FAIRMONT– Fairmont Community Education and Recreation has offered Adult Basic Education classes for a number of years. The classes go over a wide variety of subjects and basic skills and are targeted at those ages 18 and up.

Chris Eisenmenger is one of three local ABE teachers and has been teaching the classes in Fairmont since about 2000. Prior to that she was teaching ABE at Martin County West CER but low class numbers prompted her to come to Fairmont. However, she teaches students from all over the area.

“If you’re specifically doing GED, you’ll work on your reading and language arts, math, social studies and science,” Eisenmenger said.

She said they have practice tests in each of those areas which most people pass.

Eisenmenger said people may take ABE classes for a variety of reasons. They work on workforce skills, resumes and computer skills. They utilize the computer lab inside the Southern Minnesota Educational Campus.

“They can learn to read better to read to their kids,” Eisenmenger said.

She said that even getting a grasp on basic math skills is a really useful skill to have.

“I tell my classes, if you’re in the store and you see something talking about percentages, you better know how to add everything up so you don’t have someone take advantage of you,” Eisenmenger said.

She also teaches at the jail and said she’ll let anyone come whether they have their GED or not.

“To get a job worth anything, you almost need a GED or your diploma,” Eisenmenger said.

While people can take ABE classes for a variety of reasons, the GED classes truly focus on taking classes in order to complete a GED.

Stephanie Busiahn, director of Fairmont CER, said, “Fairmont CER is part of a larger consortium for adult basic ed and the consortium we’re a part of is based out of Worthington.”

She said currently people have to go to Mankato to take their proctored GED test, but they’re working on being able to offer that here in Fairmont.

“It will ease that burden of people having to commute to Mankato,” Busiahn said.

As for how long it takes someone to go through the classes and get their GED, Eisenmenger said it all depends where they’re at in their education and in their life. Busiahn said they’ve had people who have left the classes for months or years and end up coming back.

Along with Eisenmenger, Sarah Schultze and Katy Gonzalez also teach ABE classes.

“We compliment each other quite well,” Eisenmenger said.

Gonzalez teaches a lot of the EL (English learner) students. Busiahn pointed out that all three instructors have different personalities which is helpful for the students in finding an instructor they work well with.

In addition to having different instructors, different times are offered for the class. ABE classes are offered Monday and Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m. and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon. They all take place at the SMEC building in Fairmont.

Eisenmenger explained that a teaching license is needed to teach ABE classes. She holds a K-6 license as she previously taught at Fairmont Area Schools.

“I got into the Title I program with Tony Roesner. I had to walk by the adult basic ed office everyday and started asking them questions,” Eisenmenger said.

She said Roni Dauer, former Fairmont CER director, got her to start teaching ABE classes in the jail.

At one point, Eisenmenger was working two days at the jail, one day with the workforce center and one day with House of Hope.

Eisenemneger herself has had ABE students as young as 17 up to 80 years old.

“We had the oldest GED student from the state of Minnesota graduate from our program,” Eisenmenger said.

She shared that the woman had a bucket list which included getting her GED. She then went on to get her associate’s degree from Minnesota State University in Mankato.

“She worked hard for it and she got it,” Eisenmenger said.

As Busiahn said, CER’s message is “lifelong learning” and the opportunity for someone to obtain their GED, no matter what stage they’re at in life, shows it’s never too late.

Eisenmenger said her favorite part of teaching the ABE classes is watching her students learn. She especially likes watching them pass a test they didn’t think they’d do well at.

“I tell them they need to believe in themselves. Their confidence has been beaten for years. I love watching all of my students succeed,” Eisenmenger said.

If anyone is interested in learning more about ABE classes, they can contact the CER office at 507-235-3141.