THE VALUE OF ADULT TEACHING AND LEARNING PRACTICES

THE VALUE OF ADULT TEACHING AND LEARNING PRACTICES: A STORY ABOUT RE/ENGAGEMENT. Annette Foley CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

Statistics • Fifteen percent of young people aged 15 -19 years in Australia are classified as disengaged from education and training. • For those aged 20 -24 years, 25. 3 percent are ‘at risk’ • At the national level, the teenage fertility rate in 2009 was 17 babies per 1, 000 for women aged 15 -19 years in 2009 (ABS, 2009). This is around 11 -12, 000 babies born to teenage mothers every year. 2 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

Barriers • Young people can face a myriad of barriers that can impact their ability to connect to school: • • Literacy and numeracy issues External issues Bullying Mental illness • Teenage mothers often face barriers such as: • • 3 Access to acceptable, affordable childcare transport problems financial pressures appropriate and safe housing relationship issues low self-esteem; and bullying or feeling isolated at school (Bradbury, 2011). 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

Background • • • 4 School VET pathways programs ACE/VET pathways Community VCAL VET in Schools programs General Education programs School based apprenticeship programs 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

Out of school programs in Ballarat and region • • • Stepping Stones Youth Works Community VCAL Neighbourhood Houses (ACE) Out of School • Link. UP • Young mum’s program 5 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

Practical outcomes • Life skills • Cooking • Baby care • Financial management • Counselling • Health 6 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

Skills Based Outcomes • Back to school • Pathway to TAFE or ACE programs • Apprenticeships • Jobs 7 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

The Project • Case study using narrative analysis and involving interviewing • 10 young mothers between the ages of 16 and 21 years enrolled in an alternative ‘young mums’ program. In addition 5 adult educators involved in teaching in the ‘young mums’ were also interviewed. • 10 young males in youth works • 9 participants from Neighbourhood house program • 10 participants from out of school program • teachers • The findings from this project inform/add to a larger ARC funded project looking at disengaged youth in regional Victoria 8 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

The projects aims • Understand the teaching and learning practices within the VET/ACE context • Pedagogical culture • Look at how VET/ACE education strategies work to engage disengaged school aged young people • Find out why these students connect with these programs and the teaching and learning styles but are disengaged from mainstream schooling. • What are the benefits to these students • Education Outcomes • Other Outcomes • Can the mainstream school system learn something 9 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

Findings The Mothers • The data showed a pedagogical culture that involved connecting students local community knowledge, interests and youth culture to their learning. ‘I like it here because its close to home, people know me here’ • Mothers spoke of feeling comfortable in the program • Feeling respected • Feeling connected ‘I feel more comfortable here. The teachers aren't like teachers their kind of our friends. I can talk to them you know. We respect each other. ’ 10 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

• Learning about their babies needs ‘I have learnt about how to cook for my baby and take care of her better. ’ • Mothers felt the program integrated literacy and numeracy with real life situations • ‘we get money to buy our food for the day’ • Mothers spoke of the learning space (neighbourhood house) as important to their feelings of being connected and welcomed ‘I love this house it really like home. . nothing like going to school. I used to be bullied at school. ’ 11 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

The Teachers • Teachers spoke of the importance of flexibility in their teaching approaches ‘We use individual working plans for each of the girls which helps us build on their individual needs. ’ • Teachers spoke about the importance of taking time with students individually ‘There is a lot of one on one time with these students. It’s very intensive and important to build trust. ’ • Self esteem Building ‘A great deal of our initial work with these girls is building their self esteem. ’ • Building trust and respect 12 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

• The learning spaces were seen as important to the success of the program ‘Our teaching and engagement strategy is linked to this house. We work very hard to make a comfortable environment so the girls feel safe with their babies. ’ • The program was able to integrate teaching and learning with practical knowledge ‘We integrate the curriculum with practical stuff like cooking and shopping. ’ 13 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

Out of school programs students • Respect was a commonly used word when describing their experiences • The teachers here respect us…its not like school • I feel respected here ‘____’ treats us like we’re equal, she doesn’t look down at us. • Hands on activities was also important for the students • We make stuff here • Its like coming to work, I'm learning all about motors • This will help me get a job 14 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

• The learning space • • 15 This doesn’t feel like school It feels comfortable here I’m safer and don’t feel scared to come There’s no bullying 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

The Teachers • One-on-one teaching strategies • Flexible approaches • Activities linked to life and work skills • ‘make it interesting’ • ‘making it relevant for the kids’ • Finding a hook 16 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

The key messages • A pedagogy that mixes welfare and education approaches • • 17 Health professionals Welfare workers Secondary teachers TAFE teachers 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

• Personal approaches • One on one • Allowing ‘Timeout’ for students to care for babies/to cool off • Trust • Providing a learning space that caters for the special needs • Comfortable space • Neighbourhood house • Workshop • Mutual respect 18 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

• Ownership of learning • Hands on vocational training opportunities • Access to TAFE courses • Access to ACE courses • Local industry 19 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

The debutant • http: //www. thecourier. com. au/multimed ia/9313/link-up-debutanteball. aspx? page=11 • Hook • Debutant • Canoeing • music 20 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D

Contact details • A. Foley@Ballarat. edu. au • 03 53279764 21 3/15/2018 CRICOS Provider Number 00103 D