Now that you know who you are as a teacher, how will you set up the ABE program so it can be flexible in meeting the needs of your students? Think for a moment about what you enjoy most when you attend a workshop or a new course that you are taking. Many of the same things that you like will apply to your students.

An ABE classroom is different from the K-12 programs that students once attended. The successful ABE classroom:

• Places the student as the primary person in the classroom
• Provides an adequate needs assessment of the student's academic levels, learning style, career planning, and individual goals
• Designs a program to meet individual interests and needs and encourages interaction among peers
• Changes the program to keep pace with trends and retain students
• Develops collaborative community relationships
• Provides positive marketing and public relations
• Recruits volunteers and community resources to provide real-life experiences
• Uses adult education principles
• Real-life experiences with an emphasis on application/critical thinking/problem solving over the simple attainment of factual knowledge

Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this web-based training component, it is not an official publication of the Florida Department of Education.