I would like to share a recent experience and would love to hear any feedback regarding it, especially if you have an experience that you would like to share with us.
First some background:
As many of you know, I am conducting a research project which takes me out to various adult literacy sites to recruit and screen students who may be interested in getting involved with the study. Students who qualify (they have to identify words between third and 5.9 grade levels) are invited to spend 100 hours worth of instruction with us. My encounter with students during the recruitment/screening process is brief-not more than 20 minutes, and often less. The screening time is the first time that I meet the learners and I am correctly perceived during this process as an outsider-the researcher from a university who is meeting with them at their adult literacy program.
The experience:
I met with a woman who wanted to be screened. Part of the screening involves finding out the best way to contact the student (home/work/cell phone and/or email). When I got up to that part, she gave me her phone number and then asked are you going to be calling me? I said yes and saw the concerned look on her face. I told her that I did not have to call if that was a problem and that I could either erase her number, or make a note that she should not be called. She told me that it was okay to call, but that her partner does not like her to get phone calls. This immediately raised a red flag for me. I told her that I did not want to put her in harms' way, that if she would be safer if I did not call, I should not call. She said ok. We then talked about when the class would meet and I asked her if she thought she could attend the class. She hesitated and said well, I guess my partner could drop me off at that time. I asked her if that would be a problem. She said that he would not trust that she is coming to class, and would think that she is meeting a lover. I reminded her that I did not want to put her in harm's way, that she needed to keep safety in mind at all times, and asked her if it would help if her partner met the teacher and saw that she was really going to be part of a class. She said that that may be a good idea, she would think about that. I also suggested that she could show him the form that I was giving her, which states the nature of the research project and provides my name as a contact. She liked that. Once again I reminded her that she needs to do what is right for her. If she is too scared to join the class because she may be unsafe, as long as she is with him, she probably should take her fear very seriously and pay attention to it. Maybe now is not the time to join my class if she does not feel safe. We ended it with me not calling her, but her calling me to find out about next steps. She never called, and I never saw her again.
My reactions/questions:
I was very shaken during this exchange. On the one hand, I did not want to pry and ask for more information. On the other hand, I wondered if I should. Was I protecting myself by not asking or was I protecting her by not pushing for more than she was willing to share? Would my responses to her have changed if I knew that he was being physically abusive to her?
Anyway, I could go on and on, providing more details about the process and my reactions, but I don't want this posting to be too long. If appropriate, I will add more information in response to people's responses. I am curious, if anyone has anything to share about the above, or anything related that they would like to share about their own experiences.
Thanks,
Daphne

Daphne Greenberg
Assistant Professor
Educational Psych. & Special Ed.
Georgia State University
P.O. Box 3979
Atlanta, Georgia 30302-3979
phone: 404-651-0127
fax:404-651-4901
dgreenberg at gsu.edu

Daphne Greenberg
Associate Director
Center for the Study of Adult Literacy
Georgia State University
P.O. Box 3977
Atlanta, Georgia 30302-3977
phone: 404-651-0127
fax:404-651-4901
dgreenberg at gsu.edu