[NLA] Discussion: Adult Learners with Trauma]

Mon Feb 3 11:32:59 EST 2003

Thank you for sharing Harry.  A most moving story that reminds me that
trauma can in fact be interpreted in many ways and that we as adult
educators no matter how large our waiting list need to look at each student
and their needs and participation individually.
As a parent of a son who was hit by a car, I have personal experience with
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and as an educator I wrote my graduate thesis
on Traumatic Brain Injury and the impact on education. Research is ongoing
and I have gathered many resources for educators on this subject and
presented workshops as well.
When you consider the population we serve and the number of challenged
students in our programs the numbers impacted by TBI may well be staggering.
Many of the students we encounter are probably unaware that their problem is
TBI related. This is a popular scenario even in the public schools K-12,
since it is more common than not to dismiss a bump on the head, etc. as
"typical kids stuff". You will note that just this week the Natl. Ctr. for
Disease Control and the Natl. TBI Assoc.  jointly have undertaken a project
to educate sports coaches , PE teachers etc. of the seriousness of
concussions and that the long term effects are much more serious than had
been previously believed. As part of my research I had interviewed kids at
risk and a brief sampling indicated that all were involved with the juvenile
justice system to a some degree. 90% had been withdrawn from school at the
recommendation of the school as too disruptive, etc.. Those with IEP's
included no mention of a TBI yet all (100%) responded affirmatively to
having been hospitalized, unconscious, concussion with some form of a TBI
and yet their respective schools had never been informed. To say that the
schools have much to learn is an understatement. I could go on and on.
There is resource information out there and maybe we need to ask our
students more specific information than "do you need any special
accommodations?",  given the fact that so many individuals are not even
aware that their ability to learn has been compromised by a TBI.
Connie Archambault
Haverhill Public Schools
Even Start Program
carchambault at haverhill-ma.com

-----Original Message-----
From: nla-admin at lists.literacytent.org
[mailto:nla-admin at lists.literacytent.org]On Behalf Of Nancy Hansen
Sent: Friday, January 31, 2003 5:06 PM
To: nla at lists.literacytent.org
Subject: Re: [NLA] Discussion: Adult Learners with Trauma]

Hi Harry (and all interested in this thread),

First of all, Harry.  I apologize.  This reply got a
bit long!  Sorry.

BUT Thank you so much for sharing your opinions and
your personal experience.  Hearing the views of an
adult in a literacy program is truly very important!
Especially considering this statement that you wrote:
"...As you know this is a very sensitive topic for
adult students like me to share."  Yes.  I >do< know
that. Thank you for leaping the barrier of fear!

I'd like for you to add a few opinions at some time in
the future directed to NLA subscribers on this
listserv -- "later" being perhaps after the
Congressmen contacts are made (Jon Randall's Alert):

1)  Would you please offer your opinion to the NLA
subscribers >why< you agreed with the ideas posted in
the emails?

For example, have you used the method of teaching that
one of the subscribers wrote about?  If you did, why
did it work better for you personally?

2) I'd very much like to hear your opinion as to how
you feel all these traumatic experiences affected your
ability to >learn<!  Wow!  Did you go through a lot of
them in your lifetime.  Thank you so much for baring
your soul about them.

3)  Were you ever given a "break", a "time out" or
something similar by a program when you were going
through one of the traumatic times you listed? Some
programs have policies they enforce due to Learner
Waiting Lists - did yours?

4)  Do you feel that break helped you get back to
learning again on a more "full-throttle" basis when
you returned to your program?

5)  Which brings me to whether your current Tutor has
been the only Tutor you have had throughout your time
with the New York LVA - that versus being assigned
someone new?

Thanks again, Harry.  Besides the NLA?  Your story
will mean a >lot< to the learners you shared it with
at your website.  On >their< behalf, I say THANK YOU!

Nancy Hansen
Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council
sfallsliteracy at yahoo.com

--- "Harry I. Seda" <hiseda at warwick.net> wrote:
> > When I read all the postings relating to the [NLA]
> Discussion: Policy
> > or Legal Challenges on behalf of (Adult Learners
> with Trauma), posted
> > on  <Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2003 05:50:17 -0500> by
> David J. Rosen for
> > Nancy Hansen Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council
> > Sioux Falls, SD
> > sfallsliteracy at yahoo.com
> >
> > Hi Nancy, David, Andrea, Janet and Deborah and
> others:
> >
> > I read all the reactions of the posters.  The
> studies that were done
> > might not reflect all the traumas that students
> are dealing with right
> > NOW and the understanding is not there because
> there was no follow-up
> > to get more data.
> >
> > I do agree with everyone with some of what you
> shared.  As you know
> > this is a very sensitive topic for adult students
> like me to share. I
> > agree with some of the opinions with adult
> student's needs and policy
> > that can be put into place to better reflect the
> needs.   As I am
> > reading into the different programs I know that a
> one-to-one program
> > would be best for the population right NOW with
> hard to teach adult
> > students.  Then to further educate them I believe
> that programs
> > working together for the same common goal is best.
>  Sharing resources
> > would help programs reach the most students with
> needs of having a
> > better life being literate instead of illiterate.
> >
> > I would like to share my experience of being
> traumatized in my life.
> > Nobody has gone through as many "traumas" as I
> have. Although I have
> > worked with many different counselors, I have
> found no sensitivity to
> > my needs.
> >
> > This reflects what happened to me from
> kindergarten to 12th grade in
> > the New York City schools during the 1950's.
> >
> > NOTE:
> >
> > I am separating my responses into two parts. The
> first will be a brief
> > reply to the list server postings. With each
> person that I felt had a
> > good point of view I responded to a section that
> reflected the need of
> > the Adult Learners.  Under your statement you will
> see your reply with
> > your posting.  My responses are based on
> everything that I have
> > learned and read from your postings and what I
> have learned on the
> > field. Sometimes the truth hurts, because, I am to
> honest when I share
> > things. Just in case anyone might feel
> uncomfortable with what I am
> > sharing, I apologize in advance if I make you feel
> uncomfortable.
> >
> > To read more about my story click here
> > http://harry_i_seda_lva.tripod.com/index/ and then
> go to "NEW!
> > Advocacy Page" you'll find it there.
> >
> > I will keep my personal story with the trauma in
> my life online ONLY
> > for two weeks.
> >
> > Thanks to one and all.
> > --
> > u1025668 at warwick.net <mailto:u1025668 at warwick.net>
> >
> >  Harry I. Seda
> >
> >   To All My Friends and Family, Please Send An
> E-Mail
> >    First If My Telephone Line Is Busy! Thanks
> >
> >
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> >     Student learner, leader, advocate, ambassador
> and student
> >     representative on the board and now student
> "becomes teacher" and
> >     also student coordinator of workshops.
> >
> > Literacy Volunteers of America, Middletown, NY
> Inc.
> > 25 Orchard Street
> > Middletown, NY 10940
> > LVA Office # 845-341-5460 Fax 845-343-7191
> > Home # 845-856-4098 I do not work at the office.
> >
> > Web Site:  LVA  Midddletown
> > <http://lvamiddletownny.tripod.com/index.html>
> >
> > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> * * * * * * * * * *
> > * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> > <http://lvamiddletownny.tripod.com/index.html>
> >
> > Computer Technology Presenter for 8 years.
> >
> > * * * * Personal * * * * WEB SITE * * * *
> > <http://Harry_I_Seda_LVA.tripod.com/index/>
> >
> > * * * * My Resume * * * *
> >
> <http://harry_i_seda_lva.tripod.com/index/id22.html>
> >
> > P.O. 75, Westtown, New York, 10998
> > * * * * "NEW" * * * * * * * * Workshop
> Presentation * * * *
> >
>
<http://harryiseda.tripod.com/wkshop-bin/workshop-presentation-page.html>
> >
> > VALUE
> >
>
<http://harry_i_seda_lva.tripod.com/NewsLetter/2001newsleter_valuecolumbus.h
tml>("Adult
>
> > Learner Leadership Institute") Conference in
> Columbus, Ohio
> >
>
<http://harry_i_seda_lva.tripod.com/NewsLetter/2001newsleter_valuecolumbus.h
tml>
> >
> >
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Subject:
> > Re: [NLA] Discussion: Policy or Legal Challenges
> on behalf of Adult
> > Learners with Trauma
> > From:
> >  "David J. Rosen" <DJRosen at theworld.com>
> > Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2003 05:50:17 -0500
> > To:
> > nla at lists.literacytent.org
> > Reply-To: nla at lists.literacytent.org
> >
> >
> > NLA Colleagues,
> >
> > Nancy Hansen wrote me to raise a public policy
> question about support
> > for learners who have been traumatized.  I wonder
> if anyone is aware of
> > proposed or actual policy, or legal challenges, in
> the U.S. or elsewhere
> > which address this issue.
> >
> > Nancy wrote:
> >
> > "One of the explorations of old emails included
> reading an ERIC/ACVE
> > email from Judy Wagner.....
> >
> > Published as Digest #239,
> > [
> http://ericacve.org/docgen.asp?tbl=digests&ID=124]
> > writer Sandra Kerka made a point about trauma
> affects on learning.  A
> > dozen authorities were used in the formulation of
> this 5 pg document
> > entitled "Trauma and Adult Learning".  What
> reached out and grabbed ME
> > was the section that included comments about
> assessing those who have
> > been traumatized, creating an even deeper block to
> their learning before
> > they even begin.
> >
> > If authorities make the following statements, my
> question is:  Why do we
> > <not> have a national policy about
> learning/teaching those who are
> > traumatized?  The introductory paragraph describes
> the people our
> > council serves.  <All> of our adult learners have
> exhibited one or the
> > other symptoms she listed.  But I'm also not a
> counselor - no $$ for
> > that one!
> >
> > The statements (pg 4) are listed under the
> sub-head
=== message truncated ===

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