We would like our classroom environment to be consistently filled with:
A sense of place is being in a safe environment where each woman knows that she is connected to the others in the program. She can feel free to bring her voice into the room because she knows that what she says will be heard and respected by others. This sense of place is that safety that each woman requires to grow and learn.
How do we know that the women are, in fact, developing a more secure sense of self and establishing a sense of place in our program? The butterfly is our symbol that exemplifies how the women are transformed throughout the year. Like the caterpillar that takes months to undergo metamorphosis before becoming a beautiful butterfly, the women in our program show change over a period of time. The caterpillar also expends a great deal energy while enduring the process of transformation, but with determination and cooperation from Mother Nature’s environment, this change is possible. While we may not notice immediate changes or effects, by the end of one semester or school year we witness a positive transformation amongst many of the women.
Last school year, Shawna, a 36 year-old mother of two from Dominica, claimed that she was so shy and nervous when she first came to school. She admitted that she used to sit in the corner for class because she felt safer. She felt so sad at school because she was not used to being in this new environment with new classmates. She said she was so sad she did not think she would even learn anything. This year is the second year she has been in the program. Shawna is often selected as the spokesperson of our ALP when potential funders come to visit the agency. In her speech, she proudly tells people that she is still in the program and is, in fact, learning a great deal. Recently, Shawna was also elected vice president of the student council. This year, she has also made the greatest improvement in writing, reading, and math assessments. Shawna is now known as the one who is very outspoken and up front about almost anything (Teacher reflection notes, 2004).