If you can't write your idea on the back of my calling card, you don't have a clear idea.
   David Belasco, American playwright and producer (1853-1931)

If a student walks into your agency and says, "I need to improve my English," then asks about the specific program that you coordinate or in which you teach, are you able to succinctly explain what your program does and how you do it?

Can you clearly articulate whom you serve, and why, in one or two sentences? If not, you may be setting yourself up for frustrations in the classroom, misunderstandings among staff, and unfulfilled expectations for students. This article will offer some suggestions on how to establish a clear program philosophy that you can communicate to students and other stakeholders in your agency and community. It is important to have a clear program philosophy not only for your students but also as your community partnerships emerge so community stakeholders know who you are and how you do what you do.

Learning From Experience
In late 1993, almost one year after the two major educational providers in Boston's Chinatown launched an ABE transition program as a bridge to college, skills training, and alternative high school diploma courses, our program was evaluated by a team of researchers from the University of Massachusetts Boston. Among other things, the research team conducted one-on-one and focus group interviews with students. One particular student response made a powerful impression. "This program was to help us in getting ready for our futures; however, the course seems like it's lacking a theme-they talked a little bit about everything." (Kiang, et al, 1994). From this comment, it was clear that the program could have done a much better job in communicating its goals, methods, expectations, and anticipated results. As a result of the evaluation feedback we then set out to clarify and redefine what kind of a program we were supposed to be.

Beginning with the next round of testing sessions, we gave all prospective students a two- page fact sheet with program goals presented visually. We used the image of a staircase with steps ending in reaching the program's anticipated outcomes. These outcomes include college, job training, an alternative high school diploma program, or employment. The sheet has since undergone several revisions as our ABE program has grown to four levels. We now answer the questions, "How will we teach you?" and "What will you learn?" We also clarify our expectations about homework, attendance, and students' commitment to program goals.

Use of Native Language
We read all of this aloud with each group of prospective students, then the program counselor summarizes the fact sheet in Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese, the native languages of most of the people we serve. The result is that by making our program more tangible and explicit at the point of first contact, there is a good deal of buy-in from our most important stakeholders.

What You Can Do
At your next meeting with your staff, you might want to brainstorm some answers to these questions. You may discover that you are right on track with where you want to be. You may also discover, however, that you are having trouble, as a group, articulating or agreeing on a set of goals, or that your goals are not congruent with your practices. Whatever arises from such a discussion, it's always useful to reflect critically on the basic questions: what are we doing, why, how well are we doing it, and how well are we explaining all of this to our most important stakeholders, our students?

• What does your educational program stand for?
• Are you really doing what you are funded to be doing?
• Does your philosophy come across clearly in what all of your teachers do with their students?
• Can you explain it in one sentence?
• Are you successful, and how do your students know that you are successful?
• Is your educational culture consistent across all levels of your program? Is one teacher doing content-based or theme-based instruction while another puts more emphasis on grammar worksheets or is teaching to a test?
• What are your expectations of students?
• Do you set reasonable goals with students? Is this negotiated or dictated? Are these expectations consistent throughout your program?
• How do you communicate them among staff and to students?
• Is your program sensitive to your students' short term and long-term needs?

Notes:
Kiang, Peter, et al, 1994. Research and Reflections on the English Transitional Program. University of Massachusetts/Boston.

Try This!
Every program should be able to accommodate different teaching styles, but it is important to maintain the same underlying philosophy and to continually reinforce it with teachers and students. After nine years of trying fine tuning, I believe our program has finally come up with something that even David Belasco would be proud of:

Now try writing your program philosophy in the space below.

Richard Goldberg is the ABE Program Coordinator and teacher at the Asian American Civic Association. He can be reached by e-mail at: goldber@massed.net