|
Your home, your community
The purpose of the information in this Looking further
section is to get students to look beyond their own personal
and economic self-interest to the interests of the community
at large. One does not have to be a homeowner to participate
in the life of the community. These suggestions apply equally
to anyone in the group.
1. Many adult basic education students feel reluctant to
participate in
community events. They fear they might become embarrassed
in these
situations because of their limited literacy skills. It
can be quite helpful to discuss this as a group so students
realize they are not alone in this fear. Ask any students
who have attended community events to describe how it felt.
Discuss which activities might feel most comfortable (e.g.,
participating in sports events or service activities in
churches may be less overwhelming than large community meetings).
2. Bring in a local newspaper in which you have highlighted
as many kinds of events as you can that are available in
the community. Point out that many are free or inexpensive.
Look for events that might affect homeowners, such as hearings
about zoning
regulations in a certain neighborhood or about the construction
of a new school.
3. Finally, don’t forget to make the link between
becoming a part of the community by buying a home and participation
through voting. Get copies of information about how and
where to register to vote. Show some examples of issues
on the ballot that affect homeowners. Tell students where
they can go to register and remind them of upcoming election
dates.
|
