by Ann Palmieri

Created on: August 05, 2008   Last Updated: December 07, 2009

Getting a degree will change your life forever! An adult who has not completed high school, has not been in school in years, or perhaps went to school, but never really accomplished writing, reading, or computing skills might find his/her way into adult education. It's true that "adults" go to regular colleges and universities, but these classes are not cataloged under "adult education." Adult education is a special division in a college, community college, or other academic institutions.

Adult education reaches out into our society to men and women who have been bypassed in some way. These adults work in low-paying jobs, are stay-at-home moms who live on welfare, or adults who do not have high school or college diplomas. These people exist from day-to-day and month-to-month are welfare, low pay, or family intervention. They desperately need self confidence, self respect, and self preservation skills. This is what adult education gives out. Obtaining a degree, whether high school or college, is one of the best ways to get on that road to recovery. Once back in school, much of the work that is done first is preparation work: learning basic skills in reading, writing, and computing. Those skills need to increase before the adult learner tackles a specific career topic.

Adult learners will face obstacles at first simply because they haven't been in a classroom for years. What they will need to remember is this: adult learners are slower at learning than these younger students. REMEMBER: learning is not about how long it takes but how willing we are to learn. In Adult Education, extra time and effort is taken to teach each unit of learning. This is not the case in traditional college classes. Adult education takes into consideration the special needs of its learners.

What are the special implications of getting a degree? There are many:
1. The degree will give the adult a better self-image. 2. The degree will encourage the learner to do bigger and better things with his/her life. 3. The degree will earn more money in the marketplace. 4. The degree will earn respect from his/her family. 5. The degree will motivate his/her family and friends to achieve the same. In conclusion, a degree for an adult learner may be the single-most important piece of paper in his/her life. An adult learner appreciates what education can do in someone's life. This attitude alone can increase the adult learner's capacity for increases in knowledge, in financial gain, and in personal power.

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