I had the pleasure of job-sharing my literacy coordinator position in Camrose with MARGARET HOLUSTON for a year. She left her position to prepare for the birth of her first child. Margaret has since worked as a researcher/writer for a consulting firm (which conducted an extensive study of the literacy needs of adults in Northern Alberta) and as a sessional lecturer for Augustana University College. Perhaps the strongest literacy connection Margaret maintains is through the raising of her children.

"The approach to teaching adults and preschoolers to read and write is surprisingly similar; there are a lot of parallels. My 4½ -year-old son prefers to work with everyday things and what interests him. We are offering him direction but he is doing all the learning himself, as he is ready. And we can see how much he is starting to use his learning as a tool to express himself. I don't think I'm parenting him any differently because of my understanding of literacy (books are already a big part of our lives), it just makes watching him learn that much more interesting."

I received a letter from FLO BROKOP from Sherwood Park to tell me what she has been doing since she left her position as the coordinator of the Prospects Literacy Program in Edmonton.

"To tell you the truth I had to look at my resume because I have done such a variety of 'mini-projects' (I'm sure you're familiar with this way of life in literacy)."

"After leaving Prospects in 1985 I began a part-time career in adult literacy and part-time studies at the University of Alberta. My intention was to earn a graduate diploma in Adult Education so that when I returned to a full-time career, I would have something to offer. I planned on working part-time so that I could spend lots of time with my kids and still keep some of those valuable contacts. Looking back over the last 7 years I am happy to say that I was able to do both and more. Because of some fancy talking by my mentors in Adult Education I was persuaded to enter the Master's program and complete a degree. My thesis was on the triumphs and challenges faced by single mothers in adult basic upgrading classes. It was a long, painful journey; but one that I will never regret."

"While attending classes I continued to work part-time, facilitating a number of workshops dealing with literacy, teaching night classes at AVC and assessing the reading and math levels of students entering upgrading classes at Edmonton Public Schools Continuing Education."

"Presently I am working for AVC doing what I love the most - teaching! I team-teach in a class of readers who are at beginning reading levels. It's exciting to work with this student population and also to work with a 'real staff' - an experience I haven't had since I left the public school system."

TERI ELHERT, formerly a monitor with the LEARN Program in the Ft. Kent area, openly admitted, "If the hours and the pay had been better in literacy, I wouldn't have been looking for other employment." She is now employed as the Director of Community Services in Elk Point, a community of 1400 people close to Bonnyville. The job is permanent, full-time and pays a reasonable salary which includes benefits.