#IamABE

Our Story

In December 2016, a group of mainly ESL teachers, already discouraged and frustrated by the recent election, gathered in the warmth of a living room to discuss what they were seeing in their classrooms. Student questions and concerns were shared as well as teachers' personal opinions and reactions. Conversation turned towards taking action. From the seeds of that night grew what eventually became the #IamABE project.

We realized that one of the main issues we were facing is that many community members outside our classrooms did not understand how legislation was affecting our students. We also didn't have outlets for our students to share their ideas, needs, and complex identities that weren't overshadowed by our own political leanings. So, we set out to create that space.

Purpose

Amplifying students’ voices about issues that affect them
Creating more awareness around who ABE serves and what it does
Educating students about ways they can communicate with the government

Featured:

IamABE's rubric for assessing group participation and critical thinking appear in Betsy Parrish's new book, Teaching Adult English Language Learners: A Practical Introduction in the chapter entitled "Assessing Learning and Teaching."

PONI Award

#IamABE was awarded the PONI award at the Literacy Action Network Awards Banquet during ABE Summer institute on August 15, 2019. The PONI award is given to outstanding projects that meet a unique need or demonstrate innovation in the field of ABE. #IamABE was recognized for its commitment to student and teacher advocacy.

Mary Diaz Award for ELL Advocacy

#IamABE was awarded the Mary Diaz Award for ELL Advocacy by MinneTESOL in 2023 at the MELEd Conference. They were awarded for their role in reviving the “ABE Day on the Hill” event in partnership with the Literacy Action Network, including organizing the event but also preparing materials for teachers to involve their students in advocating for issues with their legislators.

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