NLA Discussion: Women and Literacy Conference

[Art LaChance]

Daphne,

No "argument", discussion if you will.
I understand the premise of support groups; however the qualifier here is "if
done well".   I've worked with too many clients in rehab where the group wasn't
run well and the results exacerbated an individuals' situation in a negative
direction and halted the rehabilitation process.

I did not say the Women and Literacy conference was a support group, although I
did imply that.  Your interpretation of support groups " ...a recognition that
something that is being experienced 'sucks' " sounds very much like the
platforms for our society's difficulties similar to the one you mention in your
answer to the Ga Literacy Conference.  I didn't look it that way but it's
true.  An obvious disregard for the other religions represented there.  How do
you fix it?  Forget God altogether, provide a moment of silence for all to pay
homage in their own way (that means all religions would have to hold the others
in equal regard??), or have a prayer from each??  I don't know the answer, but
I can see where the options may raise more questions than answers.

Aside from that, what DO you call a group gathering where participants garner
specific knowledge and "support" from each other or qualified professionals,
pardon me but  "a rose by any name"??  The only qualifier here is degree of
influence.

Someone quoted a while back that "No matter what happens, someone will find a
way to misinterpret it".
This is a lot like a mine field.

Thanks,

Art


Daphne Greenberg wrote:

> Art,
>
> If done appropriately, support groups are a very important part of
> therapeutic and social change.  Unfortunately, it seems as if you have
> only been exposed to groups that are not helpful.  Often, a support group
> goes through a developmental process, where at first, people do a lot of
> justifiable complaining.  Groups that are run well end up with positive
> actions that can be taken, a resolution of bad feelings, and/or a
> recognition that something that is being experienced "sucks", but at least
> participants feel that they are not the only ones, and that others share
> their same awful experiences.
>
> I am not sure why we are discussing support groups.  Do you think that the
> Women and Literacy Conference was a support group meeting?  In case you
> do, let me assure you that it wasn't.  Professionals presented on
> different issues regarding women and literacy.  People met after, between,
> and during sessions, and may have gotten support from each other on
> different issues; however this is not what a support group is about.
>
> Daphne Greenberg
>
> Daphne Greenberg
> Center for the Study of Adult Literacy
> Georgia State University
> University Plaza
> Atlanta, GA 30303-3083
> Fax: 404-651-1415
> Ph: 404-651-0400
> E-mail: alcdgg at langate.gsu.edu
>
> >>> Art LaChance <arthur at ellijay.com> 03/10 10:21 AM >>>
>
> Andres,
>
> I find that one of the outcomes of "support groups" is that they tend to
> exacerbate and reinforce the negative thoughts and feelings rather than =
> solving
> problems.  I'm not sure anybody was "turned off" by the title.  I also =
> think=20
> there is a lot of common ground between the sexes in adult lit and really
> didn't want to take the time to deal with ONLY women's issues.
> Ideally, the real meat of this conference should have been included in =
> GA's=20
> recent annual literacy conference where a couple of thousand people
> attended.
>
> Art
>
> Andres Muro wrote:
>
> > Politically correct to whom?
> >
> > That is like suggesting that every time we have events that relate to
> > minorities we take out the reference to the minority that we are =
> referring to.
> > Women are an oppressed group and as such they should organize multiple
> > events and activities to explore the nature of that oppression and ways =
> to
> > overcome it. I presume that everyone who attended the conference and
> > everyone who heard about it, clearly understood what the conference was
> > going to deal with. I think that the conference, in fact, did what =
> intended to
> > do.  Those who are turned off by the title may not be ready to seriously
> > engage the issues. That is not the fault of the organizers. It is more =
> likely
> > the fault of the mainstream educational system.
> >
> > Andres
> >
> > >>> <JCretella at aol.com> 02/09/99 08:55am >>>
> >
> > Daphne..A "gender and literacy" conference may seem more politically
> > correct to some people but I think would avoid the real issues that men
> > and women face the same kinds of barriers  to learning and they also =
> face
> > individual ones  A womens  Conference or a mens Workshop is perfectly
> > appropriate with any local or national conference on Literacy..
> >
> > JCretella at aol.com=20