What Is Adult Education?

Returning to formal education can be a scary thing for some people to consider, but it does not have to be.  Courses that are geared to mature students are much different from those aimed at youth.  Where teaching to adolescents can require a teacher to take a disciplinarian role, adult educators recognize that that would not work in an adult education setting. 

Adult education is also typically differentiated from traditional learning models, as the teacher/student role is more one of partners working together. 
Students who have been away from school for long periods have gained valuable “real world” experience. Good adult education instructors recognize this fact and realize that they have as much to learn from the students as they are offering.  Good instructors will seek examples from their students’ past work to illustrate points that they are making, allowing students to take more ownership over the material and see it as personally relevant. 

The instructor’s are often chosen for their practical skills, rather than teaching certificates.  This means that most instructors of adult education courses can not only talk the talk, but also are equally capable of walking the walk.  Because they have experience in their field, they often rely less on textbooks and tests and more on what has been successful in the past.  This provides returning students with confidence that they are not “wasting their time” and that they will attain a tangible goal or gain/improve upon a skill through taking the course.