Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates
instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.
Rationale
During the spring of 2009 I took an elective course in USM’s Adult Education
department called “The Sociocultural Context of Adult Education.” I took this course because I
plan to teach English as a 2nd language (ESL) to adults and hoped it would provide some insight
into the worlds of the adults I plan to teach. The readings for this course focused on marginalized
physically challenged persons. Our final assignment was to pick a marginalized group and create
a proposal for an educational workshop. I was extremely moved by our readings on women
prisoners and chose to make my proposal an autobiographical writing workshop for incarcerated
women using a concept from psychology called the ‘archetype’. In support of Standard 3,
Adapting Instruction for Individual Needs, I offer this artifact “Final Paper ADE545
Sociocultural Context of Adult Education,” that I created for the course. I am including this
(autobiographical writing) into a workshop for diverse individuals with the ultimate goal of self-
realization for the workshop participants. As language teachers, we are well aware of the power
of language, but I think we sometimes place language in a box labeled “for communication
purposes only”. We forget that language can and does have potential for other things, namely
Standard 3 – Adapting Instructions for Individual Needs Artifact 2 Joely Rogers
healing. This was an important project for my future career as an ESL teacher because it
demonstrated that I can adapt my instruction of the English language to a group of diverse
learners. I plan to incorporate autobiographical storytelling into my future classroom, and hope
that I will have the opportunity to utilize the work I did for this proposal.
Standard 3 – Adapting Instructions for Individual Needs Artifact 2 Joely Rogers
Joely C. Rogers
Abstract
The goal of this paper is to demonstrate that autobiographical storytelling can be a way for
incarcerated women to regain their silenced voices and become aware of the patterns and
structures in their lives, including those which may have contributed to their incarceration. To
facilitate this goal, we propose a creative writing workshop which grants women prisoners the
called the archetype as a tool for constructing the autobiographical story. The paper briefly
discusses the cultural importance of storytelling, offers evidence about a connection between
storytelling and healing, and provides a complete lesson plan for the proposed workshop.
Standard 3 – Adapting Instructions for Individual Needs Artifact 2 Joely Rogers
Imagine a world of walls. Some are tangible – concrete blocks, steel bars, and razor wire.
While others – shame, labeling, and rejection by family and society are incorporeal, but feel
equally solid. Life is a world of walls - of separation, and your voice a muted scream barricaded
behind them.
This metaphor about life in prison originated in our imagination; however, for the many
incarcerated women around the country, this sense of separation is a daily reality. You are
literally surrounded by walls, both external and internal, and perhaps feel as if your voice is lost
within them. Sheared & Sissel (2001) say that prison silences women both societally and
structurally, making them invisible in the process. Silencing is a dehumanizing process. Our
ability to speak is part of what makes us inherently inhuman. If you lack a voice, and feel
dehumanized and invisible, chances are that your motivation for healing and personal growth is
fairly low, if not non-existent. Sheared & Sissel (2001) believe that helping incarcerated women
“gain a voice is a first step in not only making them visible, but in making visible the oppressive
The goal of this paper is to demonstrate that autobiographical storytelling can be a way
for incarcerated women to regain their silenced voices and become aware of the patterns and
structures in their lives, including those which may have contributed to their incarceration. To
facilitate this goal, we propose a creative writing workshop which grants women prisoners the
Neither autobiographical storytelling nor prison writing workshops are new inventions.
What makes this workshop proposal unique is the use of a psychological concept called the
Standard 3 – Adapting Instructions for Individual Needs Artifact 2 Joely Rogers
archetype as a tool for constructing an autobiographical story. First introduced by Carl Jung,
archetypes are a universal thought form or predisposition to respond to the world in certain ways
(Engler, 2006). One of the easiest ways to identify archetypes and understand their universality is
to watch a movie. The characters of a movie (or a book or play) are normally pure archetypal
representations. While watching a movie we can all easily recognize Heroes/Heroines, Villains,
carefully about our own lives, we can recognize these same characters, these archetypes, in the
form of our family, our friends, society, and ourselves. Archetypes are universal patterns that
transcend the constructs of culture and language, while at the same time remaining deeply
education (Mississippi Department of Corrections, n.d.). Prisons are homogenous interiors filled
with diverse individuals differing in class, race, sexuality, and religion. How can adult educators
transcend these ‘isms’ to facilitate self-actualization and foster a sense of community among a
group of women prisoners? We feel that a creative writing workshop, where the women utilize
archetypes, the ultimate cross-cultural symbols, to create autobiographical stories about their
lives is one path to self-actualization, which can also serve to create a sense of community within
the group. Leeming & Sader (1997) say “stories improve understanding by building bridges of
intellectual, emotional, and spiritual connections among peoples (p. 8). By writing and sharing
their archetypal stories, these women may become aware of the patterns and structures in their
lives, and develop sense of control over themselves and their futures. And, perhaps by doing so,
writing as a tool for personal healing and transformation. The 2nd section describes the workshop
proposal. It discusses the rational for creating the workshop, provides a broader definition of
archetype, and explains the writing exercises utilized in the workshop. The 3rd and final section
of the paper contains the workshop materials presented as appendices: a general instructional
exercises, a primary writing assignment, and a list of relevant footnotes. And now…. the story,
Caitlin and John Matthews (2003) say “the language of metaphor is the first language; the
subtle conveyance of meaning through the allusions of song and story is the first brushstroke of
image and symbol” (p. 24). Today, when we think about classic stories, we may think of fairy or
mythological tales, or maybe literary works by Shakespeare, Voltaire, William Faulkner, or even
the Holy Bible. One thing all of these great stories have in common is that they are written down.
Written language as we know it today originated approximately 5,000 years ago from a writing
system developed by the Sumerians called cuneiform, which consisted of symbols pressed onto
clay tablets (Henry, 2003). The first stories, however, originated long before the advent of
written language and were used not only for entertainment, but also as important educational
tools. Perhaps the best description of the importance of story comes from Lakota Sioux, and
author of The Lakota Way, Joseph Marshall III. Marshall writes books about spirituality and
ethical living using Lakota history and folklore. When asked about his Native American
upbringing, Marshall (2001) describes the central place of stories in the Lakota society:
Standard 3 – Adapting Instructions for Individual Needs Artifact 2 Joely Rogers
Stories and storytelling were all around me in my childhood. The storytellers were my
Lakota grandparents – both maternal and paternal – and others of their generation. Stories
entertained and informed, but, of course, that was only their obvious purpose. Tales and
allegories told by Lakota elders very directly enabled an entire culture to survive because
they carried the culture within them. The stories I learned growing up were consciously
told again and again to teach me about life – my purpose in it and my path through it. (pp.
xii-xiii)
Stories are told everywhere in the world, and metaphors describing the story as analogous
to glue abound in all cultures. Malidoma Some (1998) says that “without stories, a society will
find it difficult to hold itself together (p. 250). Some is a modern-day scholar with three masters’
degrees and two doctorates. He is also an indigenous African shaman from Burkina Faso’s
Dagara tribe, who is tasked with remembering his tribe’s wisdom (their stories) and spreading it
out into the world. Across the globe in America, well-known art therapist Lucia Capacchione
(2001) says “Storytelling is as old as human culture. In fact, it may be the glue that holds a group
together. What is common to all great storytelling, from homespun yarn to box-office bonanza, is
that it speaks to the universal human condition” (p. 178). Capacchione facilities art and writing
workshops to help individuals uncover their personal stories. This apparent universality of stories
is akin to our earlier discussion about archetypes. It raises the question of whether the humble
From our broad discussion about the importance of story and storytelling, and its
proposed function as ‘glue’ in society at large, we now move to a more specific and intimate tale
– the autobiographical story. The main goal of this paper is to demonstrate that autobiographical
Standard 3 – Adapting Instructions for Individual Needs Artifact 2 Joely Rogers
storytelling can be a way for incarcerated women to regain their silenced voices and become
aware of the patterns and structures in their lives. There is, however, a potential secondary
benefit to telling your own story, which is a possible improvement in both psychological and
physical health. This discussion about autobiographical storytelling as a possible tool for
personal healing and transformation serves as a prelude to the introduction of our workshop
proposal.
Frank McConnell (1979), author of Storytelling & Mythmaking, argues that “stories
matter and matter deeply, because they are the best way to save our lives” (p. 3). He may not be
too far from the truth. Studies have demonstrated that storytelling has both psychological and
physical health benefits (Taylor & Williams, 2004). More specifically, in her article Pen, Paper,
Power!, writer Claudia Kalb (1999) discusses a study published in The Journal of the American
Medical Association (JAMA), which showed that writing exercises can help alleviate symptoms
of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. What changes does storytelling create in the body which
results in improved health and well-being for the writer? Taylor & Williams (2004) thinks that
storytelling allows people to sort through their various issues and regaining a sense of control,
which results in reduced levels of anxiety and stress. Research shows that stress weakens the
human immune system (American Psychological Association, 2006). Theoretically, this means
that by reducing stress you may be either boosting your immune system, or allowing it to
function normally, possibly resulting in improved health. Maybe instead of reaching for the
prescription pad, our doctors should offer their parents a writing pad? Take two aspirins, write
One further comment we feel compelled to mention about the healing psychological
process associated with storytelling comes from Taylor & Williams (2004), who suggest that
Standard 3 – Adapting Instructions for Individual Needs Artifact 2 Joely Rogers
storytelling heals individuals because it “1) helps ameliorate negative feelings resulting from
feeling a lack of control over their lives; 2) it represents an attempt by individuals to discover
new meaning for episodes of past trauma in their lives in order to regain a sense of control; and
3) it creates an understanding that an individual’s understanding of past events can guide their
future expectations for relationships with others and themselves” (p. 47).
A cautionary note for educators conducting writing workshops with the goal of personal
healing for their students comes from Molly Hurley Moran, an English professor who promotes
writing and healing in classroom. Moran (2004) writes “Of course, it’s important for instructors
to understand that writing may unleash painful feelings, and writers may find that they need the
support of skilled professionals to handle these feelings. Instructors should be prepared to make
appropriate referrals if the need arises” (p. 104). This note of caution harkens back to discussions
in ADE545: Sociocultural Context of Adult Education, about the role of adult educators. Our
profession is educator, not therapist, and while lending a sympathetic ear to a student who is
experiencing painful feelings may be highly beneficial, we must remember that genuine
This concludes the 1st section of the paper, and we hope it served as a useful introduction
to the power of story and storytelling at both the individual and societal levels. We now move to
the 2nd section of our paper, the workshop proposal. This section discusses the rational for
creating the workshop, describes the workshop’s general instructional plan, provides a broader
definition of archetypes, and explains the writing exercises utilized in the workshop.
Alfred (2002) says “sociocultural approaches to learning are based on the concept that
human activities take place in cultural contexts, are mediated by language and other symbolic
Standard 3 – Adapting Instructions for Individual Needs Artifact 2 Joely Rogers
systems, and can be best understood when investigated in their historical development” (p. 5).
We feel that a creative writing workshop, which grants women prisoners the opportunity to
create an autobiographical story meets the criteria for a sociocultural approach to learning. The
women participating in this workshop will be tasked to investigate aspects of their human
development (their life) by using language and a symbolic system, i.e. the archetype, as means
One particular comment that instructors should make to participants in this workshop
relates to the word ‘authorship’, which shares a common root with the word ‘authority’. Keen &
Valley-Fox (1973) say that “whoever authors your story authorizes your actions. We gain
personal authority and power in the measure that we question the myth that is upheld by ‘the
authorities and discover and create a personal myth that illuminates and informs us” (p. xiv).
provides a description of the workshop, the estimated time required to complete, a list of the
workshop’s activities and required materials. It outlines what the instructor should accomplish in
each of the 4 – two hour sessions. Most importantly, it lists the goals for the workshop, - to ‘un-
silence’ the workshop participants, to help them become aware of the patterns and structures in
their lives via the use of archetypal storytelling, and to build a sense of community amongst a
group of diverse women via the sharing of life stories and experiences, and to boost self-esteem
and foster self-actualization. The goals can be revisited by the instructor at the end of the
the world in a certain ways (Engler, 2006). Psychologist Carl Jung, who originated the concept
of archetypes, said that “archetypes are without known origin; and they reproduce themselves in
any time or in any part of the world – even where transmission by direct descent or “cross
fertilization’ through migration must be ruled out” (Jung, 1964, p. 57). Jung’s comment alludes
to the universality of archetypes, which is precisely what makes them so useful in creative
writing workshop filled with diverse women. When explaining the concept of archetypes to
students, instructors should underscore this universality as a point of commonality which all the
students share.
One other comment about archetypes which instructors may find useful to share with
students is Campbell, Moyers & Flowers’ analogy of archetypes’ costumes. This analogy
demonstrates why the same archetypes may often appear different in other cultures. Campbell et.
al (1988) says that “all over the world and at different times of human history, these archetypes,
or elementary ideas, have appeared in different costumes. The differences in the costumes are the
provide a short list of them and the name of a resource where instructors can obtain further
information. Appendix B is a list of common archetypes meant to be a starting point for the
instructor’s research about the many archetypes in the world. Appendix C is an explanatory
handout on archetypes for the students. The handout provides a definition of archetypes,
duplicates Appendix B’s list of common archetypes, and defines 3 archetypes from the list:
Some instructors maybe concerned about the use of gender-biased language, e.g.
HERO/HEROINE, in the list of common archetypes. If this is bothersome, simply replace it with
a more gender neutral term, but take care to explain to the students that a HERO can be either
male or female.
Instructions for the workshop’s writing exercises are listed in appendices D and E.
archetypes from the handout and write a half-page describing why each archetype fits you, and
how it has played a role in your life. Appendix E is the primary writing assignment, and invites
students to utilize one or more archetypes to create a 1 – 2 page autobiographical story about an
aspect of their life. Please note that while students are encouraged to use proper grammar and
spelling in their writings, it is definitely not a requirement for the assignment. The goal of the
assignment is to get the students writing, and hopefully by doing so they will gain an
understanding of how these archetypal patterns have played a role in their life.
Footnotes
There is a footnotes section for material that we felt was useful to the reader, but would
be cumbersome to read in the body of the paper. For example, footnote 1 details our conversation
with Bob Barker Company, the vendor of the maximum security clear flexible pens
Conclusion
The goal of this paper was to demonstrate that autobiographical storytelling can be a way
for incarcerated women to regain their silenced voices, and become aware of the patterns and
structures in their lives, including those which may have contributed to their incarceration. In this
Standard 3 – Adapting Instructions for Individual Needs Artifact 2 Joely Rogers
paper we have examined both factual and theoretical evidence, which describes the potential that
storytelling has for healing individuals and societies. Based on this evidence, we have designed a
workshop for incarcerated women that can be utilized to build a sense of community via the
sharing of life stories and experiences, boost self-esteem and foster self-actualization; which will,
In closing, we would like to share a quote from The Need for Story “within and through
stories, we fashion our relationships with others, joining with them, separating from them,
expressing in ways subtle and not so subtle our feelings about the people around us” (Dyson &
Genishi, 1994, p. 3). May our individual stories be part of the glue that forever binds together our
References
Alfred, M.V. (Ed.). (2002). Learning and sociocultural contexts. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
American Psychological Association (2006, February 23). Stress weakens the immune
http://www.psychologymatters.org/stressimmune.html
Campbell. J., Moyers, B. & Flowers, B.S. (Eds.). (1988). The power of myth. New York:
Anchor Books.
Inc.
Dyson, A.H. & Genishi, C. (Eds.). (1994). The need for story. Urbana, IL: National
Engler, B. (2006). Personality theories (7th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin company.
Henry, M.K. (2003). Unlocking literacy. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
Jung. C.G. (1964). Man and his symbols. London, UK: Aldus Books.
Kalb, C. (1999, April 26). Pen, paper, power! Newsweek. Retrieved April 26, 2009, from
http://www.newsweek.com/id/88150
Keen, S. & Valley-Fox, A. (1973). Your mythic journey: Finding meaning in your life
through writing & storytelling. Los Angeles, CA: Jeremy P. Tarcher, Inc.
Leeming, D.A. & Sader, M. (Eds.). (1997). Storytelling encyclopedia. Phoenix, AZ: The
Oryx Press.
Marshall, J.M. (2001). The Lakota way. New York, NY: Penguin Compass.
Matthews, C. & Matthews, J. (2003). Walkers between the worlds: The western
Standard 3 – Adapting Instructions for Individual Needs Artifact 2 Joely Rogers
McConnell, F. (1979). Storytelling & mythmaking. New York: Oxford University Press.
Mississippi Department of Corrections. (n.d.) Adult basic education. Retrieved April 26,
Moran, M.H. (2004). Toward a writing & healing approach in the basic writing
classroom: One professor’s personal odyssey. Journal of Basic Writing, 23(2), 93-115.
Sheared, V. & Sissel, P.A. (Eds.). (2001). Making space: Merging theory and practice in
Some, M. P. (1998). The healing wisdom of Africa: Finding life purpose nature, ritual,
Taylor, J.Y. & Williams, R. (2004). Narrative art and incarcerated abused women. Art
Appendix A
Appendix B
The list above is a sample of common archetypes. Once the student understands the concept of
an archetype, they should be encouraged to examine their lives for other archetypal patterns.
Movies, especially films like Star Wars and The Dark Knight (Batman), are filled with examples
of archetypes, and can be used to help students gain awareness of the many archetypes available
for their introspection and use. Be aware that some archetypes may be unfamiliar to students and
require additional explanation and/or concrete examples. A good source for explanations of
specific archetypes and examples of them in films, literature, religion, myth and fairy tales is
Caroline Myss’s book Sacred Contracts.
Standard 3 – Adapting Instructions for Individual Needs Artifact 2 Joely Rogers
Appendix C
ARTIST – the artist represents the need for creative self-expression. Some of the many forms of
self-expression include: writing, cooking, craftwork, painting/drawing, landscaping/gardening,
singing, dancing, and storytelling.
HERO/HEROINE – the hero/heroine represents strength, determination and victory. It can also
represent an individual that undertakes a journey of initiation to awaken an inner knowing or
spiritual power (Myss, 2002).
REBEL – the rebel represents challenge to established authority. An individual can rebel against
their family, a peer group, society, or even an abstract idea, e.g. democracy, religion.
Standard 3 – Adapting Instructions for Individual Needs Artifact 2 Joely Rogers
Appendix D
Instructions: Select three archetypes from the handout that seem to fit your personality or
resonate with your life experiences. Write a half-page describing why each archetype fits you,
and how it has played a role in your life. For example: “I am an ARTIST. I can’t imagine a life
where I couldn’t paint, write, cook, sew, etc… I am a GOSSIP. This has gotten me into trouble.
Let me tell you about the time…I am a LOVER. My many adventures as a lover include…I am a
REBEL. My issues with authority have resulted in….” Try to think deeply about the archetypes
you have chosen. If you finish early, select three more and keep writing. Proper grammar and
spelling are a plus, but not required for the assignment. The goal is to WRITE!
Standard 3 – Adapting Instructions for Individual Needs Artifact 2 Joely Rogers
Appendix E
Instructions: Select one or several archetypes. The archetypes can be from the list
provided, or they can be of your own choice. Use the archetype(s) to write an autobiographical
story about an aspect of your life. It can be one story, or several mini stories, and the time-frame
can be in the past or the present. The overall length of the assignment should be 1 – 3 hand-
written pages, but it may be longer if you wish. Proper grammar and spelling are a plus, but not
required for the assignment. The goal is to WRITE, and by doing so develop an understanding of
Footnotes
1
Maximum security clear flexible pens or pencils can be purchased at Bob Barker
Company https://bobbarker.com. Per a personal communication on April 24, 2009 with Paula, a
customer service manager at Bob Barker, the pens/pencils are designed for use at any facility,
e.g. prisons, hospitals, detention centers, mental institutions, where there is potential for
http://www.windhamschooldistrict.org.
3
Explanations are based on a combination of the author’s subjective beliefs and her
readings from Caroline Myss’s book Sacred Contracts. They are meant to be used a starting point
for thinking about potential meanings of archetypes. Students should be encouraged to formulate
their own thoughts and beliefs about the meanings of each archetype to them.