Hello. Let me introduce myself. I am Susan Bernard and the author of the
By 2001, I decided to return to public teaching. I spent six summer weeks studying full-time for my “big test” – the one that would certify me to teach math, the subject that I had come to love teaching. It was a challenge as most any worthwhile task is, but I succeeded and earned certification to teach high school math. Soon after that, I authored
In 2009, I furthered my education with graduate work in Adult Education at the University of Oklahoma, and continued with one writing project after another for adult students. Now several math books are available for GED® and HSE Math Tests as well as materials for all the other high school equivalency subjects and materials for those learning English as a second language. It has been my joy and privilege to lead students out of the land of fear and into the land of GED®-HSE graduates and English writers. It is my hope that the
Many GED® preparation books use “textbook” language! When I first began teaching a class of GED® students in 2002, they were often frustrated when they couldn’t understand their traditional GED® books. It was almost impossible for some of them to accomplish much by themselves because they would “get stuck”.
One day, I needed to go to a teacher workshop, and I wrote out a math worksheet for the substitute to give the class while I was gone. When I came back to class, my student, Cristie, asked me to write more. I soon realized that I needed to write an entire math book in the language that Cristie and my other students could easily understand.
As a teacher of writing and ESL, I always dreamed of writing the perfect textbook. It needed to apply the principles of adult learning theory; it had to be relevant to the learner, help them fulfill societal roles, and help them improve themselves. Second, it had to be concise, well organized, and help the learner step-by-step. Last, it needed to clearly help the learner understand how language, grammar, writing, and editing are individual tasks that any person can master.
Then by chance, I picked up a GED® writing book Susan Bernard had written, and I realized that with some changes, it could be adapted to ESL learners. Many years of teaching experience have gone into this book.
As a boots-on-the-ground high school equivalency coordinator for the Oklahoma City Community College and as a state and national presenter, I have had the opportunity to train many teachers in using the
If you're interested in hosting a teacher workshop with interactive