Today, I go to Weston to observe a volunteer teacher and English Cafe but she doesn't make it to class. Janine, the LC, takes the class instead. It is very well facilitated, and again, very much conversation-based. The facilitator knows Portuguese, Spanish and English and she teaches all three languages at this culturally diverse library. It makes me want to know more about Weston and if it was always so diverse. In fact, today I tried to find out from my interviewee if she knew because she had lived in Weston for 18 years.
This class is a great mix of ages, from one in her late 20s, one in his 30s, a couple in their 40s and the rest in their 60s and 70s. I meet Hector who is 61 but he has only attended the class two (2) times. I will have to see about whether he could be interviewed, perhaps down the road in two months. I have said that they have to be enrolled for 4 months. The woman in her 20s is here for the first time today.
The topics they cover in class span from spirituality to UFOs and aliens, to climate change, the end times and personal growth and change. It is evident that everyone is like-minded in their openness and positive attitude.
Janine leaves me with the class for the last half hour. Theya re eager to hear what my position is, what I am doing and why. I explain and one woman in ther 40s asks why I am doing this particular study. I explain that it is simply my own interest that we address the learning needs of older people. ButI also add that regardless of my focus, just in general, this study on the English Cafe should help draw needed attention to the need for these classes in Broward County libraries.
I realize that I could have designed these interviews as focus groups. This may have had its onw challenges in trying to arrange but at least I might have spent less time running back and forth from one end of the county to another.
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