Frequently, learners share their autobiographical writing and life stories with others - both teachers and other students - and in this way they acquire and construct knowledge collectively. This appears to offer many learners needed support and the opportunity to learn through relationships. My experience in this program has demonstrated convincingly that despite studying by distance, most women I teach are not learning in isolation. They employ a variety of strategies for communicating with others, and they do so in personal and meaningful ways. They also cope by being resourceful and optimistic, and through humor and perseverance.

Hope for the Future

The students I supervise, despite the hardships and harsh realities they cope with daily, are hopeful and resilient. Many are passionate about their studies and are committed to “making a difference” in the lives of others, regardless of how difficult some of this work is. Recognizing and understanding the primary realities of women learners is key to this, and it is through stories this often happens. Joanne for example, writes that “It is difficult to name the truth when you have never been able to speak the truth. Sometimes hearing these stories is hard, but never as hard as being with the silence.”

As a teacher I also find these stories painful. However, I am inspired when students share insights they have gained through refection, analysis and change efforts. My relationships with students necessarily become dynamic, multifaceted and complicated. I typically ignore artificial and false distinctions traditionally made between teaching and counseling, and I encourage students to do the same. As a result I felt honored last year when one of my students described me as “a non-judgmental learning therapist.”

I too have hope for the future when I observe students who are prepared to take on the big issues and to become risk-takers and educational leaders. Ultimately, some are even committed to contributing towards a changed educational system and process. Brenda writes: "Whatever I do, I have to base my actions on my beliefs in equity, partnership, eliminating power relationships, and developing social democracy. I do believe that education is the way to change the structure of society and that we must therefore begin by changing the structure of education. The content [learned skills] may remain somewhat the same, but the process and learned behaviors and ways of relating to others will change.“ In other words, students are not only "experts immersed in violence” but are also educators and activists committed to transformational learning.

imageSusan May holds an Ed.D. in adult education from OISE and has taught in a variety of areas, including distance education, community education and social work education. She is currently working in Edmonton on a term appointment from St. Francis Xavier University.


Misère, dures réalités et espoir
par Susan May

J'enseigne un programme de maîtrise à distance à temps partiel à des femmes. J'ai pu de ce fait être témoin de leurs difficultés et de la dure réalité de leur existence. La plupart de ces femmes élèvent une famille et travaillent en qualité d'éducatrices. J'ai vu les multiples formes que peut prendre la violence (physique, attitude, financière et systémique) et j'ai appris que cette dernière est interdépendante et complexe, rarement isolée et sporadique. Beaucoup luttent pour incorporer ce vécu dans leur existence et leur apprentissage. D'autres femmes sont exposées à la violence a travers leurs filles; une étudiante qui soutenait sa fille pendant un procès pour viol s'est rendue compte qu'énergie et concentration lui manquaient pour faire ses devoirs scolaires et répondre aux demandes accrues auxquelles elle faisait face au travail.

Le milieu de travail est souvent violent. Les femmes décident souvent que démissionner de leur poste est la solution pour ne plus être harcelées ou victimes de discrimination. Les institutions et les organismes ne se penchent pas du tout sur ces problèmes. Des surveillants peuvent faire preuve d'hostilité a l'égard des connaissances féministes que les femme acquièrent. Quelquefois aussi, les élèves sont entravées dans leur apprentissage, car leur reviennent en mémoire des souvenirs de leur scolarité, où on attendait d'elles qu'elles se conforment à des stéréotypes sexuels. Les élèves autochtones trouvent fréquemment que leurs expériences scolaires sont aliénantes.

Toutefois, en apprenant à parler de leur vécu et à rompre le silence, ces femmes reprennent espoir. Elles racontent comment elles ont surmonté les difficultés et comment l'éducation féministe et les processus d'apprentissage sont la clé pour déclencher des changement positifs. Nombre d'entre se passionnent pour leurs études et veulent faire une différence dans la vie des autres.

  1. Belenky, M., Clinchy, B., Goldberger, N., & Tarule, J. Women's Ways of Knowing. Basic Books Inc.: New York, 1986.
  2. Grace M. “Meanings and motivations: Women's experiences of studying at a distance,” Open Learning 13-21,1994
  3. Two special editions of Women's Education des femmes have been published on education and violence: “Learning and Violence: Women Speak Out” (vol.9 no.4, Summer 1992) and “Violence Prevention” (vol. 10, no.l, Winter 1992/93).

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