Leading Adult Literacy Groups in Women’s Prisons: 7 Guidelines for the Young Educator

          Next year I will be leading a weekly literacy group in a women’s prison that is composed of outside college students, and women from the inside. I have been participating in classes in prisons for 1.5 years, and am excited about my new role. With that said, my position next year gives me great responsibility over the group, the content we cover, and how we lead sessions. I will have the support of professors, but they will not be in the prison with the group. I have many questions about the best ways to support, empower and provide an enjoyable educational experience for adult learners. To prepare myself, and perhaps others who find themselves in a similar situation, I have come up with guidelines that should inform the practice of leading a prison literacy group. In addition to explaining the importance of each guideline, I also provide an original idea, or an example used by another educator, of one way to implement the guideline.
            When searching for strategies, I kept my own identity in mind, and how it is similar, and different from the women who are incarcerated who will participate in the group. I am a white young straight cisgender woman who was raised in an upper-middle class family, and before taking a class in a prison had never known anyone who had been in prison. Based on my past experiences in Philadelphia prisons, it seems likely that most of the women in the group will not be white, or from upper-middle class families. The women at this prison tend to be women of color, from working class and poor families. Some of them will likely be from neighborhoods where individuals being incarcerated is not rare. The women will likely not be younger than me and the other outside group members, and some will be many years older. Many of them will have their own children or grandchildren. There will be quite significant differences in our backgrounds, and it is imperative to remember that as a multicultural educator. Some of the guidelines are quite new to me, and others I realized are already employed by the book club I am currently in. In both situations, it was immensely helpful for me to read about the guidelines, state them explicitly, and think of or a find a concrete example to build my understanding of how to use the strategies. 

Leading Adult Literacy Groups in Women’s Prisons: 7 Guidelines for the Young Educator

The following are guidelines that should inform the facilitation of non-credit literacy groups in prisons, particularly in which college students teach and learn alongside a group of older women. There are four general guidelines that should be followed in order to strive to make a respectful, non-patronizing and enjoyable learning space. Then, three more pedagogical and logistical guidelines are more briefly explored. Each guideline is stated, explained, and then an example is provided that utilizes the guideline. While they are presented as discrete strategies, many of the guidelines are deeply interwoven.

1. Recognize and Acknowledge that Everyone is a Learner
            The most important aspect of running a literacy group in an adult prison is being aware that every single individual who is participating in the group, both insiders and outsiders, is learning from the group. People may take away different lessons, but in a successful group, every participant will benefit greatly from being there. It is important to recognize this in order to avoid outsiders believing they are saving, or selflessly dedicating time to teaching “poor women inmates.” Conversely, while I cannot speak with certainty to the perspective of women who are incarcerated, I imagine it feels much better to participate in a group in which you feel you are teaching and learning. This is particularly essential given the possible age differences between the outsiders and insiders in the group. While the younger outsiders may have more experience in a formal classroom, the older women have much to teach the younger individuals. Leading non-credit literacy groups in adults’ prisons is a fantastic opportunity to for educators to learn how to best work with enthusiastic adult learners, form relationships with women who are incarcerated and learn about their lives in and out of prison, including challenges they face and ways they resist against those challenges, and better understand mass incarceration in the United States. Insiders will hopefully develop their reading, writing and analyzing literature skills, and will learn (if they do not already know) that some classrooms can be very positive spaces.
            There are many different ways to demonstrate that everyone is a learner to each group participant. This work starts before the first joint session. Most inside women will likely assume that they will learn from the group, but outsiders may not originally share that view. In the first group meeting of outsiders, an activity could be done that shows that everyone is a learner. For example, the college students could have thirty seconds to power write everything they know about topics such as how to use online research databases, how to write an essay, and how to cite sources. In the same manner, students could then be asked to write about what the best way to soothe a crying baby, how to survive when you are own your own locked in a small room for 23 hours per day, and how to deal with an authoritative figure who will not permit you to go to school. This hopefully will clearly elucidate that no one is just a teacher, or just a learner. Another strategy recommended by Samantha Zimbler, Courtney Polidori, and Dr. Michele Tarter in their guide on prison writing groups is for outsiders to complete all in and out of class assignments, and share their work (8). This leads by example, and illustrates that each exercise done in class is a learning opportunity for everyone. Similarly, at the end of each session, everyone in the group can comment on one thing they learned that day.

2. Create the Most Horizontal Power Structure Possible
            When everyone is aware that each person in the group is a learner, a horizontal like power structure can be created. It is not possible to make an entirely horizontal power structure as at the end of the lesson, some learners will leave to go back to college where they have a great deal of freedom, and others will go back to their units in which their freedom is greatly limited. However, the outsiders can work to make sure they do not think of the insiders as inferior. The media often portrays adults with limited literacy abilities poorly, and this is compounded by the fact that this literacy group will be held in a prison. In Rachel Martin’s book called Listening Up: Reinventing Ourselves as Teachers and Students, she warns that teachers should not think of adult learners as childlike, dependent, irresponsible, or stupid (30). Martin also points out that participating in a literacy group does not mean that women have low self-esteem, or that they need to be taught life-skills, how to problem solve, or analyze obstacles (33, 34). She encourages all educators to challenge their own assumptions about the adults they will be teaching and learning with. Martin suggests that leaders of literacy groups conceive of themselves as people who push themselves intellectually, and want to supportively push others to do the same. Not as teachers who know all the answers that they will try to impart on their students (33). Again, this is very salient when almost all of the outside organizers are younger than the inside learners.
            While it is impossible to make a truly horizontal power structure, there are ways to make the insiders feel like they have some control over their own class, and for that sentiment to be true. First, Tarter, Zimbler, and Polidori explain how the waiting time between when insiders arrive and when the class officially starts can be used to casually speak, and give all learners a chance to inquire about their fellow learners’ weeks (8). This is a great time for outsiders to demonstrate their genuine interest in insiders’ lives, and for inside learners to invert the typical student/teacher power structure of a classroom by asking about outside learners’ lives (Martin, 8). Along the same lines, it can be helpful to receive and utilize learner input. In an essay entitled “Teaching Adult Students,” Cheryl Polson recommends that teachers ask adult learners early in the class to explain why they chose to attend, which can help shape the class’s trajectory. In Wendy Luttrell’s book Schoolsmart and Motherwise: Working Class Women’s Identity and Schooling, she explains that women in her adult basic education classes wanted to “become somebody,” which they could do be attaining a high school diploma (1). Women may share reasons that are very easy to implement into the class. For instance, if a learner says she wants to expand her vocabulary or improve her grammar, then those goals can be incorporated into lesson plans. The same process can be done to ask about what kinds of reading materials would be appreciated by insiders. Lastly, just as the inside learners will be asked to share some personal information about why they are attending the class, the outside learners can do the same (Palson. 5). This could be done by discussing stories or information in mixed inside-outside pairs, and then each person presenting briefly about what her partner shared (Palson, 5). The fact that the words “inside” and “outside” are still being utilized shows that the class is not entirely based on a horizontal power structure, but it is worth it to strive to make it the most horizontal possible.

3. Work Through Differences
            The third guideline that should be adhered to while leading a literacy group is to acknowledge, and then work through differences. Martin quotes Audre Lorde who teaches “Do not let your differences pull you apart. Use them, examine them, go through them” (19). This advice can apply to many differences, such as race, age, inside/outside status, class, educational experience, etc. It is instructive to name these differences once they become pertinent in a group, and sometimes before the divisions organically arise. Furthermore, Martin encourages educators to use these possibly tense moments as learning experiences. It is worth noting that the outside organizers may predict that a certain text will cause an emotional debate, but can be inaccurate. At the same time, topics that seem straightforward may lead to a hotly contested argument.
            If a disagreement arises that seems to be grounded in specific learners’ characteristics, such as age or race, Martin suggests that the leader should ask the individuals to further explain their opinions, and then the whole group why they think the contrasting opinions exist (26). She includes other probing discussion questions, such as “Who does [this belief] privilege?”, “Who does [the belief] disadvantage?”, and “Who benefits from presenting this idea as fact?” (Martin, 29, 54). These are great times for outsiders to acknowledge their lack of experience with something that some insider women are very familiar with. For instance, if the contentious topic has to do with disciplining children, then a childless outsider could say “I can only speak from my experience as a child, not as a parent, but ...” In addition to pushing the group to fully think through their opinions, these moments can be helpful for the group to gain a better understanding of one another. Martin does warn that leaders should take caution to avoid polarizing the group unnecessarily, and suggests breaking up into small multicultural groups to circumvent the polarization risk (25).

4. Value Different Types of Knowledge
            Adult learners have a vast body of knowledge that they have worked to develop throughout their life. Women in Luttrell’s classes categorized knowledge into “schoolsmart” and “commonsense” (2). Schoolsmarts are derived from high school, and post-secondary education (2). Commonsense knowledge includes being “motherwise” and “streetwise,” and includes skills that are used to survive and thrive on a daily basis (2). In adult literacy groups, learners tend to have more robust commonsense knowledge than schoolsmart intelligence. Martin points out that adult learners do not know less than “educated” adults, but that society just does not value the topics about which they are incredibly educated (82). Society privileges schoolsmarts over commonsense, and the learners in the class are likely very aware of that distinction. In fact, women in literacy groups, such as those in Luttrell’s, might have had teachers who discounted their nonacademic knowledge, which led to women internalizing those negative evaluations, and “… [seeing] themselves as less than equal- if not unworthy- students” (5). If groups actively value both schoolsmarts and commonsense, then perhaps more women will feel like they truly belong in the group, with the purpose of sharing and expanding upon their knowledge.
            The best way to put this strategy into action is to lead discussions and use materials demonstrating that non-academic knowledge is valued. Literature should be selected that affirms the benefits of being motherwise, streetsmart, or acquiring knowledge outside of typical classrooms. For example, in Wild by Cheryl Strayed, a woman learns a great deal by completing an arduous and many month hike. Reading this book could be followed by learners writing or speaking about an instance in which they overcame a problem using skills they had learned outside of a typical classroom. While this sharing occurs, all learners in the group should be encouraged to affirm each other, and indicate when they agree with what is being said. In Megan Sweeney’s book Reading Is My Window : Books and the Art of Reading in Women's Prisons, she explains how this process can be very validating for women. One woman in her group stated “…it lets you know that it’s somebody else in the world that thinks like me. I’m not wrong about the way I feel or the way I’m thinking” (238). Another way to illustrate the value the group places in commonsense knowledge would be an icebreaker in which each individual states something in which she is very educated, such as parenting, religious traditions, or Greek mythology, and also something she wishes to learn more about. This is also helpful for the leader who can build future lessons around what learners wish to become more knowledgeable on.   

5. Emphasize Process Over Product
            Perhaps the greatest perk of a non-credit literacy class is the lack of standards that must be met, and test that supposedly measures progress made in the group. It is the perfect space to emphasize the importance of process over a final product. When writing, understanding of a topic develops and evolves. It may provoke a new thought on the topic, and may cause someone to totally change their viewpoint (Martin, 15). Martin explains that this process of writing is very beneficial to learners (79). This can be especially helpful for women who may be nervous to try writing after having many past negative experiences with writing in formal settings (Polson, 1).
            Martin provides two strategies to support the process. First, she encourages writers to avoid stopping their flow. When reading, this involves not looking up unknown words, and instead continuing reading and revisting the word at the end (Martin, 148). After reading the whole piece, readers will likely be able to use the context to build a fairly accurate understanding of the word. She suggests giving readers the opportunity to first look up words in a dictionary, and then discussing how that affects their reading. This conversation normally results in readers coming to the conclusion that it hampers their focus and understanding. Similarly, Martin suggests that rather than stopping to discover how to spell a word, writers can write the first letter of the word, and then draw a line to indicate the word is not completely spelled (86). After finishing the writing, they can then try to spell the word or get assistance to do so. Martin also strongly asserts the value in the revision process, and calls it “the heart of composing” (86). She utilizes questions such as “What’s the most important thing you’re saying?” and “Can you place a check where there is more to tell?” to push writers to improve upon their first drafts (Martin, 104-108). For some women, the revision process will make writing easier, as they will not feel as much pressure to make their first (or only) draft perfect. Polson explains that many adults have a tendency to try to make few mistakes, as their real world experiences show that mistakes are not typically tolerated (4). For others, the step of producing writing may be a victory in itself, so educators should use their discretion to decide when to push the revision process.

6. Write about Personal (Not Necessarily Emotional) Experiences
            Literacy groups in prison should give women the opportunity to write about personal, but not necessarily emotional, experiences. Martin contends that “radical teaching depends on the idea that as we read and write, we create the world differently, as opposed to simply discovering it” (15). Writing and reading are processes that lead to deeper understanding that can be invaluable in learning about one’s self and the world. A woman who participated in Sweeney’s group stated that she “really enjoyed this group because you don’t get a chance to go in the depth of you often and really see what’s there” (242). Martin also comments on how the ideas and beliefs of people from low-income communities are rarely circulated (15). Thus, society, by not valuing different types of knowledge, often silences these communities. The information that is most easily accessible about them is not written by insiders, which leads to many misconceptions. Martin recounts one woman’s comments about this topic, “There’s very little written about poverty from our perspective. About the things you’re forced to do, like lying. Other people assume they know what we have to go through. But it’s not authentic” (21). Writing about personal experiences can align with both of these points by allowing individuals to explore their own experiences, and then also to share that exploration with outsiders. It is essential that women are given a wide range of topics to write about, even within a single prompt. For example, a prompt of “what is the best way to unite divided communities” allows writing about intimately personal experiences, such as direct experience with the topic, or something more generic, such as possibilities based on general knowledge. It would also be beneficial to offer an opportunity for these writings to be circulated beyond the group members. For instance, one of Martin’s groups wrote an open letter to their campus about date rape, which they placed all over campus (163). This promotes individuals learning about an issue, thinking about how it applies in their own community, and elucidates to learners how their academic work is contributing to their community, and the world beyond their group.

7. Know and Follow the Rules of the Prison
            Lastly, in order to lead a thriving literacy group in a prison, every outside participant must know and adhere to the prison’s rules (Tarter, Zimbler, and Polidori, 8). They must also understand that rules may not always appear logical, and not become distracted by those rules. Group leaders and participants should try to cultivate positive relationships with staff and correctional officers at the prison. This is especially important when all outsiders are young, as correctional officers may notice their ages, and not perform their job in the same manner they would if older individuals who appear more professional or authoritative were present. Thus, the group needs to be extra vigilant to ensure they do not act in a way that aggravates or upsets correctional officers.

Works Cited