces of culture that have been keeping us sane during this tumultuous time in our country. For more information on some of the resources mentioned in this episode, see below: Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol Dweck https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Carol-S-Dweck/dp/0345472322 White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism, by Robin DiAngelo https://www.robindiangelo.com/publications/ How to Be an Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi https://www.ibramxkendi.com/how-to-be-an-antiracist-1 

In light of everything going on in our nation (and the world): COVID, the deaths of cultural icons, blatant and virulent racism, a vitriolic election season, just to name a few, we thought we would take a step back to talk about the physical and psychological toll 2020 has been taking, not only on ourselves, but on our adult education directors, teachers, and students. This is Part I of a conversation we were fortunate to have with Carol Birth, the director of adult education at Phillips Community College in Helena-West Helena, Arkansas. We discussed racism, equity, helping students and staff cope with the collective trauma of the past year, and much much more. For more information on some of the resources discussed in this episode, see below:Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol Dweckhttps://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Carol-S-Dweck/dp/0345472322How to Be an Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendihttps://www.ibramxkendi.com/how-to-be-an-antiracist-1 

With the annual Site Visit and Program Review season officially upon us and our local adult education programs, we thought we would speak to two directors about that process, and how they approach preparing. First, Amy Sturdivant from South Arkansas Community College in El Dorado stops by to discuss her strengths when preparing for Site Visits/Program Reviews, as well as how her preparation has changed over the years. After that, we'll be joined by Kim Darling from the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton to talk about her experiences with program reviews, the importance of involving staff in the process, and how she and her husband have been faring following a recent COVID-19 diagnosis.

For those that don't know, one of the co-hosts here at Effective & Efficient, Dan Bingaman, is no longer with the Adult Education Section of DWS... formally, that is. So this week, we thought we would catch up with him to see what's been going on, what he's up to, and what the future has in store. Get into it!

It's a bonus episode! Associate Director for the Adult Education Section of the Division of Workforce Services, Bridget Criner, rode into town to kick up her spurs and chat about every ol' cowpoke's favorite topic: Budgets! Move 'em on, head 'em out!

This week all 5 Regional Program Advisors from the State Office will be gracing your listening ears! Jana Jenkins of the Southeast Region, Nicole Gray of the Northwest, and - making her podcast debut - Wendy Kittler of the Northeast all dropped in to wrap up last week's Teacher Summit, discuss upcoming projects and trainings, and hang out for a bit. Get into it!

"Don't call it a comeback!" After a brief hiatus to sort out our busy schedules, we are officially back on the mics with the start of a new season of Effective & Efficient. And we're hitting the ground running with a very special guest - Dr. Trenia Miles! Join us as we discuss the vision for adult education, learn a little bit more about Dr. Miles, and set potluck goals for the 20-21 program year.

This week we are joined by Barbara Hamilton, Director of Adult Education at SAU-Tech, as well as Dr. Jason Morrison, the Chancellor at Tech, to discuss the importance of having shared goals and a common mission between Adult Ed programs and their LEA (Local Educational Authority) when it comes to helping students succeed.

This week we are joined by Kimberly Freeman and Latasha Dale. Kim is a Program Specialist who oversees the Career Coach program for the Adult Education Section of the Division of Workforce Services, and Latasha is a Career Coach for two adult education programs across 7 locations in the Little Rock area. Kim and Latasha are passionate advocates for students as they make the transition from Adult Education to employment, and they dropped by to tell us a little bit about what they do, why they love it, and the future of the Career Coach Program in Arkansas.

This week we're saying "Goodbye" to 3 members of the Arkansas Adult Education family who are moving on to new stages in their lives and careers. Nancy Loftis of the Arkansas Adult Learning Resource Center, Debbie Shelton of Lonoke Adult Education, and Sarah Yager from the State Office all dropped by to talk about their time in adult education, what they'll miss (or won't miss!), and what the future has in store for them.

This week we are excited to be joined by Sarah Yager, the ESL Coordinator from the State Adult Education Department for a special ESL themed episode! Along with Sarah, we sat down to speak with Jason Garvey, an ESL instructor from the Fort Smith School District Adult Education Program to talk about teaching English Language Learners and some of the resources and research that have helped make him such an effective instructor (7:40). After that, we have an interview with a recent GED graduate from the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton, as well as her teacher, to discuss her adult education journey and her plans for the future (28:50).For information about the publication Change Agent, visit:https://changeagent.nelrc.org/For more information about adult education services in Arkansas or to find a program near you, visit:https://www.arcareereducation.org/

This week we are joined by the newest Regional Program Advisor to join the State team, Nicole Gray, who dropped by to share a little bit about herself, her background, and how the new job has been treating her.

Effective & Efficient is hitting the pause button this week, but we'll be back very soon with more interviews, student success stories, content-focused segments, and more! This would be a great time to catch up on past episodes and, if you like the show, to leave us a rating and review on iTunes - it helps others find the show. Subscribe today and be the first to hear our next episode as soon as it's released!

We are honored this week to be joined by Shianne Hooper, a recent GED graduate of the Ft. Smith Adult Education Program who came by to discuss some of her early struggles, how she overcame them and her plans moving forward. But first, Jana Jenkins from the state office drops in to update us on some exciting new initiatives that she has been heading up, and how Arkansas is emerging as a leader in how we train our teachers to meet the needs of adult learners across the state.If you know of a student who would be willing to share their adult education success story for a future episode, please email us at Daniel.Bingaman@arkansas.gov or Jon.Lee@arkansas.gov

As a conclusion to our "Pandemic Pod" series, this week, Klaus Neu and Wendy Bryant from the Arkansas Adult Learning Resource Center (AALRC) in Little Rock stop by to discuss resources and strategies that can be implemented by adult education programs to ensure that they continue to effectively meet the needs of their students with learning disabilities during this time of program upheaval. To contact Klaus or Wendy, or to find out more about the AALRC, visit:http://aalrc.org/adminteachers/index.htmlFor more information about adult education services in Arkansas or to find a program near you, visit:https://www.arcareereducation.org/

This week we are joined by two adult education teachers from different regions of the state to discuss current challenges, how their students are adapting to distance learning, and strategies and resources that they use to keep students engaged in the midst of this public health crisis.

This week, we speak with John Kelly, Director of Adult Education at Arkansas State University - Newport, about the impact that COVID-19 has had on his program, and their plans moving forward in the wake of this crisis.

Introducing Effective & Efficient, your destination for all things Arkansas Adult Education. In the coming weeks, Co-Hosts Dan Bingaman and Jon Lee - along with a rotating panel of guests from the State Office - will be talking with subject matter experts, Program Directors, employers, and anyone they can get to speak with them about what they do, why it matters, and how it can benefit listeners. Subscribe and stay tuned!