Jenny Horsman - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Jenny Horsman

Canadian Woman Studies, 1988

In most of the literacy discourse"il1iterates" are not differentiated by gender, but the reader c... more In most of the literacy discourse"il1iterates" are not differentiated by gender, but the reader can usually infer that "people" are actually men. In this way women become "other" in relation to men as the norm. There are many feminist critiques which argue the need, not simply to "add on" a female perspective, but for a revision of the world . There are an increasing number of accounts that seek to enter women's experience into the account of illiteracy and to re-consider the issue of illiteracy from a feminist perspectiveMuch of women's writing on the subject of illiteracy is a critique of the material which leaves women invisible. It is not only the academic literature which leaves women out but, as has observed, it is also the publicity for literacy programming which often focuses on images of illiterate men and their situations. speaking of adult education in England generally sums up the issue: ISBN 0-919926-80-0 $8.95 coil-bound COTEAU BOOKS Box 239, Sub #l, Moose Jaw, SK S6H 5V0 (306) 693-5212

Through working with a woman abused as a child, a teacher concluded that the violence of sexual, ... more Through working with a woman abused as a child, a teacher concluded that the violence of sexual, physical, and psychological abuse is common among many adults who read and write poorly. Their experiences should be acknowledged in literacy programs that encourage people to develop skills with which to tell their stories. (SK)

This report is a brief introduction to the findings of a research project that examined the impac... more This report is a brief introduction to the findings of a research project that examined the impact of abuse on women's literacy learning and explored approaches to literacy programming in the light of these impacts. Interviews were conducted with literacy workers, learners, and counselors to determine the impact of abuse they saw in their work and how literacy programs could address the impact of violence. Following an introduction there is a section that discusses violence and trauma. The next section covers the issues of control, connection, and meaning and how they can be incorporated into a literacy program. The connections between literacy and therapy are then explored. Next an examination is made of new possibilities for literacy practice in light of the impact that violence can have on learning. The last section discusses how to create balance among mind, body, emotion, and spirit through literacy programs. All of these sections are followed by a list of possible actions ...

... Evelyn Battell, Mary Norton, Cate Sills, and Catherine O'Bryan who h... more ... Evelyn Battell, Mary Norton, Cate Sills, and Catherine O'Bryan who helped me set up interviews, each in their own ... Linzi Manicom and Tracy Westell read an early draft and helped me see that I really did have a book and had better look for funding to sink into further analysis. ...

This is a story of a journey involving the head – my coming to awareness of the prevalence of vio... more This is a story of a journey involving the head – my coming to awareness of the prevalence of violence, its impact on learning, the inadequacy of traditional conceptualizations of violence and education. It includes my analytical work to re-frame and articulate effective approaches to support women's learning. It is a journey involving the heart and emotions. Hearing tales of violence was shocking, almost unbearable. At first I wanted to make others take notice of the extent of violence then, realizing how many have already tried to stop violence by raising awareness, I settled in to explore how to support learning in the face of violence. I continue to fight despair as I try to convince educators, funders and policy makers that the impact of violence on learning must be addressed in all educational institutions. I am heartened by educators who have travelled the same road, who join me in the insistence that this issue must be addressed, who change their own practice. Yet, I still struggle to make more change happen, and faster. Over recent years, I have realized that my fury over the fact that so few are prepared to hear and see the impact of violence is fuelled by my own childhood hurt that was not seen, by my fear and grief that was not heard. It's a journey involving the body. I learned about the importance of supporting students to bring their whole selves to learning and to explore how to draw on and draw in the wisdom of the body. I came to see that as educators we, too, need to bring our whole selves to teaching. I began to explore what memories were locked in my body that kept me distant from my self and others. It is a journey involving the spirit. I first supported educators in my classes to express their understanding in diverse ways, and finally began to give voice to what I have learned through head, heart and body in visual form as I reconstruct my childhood photos and tell new stories. I begin to bring together my analytical work on issues of violence and learning, and my own personal journey.

Canadian Woman Studies, 1988

In most of the literacy discourse"il1iterates" are not differentiated by gender, but the reader c... more In most of the literacy discourse"il1iterates" are not differentiated by gender, but the reader can usually infer that "people" are actually men. In this way women become "other" in relation to men as the norm. There are many feminist critiques which argue the need, not simply to "add on" a female perspective, but for a revision of the world . There are an increasing number of accounts that seek to enter women's experience into the account of illiteracy and to re-consider the issue of illiteracy from a feminist perspectiveMuch of women's writing on the subject of illiteracy is a critique of the material which leaves women invisible. It is not only the academic literature which leaves women out but, as has observed, it is also the publicity for literacy programming which often focuses on images of illiterate men and their situations. speaking of adult education in England generally sums up the issue: ISBN 0-919926-80-0 $8.95 coil-bound COTEAU BOOKS Box 239, Sub #l, Moose Jaw, SK S6H 5V0 (306) 693-5212

Through working with a woman abused as a child, a teacher concluded that the violence of sexual, ... more Through working with a woman abused as a child, a teacher concluded that the violence of sexual, physical, and psychological abuse is common among many adults who read and write poorly. Their experiences should be acknowledged in literacy programs that encourage people to develop skills with which to tell their stories. (SK)

This report is a brief introduction to the findings of a research project that examined the impac... more This report is a brief introduction to the findings of a research project that examined the impact of abuse on women's literacy learning and explored approaches to literacy programming in the light of these impacts. Interviews were conducted with literacy workers, learners, and counselors to determine the impact of abuse they saw in their work and how literacy programs could address the impact of violence. Following an introduction there is a section that discusses violence and trauma. The next section covers the issues of control, connection, and meaning and how they can be incorporated into a literacy program. The connections between literacy and therapy are then explored. Next an examination is made of new possibilities for literacy practice in light of the impact that violence can have on learning. The last section discusses how to create balance among mind, body, emotion, and spirit through literacy programs. All of these sections are followed by a list of possible actions ...

... Evelyn Battell, Mary Norton, Cate Sills, and Catherine O'Bryan who h... more ... Evelyn Battell, Mary Norton, Cate Sills, and Catherine O'Bryan who helped me set up interviews, each in their own ... Linzi Manicom and Tracy Westell read an early draft and helped me see that I really did have a book and had better look for funding to sink into further analysis. ...

This is a story of a journey involving the head – my coming to awareness of the prevalence of vio... more This is a story of a journey involving the head – my coming to awareness of the prevalence of violence, its impact on learning, the inadequacy of traditional conceptualizations of violence and education. It includes my analytical work to re-frame and articulate effective approaches to support women's learning. It is a journey involving the heart and emotions. Hearing tales of violence was shocking, almost unbearable. At first I wanted to make others take notice of the extent of violence then, realizing how many have already tried to stop violence by raising awareness, I settled in to explore how to support learning in the face of violence. I continue to fight despair as I try to convince educators, funders and policy makers that the impact of violence on learning must be addressed in all educational institutions. I am heartened by educators who have travelled the same road, who join me in the insistence that this issue must be addressed, who change their own practice. Yet, I still struggle to make more change happen, and faster. Over recent years, I have realized that my fury over the fact that so few are prepared to hear and see the impact of violence is fuelled by my own childhood hurt that was not seen, by my fear and grief that was not heard. It's a journey involving the body. I learned about the importance of supporting students to bring their whole selves to learning and to explore how to draw on and draw in the wisdom of the body. I came to see that as educators we, too, need to bring our whole selves to teaching. I began to explore what memories were locked in my body that kept me distant from my self and others. It is a journey involving the spirit. I first supported educators in my classes to express their understanding in diverse ways, and finally began to give voice to what I have learned through head, heart and body in visual form as I reconstruct my childhood photos and tell new stories. I begin to bring together my analytical work on issues of violence and learning, and my own personal journey.