Wow, Samuel, that's a hard one!

I bet an all male conference would seem different, too--let's trade 
observations

OK--female conference-others chime in.

1)	flowers, music, food
2)	A sense of being sisters--there are givens that we all share, so 
laughter can be shared laughter.  Mothers  and their relations to 
children and bringing up children,  particularly girls, in a dangerous 
world that can turn on you suddenly.
3)	Movement of the family literacy model from mother reading to child 
to all the things mothers write  in the home that a child can 
copy--this is kind of an insider's view of the home--one of the 
presenters made that link.  Two very well known family ltiteracy 
studies have been written by women, and they take in this wider view.  
Also, ethnographic studies.
4)	Discussions of and acceptance of women's sexuality is usually pretty 
tamped down in mixed gender conferences.
5)	A feeling of  goodness and wholeness drew us  together.
6)	We have common hurdles in living, in achievement--common experiences 
that  unite women.

7)	I have to say that the managers of this conference were extremely 
skilled in how they structured it , for example, workshop presenters 
included all of us in perhaps introductions, or bad experiences, or 
good attributes or our experiences.  Also--needs were taken care of 
before they arose, for example, food was ready before lunchtime, one 
woman went around drawing chairs together in threes  so we could talk.  
It was a lovely generosity.

8)	No sparring for men's attention!  There was one guy there, i don't 
mean to slight him, I think he came for a specific presentation. Maybe 
others will know.

9)	Adult literacy students came, were asked to come, were included.  
This was a deliberate "chain of life, let's hand on our knowledge to 
women coming after us"  attitude.

I have to say, also, Samuel, that I went for 8 formative years to a 
girls school, and  at our last reunion, in a classmate's  home, the 
husband (up on the 2nd floor) was startled, we later learned, to hear a 
good belly laugh that he associated only with men.  Two of our members 
died this winter, so I called a reunion--I had a shared  feeling that 
we should have been there for our friends, just to let them we loved 
them,  and to wish them good luck on the voyage.

******************

Does anyone know of any movies which show, demonstrate this feeling of 
sisterhood?

Andrea


On Mar 23, 2006, at 11:46 AM, Samuel McGraw III wrote:


> Andrea et. al.,

>

>

> I would love to know of the "barriers that are usually present in a

> male dominated conference."

>

> Thanks,

>

> Samuel McGraw III M. Ed.

> Program Coordinator

>

> Goodwill

> Tel: 206.860.5789

> Fax: 206.325.9845

> http://www.seattlegoodwill.org

> Because jobs change lives

>

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov

> [mailto:womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Andrea Wilder

> Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 6:59 AM

> To: The Women and Literacy Discussion List

> Subject: [WomenLiteracy 226] Re: WE LEARN Conference

>

> All:

>

> I felt accepted as a woman.  The barriers that are usually present in a

> male dominated conference weren't  there. So how did this happen?

>

> 1)	Flowers, massage, great  food, live music.

>

> 2)	In the workshops I went to the  presenters  made it a point to

> have

> exercises which included all of  us.

>

> 3)	No female topics were off limits, I had the feeling that some of

> the

> workshop leaders had seen it all--they were very calm.

> Excellent role

> models.  I learned a lot about being a woman.

>

> Andrea	

> On Mar 23, 2006, at 2:27 AM, Ujwala Samant wrote:

>

>>> From some of us who missed the conference (last year's

>> was super), how about those who attended giving us the

>> highlights?

>> Thanks

>> Ujwala

>>

>> --- Bertha Mo <bertiemo at yahoo.com> wrote:

>>

>>> I work with students of color and female students

>>> who have math phobia.  I'd like to know the contact

>>> of the person who did the presentation on algebra

>>> and manipulatives.

>>>

>>>   Best,

>>>

>>>   Bertie Mo, Ph.D., MPH

>>>

>>> Daphne Greenberg <ALCDGG at langate.gsu.edu> wrote:

>>>   It is now about a week and a half since the WE

>>> LEARN Conference and I know that a few of us on this

>>> listserv were able to attend. I was thinking that it

>>> may be helpful to those who did not know about this

>>> conference, or could not attend to hear from those

>>> of us who attended what they learned, why they

>>> thought it was or was not worthwhile going, and

>>> anything else.

>>> For those of you not familiar with this conference,

>>> it is an annual conference focusing on women and

>>> literacy issues. Some examples of what I came back

>>> with are a few tips about how to begin to talk about

>>> racism in the classroom, how to stay safe while

>>> using the Internet, and alternative ways to teach

>>> algebra with manipulatives. My most enjoyable

>>> session was one that was ran by the author Judith

>>> Frank who read from and discussed her book Crybaby

>>> Butch. I liked that session because I had read the

>>> book (and highly recommend it) and it was great to

>>> hear her perspectives of it.

>>> Any one else interested in sharing?

>>> 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

>>>

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

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>>> Women and Literacy mailing list

>>> WomenLiteracy at nifl.gov

>>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings,

>>> please go to

>>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/womenliteracy

>>>

>>>>

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>

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