In our program, we assume that all people victims of trauma and
violence. This also relates to the article about normality/abnormality.
I met Jenny many years ago in a WIL conference. I wanted to address the
issue of trauma but still had the mindset that trauma was the issue of
the other. After reading Jenny's work but also talking with her, Jane
Hugo from Laubach and others I was able to understand that I was
medicalizing(?) the problem. Trauma was an issue of the "sick other" and
we, teachers/program staff, were there to help by providing a
solution/intervention/cure. 

 


>From Jenny and others I understood that trauma is our issue and we are

all victims of it. With this mindset, we create spaces in our programs
were there are opportunities for those who want to and are ready to
share and seek help, w/o anyone being forced to share if they don't want
to. The spaces are many. Creative writing is one of those spaces.
Opportunities for students collaborating in projects and sharing is
another space. Many of opportunities for students to dialogue with
program staff with privacy is another space. Students knowledge that
there are support programs readily available is another space. There is
also the opportunity for the program staff to share with each other and
with students, and many of us have relied on each other to get over
crises. However, a strong asset for us is the awareness that there are
resources available for the students and ourselves. 

 

When someone reaches out seeking help, we need to be able to access
interventions, if necessary, that go beyond peer support. So, we have
contacts with all the local services that provide services for victims
of trauma. This knowledge creates a safety network for us. If we reach
out and seek help, there will be something available.

 

Andres 

 

 

________________________________

From: womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of mev at litwomen.org
Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2006 6:47 AM
To: The List
Subject: [WomenLiteracy 496] Re: RD: Bridges to Learning

 

Shirley suggested having a list of support services available and
communicating understanding can work to help students in trauma. She
also indicates that the learning situation is not one in which
teachers/learners should discuss their experiences of trauma. 

 

These observations lead me to some related questions.... 

Jenny's work suggests that violence and trauma have an impact on our
ability to lean or to stay present in the learning situation. How do we
as teachers and students recognize these impacts and when they are
actively affecting learners in a particular educational moment or
setting? We probably do not need to know the details of each
individuals' situation and Jenny suggests that we can reliably assume
that many (if not most) learners will have experienced some form of
violence. But part of the difficulty for those is trauma can be the
preservation of silence, invisibility, or shame. I would venture to say
that as women we have learned that much in our life experience has
historically been silenced and it's only through discussion and the
realization that "we're not the only one" that we gain a sense of relief
and the beginning of being able to make change. How do we balance
visibility and acknowledgment with good boundaries or learning
environments? 

 

Ryan also offers some concerns for us to consider (though I personally
would not use the language of "saving" or "being saved" as a way to
discuss these issues). Ryan makes 2 important observations: 1) the
burnout among educators and student peers that can come from the concern
for (even frustration with) women who cannot leave their situations for
whatever reasons, and 2) the experience of what is sometimes called
"survivor's" guilt (which might also lead to post-traumatic stress!) 

 

I wonder if these experiences relate to the ways in which we make
violence and trauma the responsibility of individuals rather than
identifying complex social connections. Is it easier to locate these
issues as personal and then somehow in our control? I agree with Jenny
that violence must be recognized as systemic and pervasive in our
society. How do we recognize these connections in our educational
systems? And does this knowledge help us to understand violence in more
depth or does it make our responses to it feel even smaller? 

 

Mev 








On Wednesday, August 16, 2006, at 03:34 PM, Ryan Hall wrote: 

	 

	I think Shirley makes a good point- that we can't save the
world. But, perhaps "saving the world" is subjective in that it is
usually defined by the person who is taking on that task. When we're the
outsider looking at someone who so desperately needs to be saved, it's
easy to forget that the choices we can offer may not be ones they can
choose. Sometimes, choosing one of the options is too hard or too
dangerous. Perhaps it's watching as students continue to struggle in
their violent environment that causes much of the teacher burnout. I
think that it is important to remember that some, maybe many, students
can't be "saved" if for no other reason than it is just too hard for
them to make those choices. I wonder if this concept may be even more
difficult to understand for those of us who have seen and/or experienced
trauma and been able to escape, or maybe just harder to deal with
because it makes us feel guilty that we were able to do what many of
them can't. 

	Ryan 

	 

	On 8/16/06 11:43 AM, "sjrhodes at tampabay.rr.com"
<sjrhodes at tampabay.rr.com> wrote: 

	 

	I have a few thoughts on: 

	 

	In the articles we read, it was suggested that one approach to
opening   

	possibilities for learners is to "provide a reassuring and clear


	structure while allowing for the possibility of choice and
freedom   

	within careful boundaries." 

	 

	I had a very dear friend that told me once, you can't save the
world, but you can still be involved and help people by steering them in
the right direction.  The simple fact that "you" are not alone, I
believe, is a good start for the literacy worker and student.  And,
remember to followp-through, or if you feel the need to be personally
involved, contact the social organizations you trust, support them and
share information.  This has worked for me, because I am a victim of
trauma, but I don't believe that literacy learning is the place to share
this kind of information - A look that says, "I understand," and you can
do this and I know how you can work on bettering your life, by directing
women in the right direction, is a way to keep boundaries - so
important, as workers can suffer burn-out and learners can give up - so
easily, it breaks your heart...Network, Be Informed and focus on
learning... 

	 

	Shirley 

	 

	----- Original Message ----- 

	From: "mev at litwomen.org" <mev at litwomen.org> 

	Date: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 8:45 pm 

	Subject: [WomenLiteracy 492] RD: Bridges to Learning 

	To: womenliteracy at nifl.gov 

	Cc: NIFL Womenlit <womenliteracy at dev.nifl.gov> 

	 

	> Hi Everyone. I sent this message early this am (9:00) -- and
have 

	> been 

	> away most of the day. It appeared not to have gone through - I


	> have no 

	> idea why. This is a second try. Sorry for the delay. We can
extend 

	> the 

	> discussion one more day of necessary. 

	> Mev 

	> ---------------- 

	> 

	> Good morning! 

	> Welcome to the Reading Discussion on articles written by Jenny


	> Horsman's addressing the impacts of violence on women's
learning. 

	> The 

	> guidelines for discussion as previously outlined, the articles


	> being 

	> discussed, and facilitator's bio are listed at the bottom of
this 

	> email. 

	> Providing a Reading Discussion is a new experience for the 

	> Womenliteracy listserv -- it will be an exciting new
opportunity 

	> for 

	> many of us. Those with Distance Learning experience may adapt
to 

	> this 

	> forum quicker than others. I have been considering ways to
keep 

	> it 

	> manageable for our levels of experience. 

	> 

	> In the articles we read, it was suggested that one approach to


	> opening 

	> possibilities for learners is to "provide a reassuring and
clear 

	> structure while allowing for the possibility of choice and
freedom 

	> 

	> within careful boundaries." In that spirit, I would like to 

	> propose 

	> this framework for the week as we move forward. For the first
few 

	> days, 

	> let's focus on "Moving beyond 'Stupid"" as it discusses some
of 

	> the 

	> more general impacts of violence on women's learning. In the 

	> middle of 

	> this week (as the discussion leads us), we can focus more
directly 

	> on 

	> the 2nd article, "Learning in the Context of Trauma" from
Chapter 

	> 5 of 

	> _Too Scared to Learn_. In the last 2-3 days of this
discussion, we 

	> can 

	> draw from both articles and our own experience and discuss
more 

	> broadly 

	> some ways to develop creative, holistic, and "safer" learning 

	> environments for women. 

	> 

	> As I read "Moving Beyond Stupid," several questions emerged
for me 

	> -- 

	> and I'm sure they did for you as well. 

	> Perhaps we can begin by discussing how we understand and
define 

	> violence and trauma. How has Jenny's descriptions in this
article 

	> informed your own views or understanding of violence and
trauma? 

	> To 

	> what extent have we understood the pervasiveness of violence
and 

	> the 

	> systemic ways it exists and operates? 

	> 

	> This article reveals that slightly more than half of Canadian 

	> women 

	> have experienced at least one incident of violence. Jenny
states 

	> (p. 

	> 181): "...we have to assume that every class will include at
least 

	> some 

	> with this experience." What do you make of this assumption?
Does 

	> this 

	> information correspond with the experiences of people from
other 

	> countries on this list? 

	> 

	> This article also discusses shame and the way it continues to 

	> silence 

	> women and limits their success in learning situations. How
have 

	> you 

	> experienced the impacts of violence and trauma on students and


	> their 

	> learning as well as on yourselves as teachers/educators? 

	> 

	> This article makes the warning to avoid making violence simply
an 

	> individual problem needing diagnosis and treatment
(medicalizing). 

	> Have 

	> you been able to balance the needs and experiences of
individuals 

	> while 

	> recognizing and addressing larger social and systemic
connections 

	> to 

	> violence? How? 

	> 

	> I think this gives us enough to start with for now.....begin
where 

	> you 

	> will, either with these questions or with something else in
the 

	> "Moving 

	> Beyond Stupid" article that created a stir in you... 

	> 

	> Mev Miller, Facilitator for RD: Bridges to Learning 

	> Director, WE LEARN 

	> 

	>
------------------------------------------------------------------- 

	> ----- 

	> ------------ 

	> Guidelines for Reading Discussion - August 15 - 22, 2006 

	> * During the designated discussion period, use the assigned 

	> discussion 

	> subject line each time you post. For this reading discussion, 

	> please 

	> use: [RD: Bridges to Learning] 

	> 

	> * Though it will be helpful to have read the articles,
everyone is 

	> 

	> welcome to participate in the discussion. Subscribers to 

	> Womenliteracy 

	> may join the discussion at any time, or read/listen as
interested. 

	> 

	> * Be mindful that many people only check email once a day or 

	> sporadically. As with any discussion, if you have made a post,


	> please 

	> allow space and time for others to come into the discussion. 

	> 

	> * Remember, this is an open, public discussion. If you have 

	> something 

	> private or sensitive to respond, you may want to take it off
list 

	> with 

	> an individual. 

	> 

	> Articles by Jenny Horsman for Reading discussion, August 15 -
22, 

	> 2006:1) Moving Beyond "Stupid": Taking Account of the Impact
of 

	> Violence on 

	> Women's Learning (12 pages) 

	> 2) Chapter 5 from Too Scared to Learn, "Learning in the
Context of 

	> 

	> Trauma: The Challenge of Setting Goals" (37 pages) 

	> Download these two articles from the Jenny Horsman website: 

	> http://www.jennyhorsman.com 

	> (if you look at the right side bar of her website, you will
see 

	> the two 

	> readings listed. Click on the readings and you will be taken
to 

	> the 

	> material. Depending on your computer, it may take a few
minutes 

	> for the 

	> article to download).*** These articles are posted as a
courtesy 

	> on the 

	> Internet for the purposes of this discussion. They will be 

	> available 

	> for download only until August 22, 2006. *** 

	> As supplemental reading, you may also want to look at this
article 

	> 

	> available on the WE LEARN website: 

	> "But Is It Education?" The Challenge of Creating Effective 

	> Learning for 

	> Survivors of Trauma -- Women's Studies Quarterly, 32: #1&2,
2004-- 

	> (16 

	> pages) 

	> http://www.litwomen.org/Research/horsman_wsq.pdf 

	> 

	> Facilitator: Mev Miller 

	> Mev Miller, Ed.D. is director and founder of WE LEARN (Women 

	> expanding 

	> Literacy Education action resource Network -- 

	> http://litwomen.org/welearn.html). A long time feminist
activist, 

	> Mev 

	> has years of experience in facilitating reading-discussion
circles 

	> on a 

	> variety of women's issues. Her experience also includes
facilitating 

	> Women Leading Through Reading Reading-Discussion Circles with 

	> women in 

	> both ABE and ESOL learning Settings.WE LEARN Women Expanding: 

	> Literacy 

	> Education Action Resource Network
www.litwomen.org/welearn.html 

	> 

	> 

	> WE LEARN 

	> Women Expanding: Literacy Education Action Resource Network 

	> www.litwomen.org/welearn.html 

	> 

	> Mev Miller, Ed.D., Director 

	> 182 Riverside Ave. 

	> Cranston, RI 02910 

	> 401-383-4374 

	> welearn at litwomen.org 

	> 

	> ---------------------------------------------------- 

	> National Institute for Literacy 

	> Women and Literacy mailing list 

	> WomenLiteracy at nifl.gov 

	> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go
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	> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/womenliteracy 

	 

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