Connect with Adult Ed: The NMAEA Podcast

In this episode, Nadia and Jamie sit down with Anna Kaiper-Marquez, the director of Family Literacy at the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) https://familieslearning.org/ . Anna discusses the intergenerational holistic view of family literacy, how the NCFL supports organizations to develop sustainable family literacy programs, and how family literacy impacts multiple areas of adult educ...

Join Nadia and Jamie for an inspiring conversation with Patty McGee, a "traveling educator" who is on a mission to dismantle the shame often rooted in traditional grammar instruction. Moving past fill-in-the-blank worksheets, Patty shares how a mindset shift of treating grammar as a creative tool rather than a rigid set of rules can transform learning for students of all ages. Whether you’re an ad...

In this episode, Nadia sits down with Victoria Henry, a PhD candidate conducting literacy research. Victoria shares what theories ground her research, a current student-led writing project, classroom structures that support authentic-meaning making, how instructors can design learning experiences that affirm student agency, and more! *Note: Don’t forget My Adult Ed Story, a continuous project that...

In this experimental "Frankenstein" episode, Nadia and Jamie dive deep into the world of professional development with Sarah Goldammer, Chair of the Association for Adult Literacy Professional Developers (AALPD), and Vice-Chair Sudie Whalen. In a combination of live dialogue and pre-recorded insights, the conversation highlights the power of free, grassroots networking to prevent practitioner isol...

According to Merriam-Webster, an "Aha!" moment is a flash of sudden insight or comprehension—and in the world of adult education, these realizations can change everything. In this episode, Nadia and Jamie dive into some of their own professional transformative experiences and reflections. Join them as they explore the sparks of inspiration that redefine how we learn and grow as adults. *Note: Don’...

With everything that is going on, it can be hard to look at the good things, but it is more important than ever to recognize and highlight the great and necessary work that we do. In this episode, Nadia and Jamie asked the field to write in with their success stories. We asked the following questions: What were your professional successes in 2025? How do you celebrate successes? What are you proud...

Professional learning is an essential component of adult education and literacy practice. Choosing and engaging in effective professional learning, however, can be a daunting task. In this episode, Nadia and Jamie interview Tim Amaral, owner of Amaral's Social-Emotional Skills Training (ASEST), LLC. Tim discusses his teaching philosophy, what he provides during training workshops, and shares inspi...

In this episode, co-host Jamie Trujillo is joined by student ambassadors Arthur Sandoval, Eisa Lopez, Hallet Montgomery, and Victoria Garcia Montoya as well as UNM’s Director of Academic Communities, Cash Clifton. On September 15th and 16th, the group traveled to Washington, D.C. for COABE’s Flood the Hill Days. Along with some advocacy training, the group was able to meet with staffers from four...

The Propel team experimented with a different professional learning modality, the professional learning book club. Learn how we adapted to the format, what challenged us, and what we gained from the experience. Use our Professional Learning Book Club start template to kick off a PL book club in your organization. Professional Learning Book Club start template: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F...

In the Season 3 Premiere episode, Nadia and Jamie sit down and reflect on the past year, new uncertainties, and future professional goals. They discuss the ever-changing political climate and the importance of connection in the face of unknowns. Their conversation reveals how the lessons they've learned along the way are guiding them with hope and resilience. Join them as they look back with grati...

In this episode, Nadia sits down with Sarah Cacicio, the director of ALL IN, the Adult Literacy & Learning Impact Network. ALL IN is a collective impact initiative whose vision is “a country where every adult can easily access high-quality, effective support to improve their reading, writing, digital, and numeracy skills – regardless of who or where they are.” They discuss ALL IN’s latest rese...

In this episode, Nadia and Jamie sit down and talk to Nina Bar-Giora, IET instructor at Taos Education & Career Center and Propel consultant. We talk science literacy, the Science HSE exam, trying to balance exciting subject matter with what students need, and favorite science resources and instructional methods. We had a great time talking and learning from Nina. We hope you enjoy listening!...

Nadia is out on the streets at the Mountain Plains Adult Education Association conference. Participants share their reflections and hopes for the conference. Nadia and Jamie wrap up with their experiences and thoughts.

Just like every adult learner's story is different, so is the story of every adult education practitioner. In this episode, Nadia and Jamie get real! They share how they got into adult ed and discuss their challenges, successes, and deep appreciation for the field. they also talk about networking, career strategies, and professional learning.

In this episode, Nadia and Jamie read submissions from the field on how practitioners celebrate breaks. We discuss different ways in which we spend time with loved ones, enjoy various activities, invest in hobbies, travel, and other ways we reconnect and recharge. We appreciate everyone who sent in their suggestions and questions and hope everyone has a restful and enjoyable holiday break!

In this bonus episode, Nadia and Jamie focus on one particular listener response in which we ponder the crucial need for breaks and how working conditions affect how we take breaks as a field. It’s a rich discussion that we hope you enjoy.

Math. Test Anxiety. These two terms seem synonymous when it comes to the high school equivalency exams. Thankfully, neither of these needs to be crippling, and we found a practitioner who turns mistakes into opportunities and math into an art. Join Nadia and Jamie, along with special guest Michael Carriere of UNM-Valencia’s Next Steps Adult Education Program, in this engaging and enlightening epis...

Math. Test Anxiety. These two terms seem synonymous when it comes to the high school equivalency exams. Thankfully, neither of these needs to be crippling, and we found a practitioner who turns mistakes into opportunities and math into an art. Join Nadia and Jamie, along with special guest Michael Carriere of UNM-Valencia’s Next Steps Adult Education Program, in this engaging and enlightening epis...

Adult education students have a wide range of abilities and needs, especially when it comes to taking a high-stakes test like the GED or HiSET. Both test publishers have systems in place to provide accommodations to students with learning, physical, and mental differences and disabilities. Navigating these systems can be very challenging for practitioners. Thankfully, Katya Backhaus from the state...

Adult education students have a wide range of abilities and needs, especially when it comes to taking a high-stakes test like the GED or HiSET. Both test publishers have systems in place to provide accommodations to students with learning, physical, and mental differences and disabilities. Navigating these systems can be very challenging for practitioners. Thankfully, Katya Backhaus from the state...

In this episode, Nadia and Jamie sit down with Dené Shelton from NMHED and Julie Wright from Catholic Charities and answer questions from you, our listeners, on how to handle challenging situations when serving neurodiverse students. Dené’s policy background, coupled with Julie’s executive functioning and teaching experience, make a strong foundation of knowledge and skills for tackling the big qu...

In this episode, Nadia and Jamie sit down with Dené Shelton from NMHED and Julie Wright from Catholic Charities and answer questions from you, our listeners, on how to handle challenging situations when serving neurodiverse students. Dené’s policy background, coupled with Julie’s executive functioning and teaching experience, make a strong foundation of knowledge and skills for tackling the big qu...

Do you know about TSTM? Have you heard the term and are curious about it? Have you considered participating but didn’t have the time? This episode will give you answers! Join host Nadia Kader and producer Jamie Trujillo as they interview Propel’s TSTM Team and talk about their new training: TSTM Essentials. Discover how TSTM Essentials can benefit both instructors and curriculum managers and how i...

Do you know about TSTM? Have you heard the term and are curious about it? Have you considered participating but didn’t have the time? This episode will give you answers! Join host Nadia Kader and producer Jamie Trujillo as they interview Propel’s TSTM Team and talk about their new training: TSTM Essentials. Discover how TSTM Essentials can benefit both instructors and curriculum managers and how i...

September 16-20 was National Adult Education and Family Literacy (AEFL) Week. NMAEA wanted to do our part to educate the public about who our students are. To do this, we asked all the adult education and literacy programs throughout the state to provide us with student testimonials in the form of video interviews, audio interviews, or written statements. This episode of Connect with Adult Ed is t...