Lifelong Learning Self-Assessment Tool
Self-Assessment Case Study
Reid Well is a long-time practitioner who decides to use the Lifelong Learning for Literacy Practitioners Self-Assessment Tool to help him determine how to address his professional development needs.
Reid has a university degree in English. He began volunteering at the local literacy program because he had always loved reading. He loved the interaction between tutor and student and tutored for four years. Then a position at the local small group school board program became available. Reid applied and was successful in getting the job.
For three years Reid worked with the school board as a small group instructor. While he worked for the board, he took two courses at the local college in the Teacher of Adults: Literacy Educator Certificate Program - Introduction to the Adult Learner and Instructional Strategies. Because many of the students he saw were from an ESL background, Reid thought it would be useful if he sought certification in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL). He completed one of two courses required to become certified and then an opening came up to be the Executive Director of the local community-based literacy program – Literacy for Life.
Reid debated whether or not he would apply for the position. He loved working with people, which was why he got into teaching in the first place. However, he didn't know if he had the skills he would need to be an administrator. He was up for a new challenge though and figured that he could transfer his love of working with people to the responsibilities involved in being an Executive Director. He could use his people skills to raise the profile of the local literacy council and to market literacy – an issue he had come to feel very passionate about.
He ultimately decided to apply for the position and was successful. Reid has been the Executive Director of Literacy for Life for the past nine years and he has seen the organization through many changes. He became the Executive Director just after Program Reform was introduced in the late 90s and he worked with the other staff at Literacy for Life to develop core quality standards and to ensure that the organization increased its capacity to deliver workforce programming. Now the organization has to respond to new initiatives, such as Continuous Improvement Performance Management System (CIPMS), the integration of Essential Skills, and increased accountability demands.
