[NLA] Re: [NLA] Mother's First Book & Family Literacy Day

[Suzanne Smythe]

Thanks Tom, for offering this historical perspective on the importance of
women's literacy.  As a Canadian woman involved in the family literacy
movement here, I read the message with great interest but was actually
dismayed, rather than inspired by what I think are pretty strong parallels
between early 20th century ideas about the importance of mothers' literacy,
and those that dominate literacy policies and practices today.

It seems children's literacy, learning and general success in life are still
very much deemed the responsibility of mothers, and rationales for educating
women still seem to rest more on our roles as mothers than on our identities
as individuals with educational aspirations that include, but are not
limited to "keeping baby well."

Indeed, I have read many family literacy program descriptions that state
their objectives as "better parenting", "improved relationships with the
school" "improved parent-child interactions", and so on that seem to echo
the aims in Mothers' First Book for "better home practices and higher ideals
in their home and community life".

I am thus equally dismayed that the family literacy movement still holds as
a foundational belief that the intergenerational transfer of skills from
mother to child is unmediated by social values and policies towards women
that promote poverty, the double day, domestic violence, the denial of
quality child care, family un-friendly working conditions and so on. I
believe that these factors  shape children's futures more strongly than
their mother's literacy level (as if this is static and unchanging
throughout the life course).

Besides, many of us who are mothers, and have had the good fortune to
benefit from quality education are still told, in a variety of ways by
schools and other societal institutions, that we are still not quite good
enough-we are too protective, not protective enough, too involved in the
school, not involved enough, obsessed with our children, too busy with work
outside the home...

My concern over the "motherization" of family literacy does not mean I don't
support efforts to promote and study literacy outside of school
settings-families and communities are vitally important contexts for
understanding the uses and acquisition of literacy. But I think our efforts
as literacy educators and advocates may be best put to writing a new and
different sort of "mothers' first book".

I thank you for the opportunity to reflect on the meaning of Mothers' First
Book in the family literacy movement, and in the broader work of literacy
educators!

Best wishes,

Suzanne Smythe
Vancouver, BC

----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas Sticht" <tsticht at znet.com>
To: <nla at lists.literacytent.org>; <cfeatherstone at corporate.southam.ca>;
<annabelh at basic-skills.co.uk>
Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2002 2:20 PM
Subject: [NLA] Mother's First Book & Family Literacy Day


> Research Note 5 December, 2002
>
>
> Mother's First Book and Family Literacy Day in Canada
>
> Tom Sticht
> International Consultant in Adult Education
>
> In just over a month, on January 17th, 2003, those who work to advance
> adult literacy in the United States will celebrate the 128th anniversary
> of the birthday of Cora Wilson Stewart, who some regard as the founder of
> modern adult literacy education in the United States. Later, on January
> 27th, Canada will celebrate Family Literacy Day to increase awareness of
> the importance of parent's literacy in the development of children's
> literacy, and to advocate for family literacy programs in which parents
> and children learn literacy skills together.
>
> The work of Cora Wilson Stewart in the first third of the 20th century and
> that of family literacy educators of the 21st century finds an intercept
> in the understanding of the importance of the literacy of parents,
> especially mothers, on the educational achievement of children.
>
> In 1930, the Johnson Publishing Company published the first book in the
> United States aimed specifically at teaching mothers to read. Written by
> Cora Wilson Stewart, the book was entitled, "Mother's First Book: A First
> Reader for Home Women."
>
> In the introduction to the book, Stewart explains that,
>
> "This book is a first reader for women who cannot read or write. It is for
> the teacher's use in teaching such women, and by teacher is meant any
> person who helps a woman to read..While the book may be used in the
> class-room (sic), it is designed for use in the home. There are many women
> who can attend school, there are many others who cannot. Those who are
> unable to join a class or to enroll in school may be taught at home by the
> public school teacher or by an ex-teacher; or, if not by these, by a
> member of the woman's own family, by a neighbor or friend. Never was there
> a finer, nobler task for a volunteer who wants to render a patriotic,
> helpful, constructive service." (p. 5)
>
> Stewart goes on to explain that, "The lessons are centered around the home
> and the daily activities. Based as they are on simple everyday tasks - the
> care of the baby, cleanliness, proper foods for the family, cooperation
> with the school and similar subjects - they aim not only at teaching women
> to read and write, but at leading them to better home practices and higher
> ideals in their home and community life. " (p. 5)
>
> The first reading lesson in the Mother's First Book goes:
>
> "See my baby!
> See my baby play!
> My baby is well.
> I keep my baby well. " (p.11)
>
> Later, the lessons include instruction in the parenting activity of taking
> an interest in children's schooling:
>
> "Some parents visit the school.
> They make a friend of the teacher.
> They invite the teacher to the home.
> The parent and teacher talk together.
> They plan for the good of the child.
> Then the child gets on faster in school. ." (p. 46)
>
> Though the Mother's First Reader is couched in the ideas of motherhood and
> family of the rural populations of the United States in the early 20th
> century, the idea that mothers need to be literate and that through the
> intergenerational transfer of skills and attitudes the mother's education
> can influence the subsequent educational achievement of their children, is
> a foundational belief of contemporary family literacy programs.
>
> What was true in the United States over 70 years ago, is true today, and
> we adult educators in the United States show our solidarity with our
> colleagues in Canada by celebrating the importance of family literacy
> education on Family Literacy Day, January 27th 2003.
>
> Some truths are truths, eh?
>
>
>
>
>
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