Developing the Project

Following the New England institute which Jenny and Mary attended, we began to spin and test the ideas that we eventually wove into the VALTA Project. In January 2002, Mary discussed the idea of a provincial project about violence and learning with National Literacy Secretariat staff members who encouraged us to prepare a project proposal. We were excited to have Literacy Coordinators of Alberta (now Literacy Alberta) sponsor the proposal in partnership with The Learning Centre Literacy Association, as this broadened the scope of the Project beyond a single program. We hoped to work with literacy and adult educators from a range of settings.

In February, Jenny facilitated three workshops in Edmonton about violence and learning⁴—one with staff from community agencies, one with literacy and ESL educators, and one with women from literacy and adult education programs. Encouraged by the response to the workshops and with the workshop processes providing a context, we began to write a proposal. We wanted to build on previous research and practice about violence and learning, explore creative approaches to learning, and use research in practice to develop new understandings of effective literacy practice.

We also wanted to keep the goal of supporting learning central to the Project, while continuing to understand that it is vital to break silences about violence in order to focus on learning.⁵ We were aware that some educators firmly believe that the topic of violence should not be approached lest it open a "can of worms." There is a fear that educators will head into the terrain of therapy with no boundaries, unleashing horrific tales of violence that have been waiting to be told. However, we have learned that when we recognize the impact of violence on learning and look at the intersections with therapy, clearer boundaries can be created and the detailed stories of violence are usually told less often. Throughout the Project, we aimed to address issues of violence in ways that made it more possible to focus on successful learning and avoid sliding into therapy or detailing experiences of violence in the classroom.