Transformative College Literacy of Literate Black Women Peer Counselors

Robin Wisiniewski says that in order to be an influence in others lives you have to be literate. You have to be literate in order to make a change in the world. In order to state your opinions and say what you want changed, you have to know what you are talking about. Wisiniewski says that a literate black woman would be able to state her opinions and her voice would be heard because she knows what she is talking about.

In 1997 she created a peer literacy group for college students with disabilities, from low-income families, and first generation to attend college. It was a counseling program that taught counseling skills as well as techniques that address self-paced instruction, emotional factors with conflicts, and reading skills. The first four counselors she hired agreed that the counseling is the process of setting goals and objectives. They believed students were individuals full of potential and had a diverse set of strengths. It will be a two way teaching because they believe the students are talented and are teachers too. 

The counseling was to set a personal identity for the students. The program was built to help those with low self esteem while instilling new knowledge as well.

I think this was a good idea for a program because it didn't just teach the students new skills like a tutoring session. They actually got to express themselves and have someone listen to them. Unlike when you go to a Doctor they try to diagnose you with a medical problem, but this program actually built the students self esteem up and helped them through everyday situations. This program was a good thing to have.