Kate:

 

I agree that ideally, the ABE teacher should lead creative writing
activities. In my experience, though, our teachers have difficulty doing
so and tend to revert to the traditional academic model. We do extensive
training with them but they put pressure on themselves and feel pressure
from students to focus on the traditional stuff. We hired a creative
writing instructor and she has been able to create the creative writing
spaces. What we want to do is have her train the ABE teachers to be able
to create those spaces. 

 

In our program we have the reverse of what you describe. We want
teachers to be as non-traditional as possible. The teachers and the
students have difficulty adjusting to the non-traditional environments.
So we must work with them extensively to help them adjust to the
cultural shock of non-traditional classes. I think that there has to be
a balance where the academic stuff and the real life, the contextual,
the content, the creative, etc come together. I know some teachers that
are great at doing this. However, we are trying to do this in 20
different classes at the time. 

 

Andres

 

________________________________

From: womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Kate Nonesuch
Sent: Monday, August 21, 2006 12:10 PM
To: The Women and Literacy Discussion List
Subject: RE: [WomenLiteracy 504] Re: RD: Bridges to Learning

 

Like Andres, I know that publishing student writing works for all the
reasons he gives--I'm working now on publishing a collection of writing
done by women in a transition house program.

 

However, I disagree that "there is a need for a creative writing teacher
to lead workshops with the students rather than the typical ABE
teacher."  I think that "the typical ABE teacher" doesn't do the kind of
creative writing we are talking about because there is resistance from
program administration, and from other teachers, and from within
ourselves; I think that, rather than bring in creative writing teachers
for students, we need to bring in support for "typical ABE teachers" to
provide the kind of safe space students need--the kind of professional
development and training that Janet talks about in her recent post.  (I
guess you can tell by the quotation marks that I'm having trouble with
the term "typical ABE teacher.")     

 

And, by the way, I'm reminded of the video Tell Me Something I Can't
Forget that documents the power of personal writing in a setting where
the aim is writing, not therapy.  

 

Interesting discussion--thanks, everyone.

 

Kate Nonesuch

Career and Academic Preparation

Malaspina University-College, Cowichan Campus

222 Cowichan Way

Duncan, BC

V9L 6P4

 

nonesuch at mala.ca

phone:  (250) 746-3565

Fax:  (250) 746-3563

 

________________________________

From: womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Muro, Andres
Sent: Mon 21-Aug-06 8:52 AM
To: The Women and Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [WomenLiteracy 504] Re: RD: Bridges to Learning

 

 

________________________________

Mev asks:

 

"Keeping in mind Jenny's sense of what control means -- the possibility
of influencing an outcome - or the belief that it is possible to
influence an outcome)." 

 

After working with students for many years, we have tried different
things that people have written about and suggested. I believe that one
of the best strategies is to help the students write and publish their
work. I mentioned before that we have published students' work in a
collection called Memorias del Silencio
http://bordersenses.com/memorias. The collection, poetry and prose, is
about the experiences of immigrants coming to the US. While they all
deal with trauma, it is not trauma in the traditional sense of domestic
abuse. However, it is indeed trauma. Writing and publishing is a
powerful tool for our students, majority women, to feel empowered and to
earn a sense of control. 

 

Writing and publishing works in multiple ways. First, it fulfills the
academic requirement that teachers and students are trying to achieve.
Second, it offers students a vehicle for release in a way that they
control. Third, it gives them a voice. Fourth, it gives them a
tremendous self esteem. Fifth, it gives them a sense of pride among
their family members (especially their children), their peers and the
community. Children look at their parents with admiration and respect
when they see them as published authors.  Children seek their parents'
academic support. Children put more effort in school.

 

Of course the sort of writing that I am talking about is not the typical
composition assignment with the typical writing prompt. Yet, it does
lead to good academic writing. I am talking about creative writing where
the students have control of their texts. I believe that there is a need
for a creative writing teacher to lead workshops with the students
rather than the typical ABE teacher. 

 

Andres 

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