THE UMVERSITY OF CALGARY The Literacy Education Federaiiy Incarcerateci Women A THESIS SIJBMITTED TO THE FKULNOF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS GRADUATE DMSION OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH CALGARY,ALBERTA NOVEMBER,, 1997 0 Susan Linda Selme 1997 National Library Bibliothèque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 3swdtiurgton street 395. rue Wellington OttawaON K1A ON4 OttawaON K1AW canada carlada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Lïbrary of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distriiute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownenhip of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or othewise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRACT This descriptive study extends comectional literacy education research into a new Canadian federal prison - the Edmonton Institution for Women - during its fkst year of operation (November 1995 - November 1W6), where students and teachers struggle to leam and teach amida a new philosophy of corrections for women and a new vision for the education of women, yet also arnida debilitating crises, disruptive change, confusion, fnistration, anger, and death. An historical ove~ewof prison education in Canada, a discussion of prison ïteracy, examination of the education of kcarcerated wornen from a femùiist perspective, and of noteworthy prison education programs and currida, serve as the background against which the "Fireweed Education Centre," (the EIFW school), and its academic curnida and supporting materials are descnbed. InteMews with teachers and with 14 inmate-students reveal many factors impacting women's education in this correctionai setting, and illuminate the urgent requirement for rich and relevant leaming materials and strategies. ACKNOWLEXlGEMENTS My heartfelt thanks and appreciation to: The exûmrdumy womq both midents and teachers, who pax-ticipated in my research, and who welcomed me with unexpected warmth and humour. Dr. Margaret Hunsberger, Thesis Supervisor, for her constant compassion, encouragement, humour, and for her eady belief in my abiliaes. Andrea Elizabeth Richmond, fellow scholar, for the shared love of Iearning, shared early momhg snidy ho- for the mynad times of liaening to "jua this Littie part", and for the countless hours of exrraordinary fun. Ashley Taylor Richmond, for deepening the meaning and sigrüficance of the enterprise. Gerry, for a room of my own. Mom, ever a student, ever leaniing, for her ewnple and support, making this journey possible for both Andrea and me. Kevan B. Taylor, for hding the perfect poem and for being such a great &end for such a very long tirne. Victor, for his unexpected encouragement, support, and deiight. All the fiends of Bill W., without whom this never would have been even remotely possible. DEDICATION To rny daughter Andrea FeUow-student (jus let me read you this Little par?) Sunshine of my life Wind beneath my wings TABLE OF CONTENTS Approval Page Dedication Table of Contents List of Tables Chapter One - Method Research Questions Background to this Research Gaining Access Gaining Enmate Consent Thesis Overview Limitations of the Study Signifïcance of the Study Chapter Two - Hiaory of Prison Education in Canada Hiaory of Prison Education Curriculum Deveiopment Chapter Three - Literacy A Perception of Crisis Definitional DBculties Metaphors for Literacy Participatory Literacy Education Chapter Four - Feminist Perspective Profïie of Female Federal Offenders Creating Choices Task Force Repon Ferninist Perspective on Education Chapter Five - Noteworthy Prison Education Programs/Cu.rricula The Santa Cruz Women's Prison Project The Bedford WsProject The Pine Grove Project The "Making Connectionsy'Chcuia UvidSFU Prison University Program Chapter Six - Fireweed Education Centre - The First Year Reparing for the Opening The First Teacher Naming the School Application for Private School Status/Mission Statement and Philosophy The Curriculum The Crises Chapter Seven - The InteMews Factors Impacting Prison Education Schooling in other pend institutionslInter-institution disruptions Reasons for panicipating in education prograrns Curriculum Barriers a. Delay in gaining access b. Institutional disruptions c . Vulnerability in appearing different d. Requirements to first prove ability and interest e. Requirements to work elsewhere in the institution f Stress g- Need for/value of tutorid assistance h. Access to tacher assistance Initiation of School Participation Sources of support Teacher assistance and encouragement Student suggestions for school improvement Contribution bom the outside cornmunity PIans for the fkture The Second Teacher Some Gentle Spirit Chapter Eight - And Life Revives Bibliography Appendix 1 - Library Book Choices Appendir II - Laubach Materials Excerpt LIST OF TABLES TabIe 1: Initial Educationai Status Table Il: Enrollment as at Private School Application Date Table III: Educationai Levels CHAPTER ONE METHOD Fire Flowers And oniy where the forest fies have sped, Scorching relentiessly the cool north lands, A sweet wiId flower lifis its purple head, And, like some gentle spirit sorrow-fed, It hides the scars with almost human hands. And only to the heart that hows of gneS Of desolating fire, of human pain, There cornes some p-g sweet beliec Some fellow-feeling beautifid, if brief And Life revives, and blossoms once again. Pauluie Johnson This descriptive study extends comectional literacy education research into a new women's prison where students and teachers struggle to lem and teach amida a new philosophy of corrections for women, a new vision for the education of women, debilitating crises, dismptive change, confusion, frustration, anger, and death. Research Questions Through research carried out in the new Edmonton Institution for Womeq and more specificaily within the prison school - the "Fireweed Education Centre" - this study aims to address these research questions: 1. What is the definition of literacy driving the Correctional Service of Canada's prison literacy programme in the Edmonton Institution for W omen? 2. How do the iiteracy curriculum, instructional strategies and curricular materials work to support this purview? 3. What are the impacts of this definition and its supporting cunicular texts and instructionai methods for these women? 4. Addressing the questions posed by Jonathan Kozol, yet in the context of this more restricted purview: as a rdof their prison literacy education, inmate-students will thus be "literate for what? competent to go where? And skillful to acbieve what decent or destructive goals?" Background to this Research My experience as a volunteer literacy tutor with the Calgary John Howard Society and additional volunteer work with women incarcerated in the Calgary Rernand Centre sparked an interest in the education of incarcerated women. The young ages of the majority of the women, the lack of education many of them exhibited, the knowledge that many of them were mothers solely responsible for the care of their children, the apparent ease with which they seemed to accept theû imprisonment, the prison as a place where they met both niends and enemies and the ahon "second-home" nature of the pend institution apparent for some women, caused me a great deal of concem and weighed heavily on my hem and mind. My concern deepened as 1 came to know some of the women - to know them as women of warmth, strength, and humour. Not for a moment condoning the crimes they had committed nor the harms they had done, 1 was nonetheless haunted by the tragedies of the& lives. Gaining Access The Edmonton Institution for Women (EIFW) officially opened on November 17, 1995, as one of five new female facilities created pending the long sought &er closing of the Prison for Women (P4W) in Kingston, Ontario. My research proposal was sent to Jan Foq EIFW Warden, in late December 1995, and was subsequently forwarded by her to the Correctional Service of Canada's (CSC) Western Region headquarters in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, for thek approval, which was granted in late March 1996, but of which 1 was not advised. In a foilow-up telephone cal1 to the Western Regional office in late Apd, 1was apprised of this approval of access, and upon irnmediately contacting the Warden of EIFW, 1 was given permission to begh my research at my convenience. At this juncture, however, the EIFW cornmunity had expenenced several senous crises of such a nature and to such an extent that demands were being made by the City of Edmonton for the prison to be closed. By the end of April 1996 the prison was Mmially shut down followïng the removai af all but eight of the women while CSC undertook a major upgrade of the institution's security. The initial proposal for my research had been strongly based in classroom observation of the teaching strategies used in the literacy education of the students? as well as exafnination of the curriculum and