Hi David,

Dear David,

I haven't read the book Last Chance in Texas, but I had a student last
year who wrote a paper on the Giddings State School.  Then the school's
programs were featured on NPR (I believe) sometime last year.  I
remember being really impressed with everything I learned about the
school, so I'll add the book to my very long "to read" list.

As for Martina Jackson's 2 articles, I agree with Martina's depictions
of women being gifted artists and writers.  The talent in my classrooms
was staggering.  Also the theme of physical and sexual abuse is one that
would resonate with the students I have taught as well.  And at the risk
of overgeneralizing my students, unlike in the case of Jackson's
students, many of the women I taught were not mothers and they did not
"revere" their mothers.  In fact, I used Jamaica Kincaid's poem "Girl"
in class and learned quickly from that mistake.  I had on my first night
of teaching 10 out of 12 students crying.  Their relationships with
their mothers were not happy ones.  I should note that the statistics
indicate that the majority of incarcerated women are indeed mothers.
Several of them serve time hundreds of miles away from their children
with visits being far and few between. 

Also Jackson describes her students as "intimidated by the plays,
novels, and poetry we consider a part of a standard high school
education" and she goes on to discuss that she believes this is in part
because her students had less than 10 years of consistent schooling as
they were dropping in and out of school.  I found that my students
weren't "intimidated" by the written word as much as they needed the
skills to read the words.  After my first year of teaching at a women's
jail in NY, I became a certified reading specialist and trained in
"diagnosing" LDs because I wanted to be better equipped to deal with the
needs of my students. 

Unlike Jackson, I have never used films in my class, we weren't allowed
to show videos, but I do think this would be an effective technique and
would be willing to try it out.  Have others of you tried this in your
prison classrooms, and how has it worked out for you?


Also I wanted to recommend to folks Jean Trounstine's book Shakespeare
Behind Bars, which is different from the film that Harriet Smith
references in her e-mail.  Jean's book is about a writing class she
conducted at the women's prison in Framingham, MA.  I actually had the
chance to meet and talk with Jean about her work--quite fascinating.

Best,
Dominique 

-----Original Message-----
From: povertyracewomen-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:povertyracewomen-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2007 8:21 AM
To: The Poverty, Race,Women and Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 493] Re: Bars, Boundaries,and Barriers
Researching Women's Spaces

Thanks, Dominique.  It is helpful to learn about the differences  
between your experience and the Eve Ensler documentary.

I would like your (and others') reactions, if you are familiar with  
these, to:

1)  a book about prison education called _Last Chance in Texas:The  
redemption of Criminal Youth_, by journalist John Hubner.
For those who may not be familiar with it, the book is about a  
counseling program at the Giddings State School (juvenile prison) in  
Texas, home of "the worst of the worst," male and female juvenile  
offenders.  The program has had extraordinary success, and its  
outcomes include a very low rate of recidivism.  This not about an  
education program as such; it is a therapeutic program. Nevertheless,  
the program, and Hubner's in depth description of it, is  
extraordinary, and the book is a moving read.

and

2) two parts of an article by Massachusetts adult education teacher,  
Martina Jackson,  about teaching Shakespeare in the women's division  
of the Suffolk County House of Correction, a jail in Massachusetts.


http://alri.org/pubs/shakespeareone.html
http://alri.org/pubs/shakespearetwo.html

Are there themes in these that resonate with your experience?

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net


On Feb 12, 2007, at 11:33 PM, Chlup, Dominique wrote:


>

> Dear David,

>

>

>

> I have to admit it has been awhile since I saw the documentary  

> featuring Eve Ensler's writing classroom. I saw it when it first  

> appeared in Dec. 2003.  I would probably need to watch the  

> documentary again in order to give a full answer.

>

>

>

> I do remember being moved by the women's stories, but I also  

> remember being struck that the women could talk about their crimes  

> in a workshop setting.  In the beginning of the documentary, I  

> believe the women are asked to tell the details of their crime.  In  

> my writing workshops, prison officials enforced a strict policy  

> that inmates were not allowed to discuss their crimes with one  

> another.

>

>

>

> Also the entire group in this documentary has been convicted of  

> violent offenses.  I believe they are all in prison for murder.  In  

> my classes, most of the women were imprisoned for drugs,  

> embezzlement, forging checks, prostitution, and drugs.  While  

> inmates weren't allowed to talk about their crimes, it did often  

> come out in their personal writing to me.  I can count on one hand  

> the number of women I have taught who were convicted on murder  

> charges.

>

>

>

> Also the class in the documentary consists of some pretty high  

> profile women, including Pam Smart, Kathy Boudin, and Judith  

> Clark.  All of their cases made national headlines.  That has not  

> been typical of the writing workshops I have been involved in.   

> Also my students struggled more with reading and writing than this  

> group does. Often students would peer teach each other the  

> literature we were reading that week.   And my classes were never  

> filled with native English speakers only.  Spanish and English and  

> other languages flew through the air during my writing classes.

>

>

>

> And one thing that I think is hard to capture unless you experience  

> it first hand is the sound of a heavy, iron prison door locking  

> behind you.  There is something about a prison environment that  

> often left me exhausted.  On the days after my class or visits to  

> the prison, I could remember wanting to sleep for a day.  I have to  

> admit the Federal prison in my town here in Texas leaves me with a  

> very different feeling as it's on an old school campus, so the  

> education building reminds me of a typical adult education  

> program.  There's no arduous process of checking into the prison.   

> I've never been searched and doors don't lock automatically behind  

> me.  Of course, this is in the education building.  I have never  

> actually been into a housing unit yet, and we haven't even started  

> the education program that colleagues and I have been working on  

> for months.  I have only been there to visit, so my impressions are  

> simply that first impressions.

>

>

>

> In general, I do remember being moved by the documentary and  

> feeling that it was demonstrating a powerful experience and worth  

> watching, but again, I would need to see the documentary again to  

> do an accurate comparison.  These are just a few thoughts that come  

> immediately to mind.

>

>

>

> Best,

>

> Dominique

>

>

> ________________________________

>

> From: povertyracewomen-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David Rosen

> Sent: Mon 2/12/2007 6:13 PM

> To: The Poverty, Race,Women and Literacy Discussion List

> Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 487] Re: Bars, Boundaries,and Barriers  

> Researching Women's Spaces

>

>

>

> Hello Dominique,

>

> I wonder if you have seen the documentary film, "What I Want My Words

> to Do to You" and if you think this is a good introduction to women's

> writing in prison. Thanks.

>

> David J. Rosen

>

> On Feb 12, 2007, at 3:20 PM, Chlup, Dominique wrote:

>

>>

>> Dear Bill,

>>

>> I think the image of "enabling" is a powerful one.  I am curious to

>> learn how others enable the sharing of inmates' stories, writing,

>> work.

>>

>> I remember a few years ago meeting Wally Lamb and 3 of his co-

>> authors Robin Cullen, Nancy Whiteley, and Tabatha Rowley all

>> contributors to the book Couldn't Keep it to Myself: Testimonies

>> from our Imprisoned Sisters.  All 3 women were no longer imprisoned

>> and were touring the country with Wally to share their stories and

>> promote the book.  Robin and I began dialoguing, and I arranged for

>> her along with other co-authors of the book to speak at Harvard  (I

>> was a member of the Harvard Prison Education Project at the time).

>> It's the only time I know that Harvard actually paid a small

>> stipend for speakers.  Harvard typically doesn't pay it's speakers

>> (or at least that was what I was told).  Speaking at Harvard is

>> supposed to be honor enough--that's a whole other discussion.

>> Anyway, after the women read and shared their stories an incredibly

>> powerful discussion ensued.  You see none of these women fit the

>> stereotype of a female inmate--whatever that stereotype that might

>> be.  One audience member even remarked that the power in the

>> women's words was really re-enforced by seeing her personally read  

>> it.

>>

>> A few years earlier, I had participated in a reading that was later

>> taped for NPR.  A group of  of us read stories from our student-

>> inmates who were still incarcerated.  I found both experiences

>> powerful in their own rights, but not without their complications

>> in terms of planning and logistics, so I am curious  to hear how

>> others have publicly shared the work of inmates and managed to

>> involve imates in the sharing of their own work.

>>

>> Best,

>>

>> Dominique

>> ________________________________

>>

>> From: povertyracewomen-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of William R Muth/

>> FS/VCU

>> Sent: Mon 2/12/2007 10:52 AM

>> To: The Poverty, Race,Women and Literacy Discussion List

>> Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 482] Re: Bars, Boundaries, and Barriers

>> Researching Women's Spaces

>>

>>

>>

>> Dominique,

>> As a person also interested in listening to the voices of

>> incarcerated literacy learners, I am thankful to you and this

>> listserv for establishing a supportive place to pursue this

>> interest. This is self-serving, of course, but when I share

>> 'stories' of incarcerated men and women (from my past teaching or

>> current studies), I try to think of it not as 'I am telling' their

>> story, but rather as 'I am enabling' their stories (a) to be

>> constructed by the learners (who often, otherwise, have no spaces

>> in which to create their biographies), (b) to be heard and

>> validated (another rare event in prison), and (c) to be shared (in

>> a public discourse that is otherwise shaped by a deadly language of

>> corporate accountability).

>>

>> For me, the introspection (and, yes, doubt) happens most during the

>> actual conversations with the learners: When is my interest an act

>> of trespassing rather than support? But I recognize the ongoing

>> need to examine my motives for doing this work at all. Now that I

>> am in a publish-or perish mode, this can be come a slippery slope,

>> indeed.

>>

>> Again, thank you (and Daphne) for allowing this conversation to

>> happen.

>> Bill Muth

>> Virginia Commonwealth University

>>

>>

>>

>>

>> "Chlup, Dominique" <dchlup at tamu.edu>

>> Sent by: povertyracewomen-bounces at nifl.gov

>>

>> 02/12/2007 01:13 AM

>> Please respond to

>> "The Poverty, Race,        Women and Literacy Discussion List"

>> <povertyracewomen at nifl.gov>

>>

>>

>> To

>> "The Poverty, Race,        Women and Literacy Discussion List"

>> <povertyracewomen at nifl.gov>

>> cc

>> Subject

>> [PovertyRaceWomen 479] Re: Bars, Boundaries,        and Barriers

>> Researching Women's Spaces

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>> First, I have to admit that I have been a "lurker" on this

>> discussion list for quite sometime.  In all of my time lurking I

>> think I have posted twice, so when Daphne asked me to consider

>> being a guest facilitator I have to admit that I was excited but

>> also a bit leery of leaving behind the safety net of reading

>> others' postings and becoming actively involved in the discussion.

>> I see this, though, as my risk for the week, so I want to invite

>> all of the other "lurkers" along with the regular posters on the

>> list to feel free to post this week.  I welcome the opportunity to

>> dialogue with everyone.

>>

>> Now onto the discussion...

>>

>> When colleagues ask me about my work and the challenges I face

>> researching women student-inmates, one of the first things I reveal

>> to them is how I struggle with the barrier of writing about topics

>> and women who live lives that are far removed from my day to day

>> life.  I am the one with perceived authority, access, and the

>> privilege of going "home" at night, and I try never to forget that.

>>

>> When I first entered a prison classroom, I naively expected to find

>> women who were very different from me, but they weren't.  Yes,

>> their institutionalized lives were different from mine, but I was

>> immediately struck by how my students could easily have been my

>> mother, sister, grandmother, best friend, or me.  It didn't take

>> long for me to realize that prison spaces demonstrate a convergence

>> of disadvantage based on racial, class, and gender inequality.  All

>> of the women I have ever had the privilege of working with were

>> arrested for offenses associated with problems of addiction,

>> poverty, and domestic abuse. Whatever preconceptions I had of women

>> prisoners, I quickly realized were misconceptions based largely on

>> stereotypes and misinformation.  I now believe that in the name of

>> maintaining dominant social order, certain resources and privileges

>> are concentrated in some groups, which marginalize and criminalize

>> others.

>>

>> Many of the stories I have researched, witnessed, and heard over

>> the years regarding the treatment of women inmates, offend my

>> democratic sensibilities.  I have cried, laughed, dreamed, and

>> hoped with my students (both the ones that I have actually had in

>> class and those whom I have only researched in the prison

>> archives).  I have been rendered speechless when accosted by

>> individuals who don't understand why I have chosen to do the work

>> that I do.  One woman, whom I struck up a conversation with on a

>> very long line for the bathroom at a wedding remarked, "I hope my

>> taxpayer money isn't going to pay for that education program."

>>

>> I informed her that for the most part the prisoners were raising

>> the money to keep classes going.  The education programs had been

>> the first thing cut when prison budget restructuring had occurred.

>> "Good" was all she said before getting off the line and walking

>> away from me.  I still struggle with the challenge of facing

>> critics and what to say to them.  I also struggle with the

>> objectives of "giving voice to the voiceless," "sharing untold

>> stories," and "portraying prison life."  While these objectives,

>> decidedly feminist ones, are in keeping with why I began this work,

>> I am not sure they should be the reasons that keep me invested in

>> this work.  I question:  Who am I to be telling these women's

>> stories?  What right do I have?  What right do any of us have if we

>> are not women prisoners ourselves?

>>

>> I have begun this discussion by sharing a bit of my story from the

>> social context of working with women inmates.  I hope you will feel

>> free to respond to any of the points or issues I have raised.  But

>> I also wonder about the struggles and challenges each of you face

>> either researching or working in women's spaces.  What would you

>> describe as the biggest barrier or boundary you face in your work?

>> How do you deal with these bars, boundaries, and barriers?

>>

>>

>> --Dominique

>>

>>

>> Dominique T. Chlup

>> Director of the Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy and

>> Learning  (TCALL) &

>> Assistant Professor of Adult Education

>> Texas A&M University

>> www-tcall.tamu.edu

>>

>> ________________________________

>>

>> From: povertyracewomen-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Daphne Greenberg

>> Sent: Fri 2/9/2007 2:52 PM

>> To: Women and Literacy Discussion List The Poverty Race

>> Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 468] Bars, Boundaries,and Barriers

>> Researching Women's Spaces

>>

>>

>>

>> Reminder about Guest Facilitator:

>> (please invite friends and colleagues to join by telling them to

>> subscribe, and later unsubscribe at:

>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/povertyracewomen )

>>

>> Starting this Monday, Feb. 12th and continuing through Friday Feb.

>> 16th, Dominique Chlup will be facilitating a discussion on:

>>

>> Bars, Boundaries, and Barriers Researching Women's Spaces

>>

>> If you have time and are interested, I highly recommend that you  

>> check

>> out the following links where you can find two examples of  

>> Dominique's

>> writings. The articles are not long, and I think that you will find

>> them

>> interesting and full of thought provoking ideas:

>> http://www.ncsall.net/?id=828

>> and

>> http://www.ncsall.net/?id=826

>>

>> In case you want to know more about our guest facilitator, here is a

>> short blurb about her:

>>

>> Dominique Chlup is an assistant professor of adult education and the

>> director of the Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy and

>> Learning (TCALL) at Texas A&M University.She got her "calling" to be

>> an

>> adult educator after volunteering for a year at the Valhalla Women's

>> Jail in New York. She taught in the "Right to Write" program.  While

>> her

>> career has taken her into several other adult classrooms, she finds

>> she

>> returns again and again to her work with women student-inmates.  She

>> wrote a

>> dissertation on the history of the educational programs and practices

>> at

>> the Framingham Reformatory for Women in Massachusetts, and she

>> continues

>> to research contemporary prison programs.  As a part of her research

>> with women inmates, she has encountered both literal and figurative

>> bars.  As such, she is always interested in dialoging with others

>> about

>> their own experiences researching and working in women's spaces.  To

>> learn more about her work, you can read

>>

>> http://www.ncsall.net/?id=828

>> and

>> http://www.ncsall.net/?id=826

>>

>> Please invite your friends and colleagues to join us during this

>> "discussion." If they want to temporarily join us, they can subscribe

>> and then later unsubscribe at:

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

>>

>> 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

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

>> National Institute for Literacy

>> Poverty, Race, Women and Literacy mailing list

>> PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

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

>>

>>

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>>

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>> PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

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>

> David J. Rosen

> djrosen at comcast.net

>

>

>

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

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> Poverty, Race, Women and Literacy mailing list

> PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  

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>

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