Prison education

[Ruralguy]

As others said, its really the same as any other teaching environment. That isn't to say the behavior or rules are the same, just that you have to put up with feedback from people who have some issues. No real advice other than to say that it usually takes adjustment on the instructor end of things, and if you don't care to do that, then you might have to either take those lumps or go away and do something else.

[kaysixteen]

Errrr, no, it isn't.   In what actual college does the professor have to grant permission for students to depart class early, without which permission the students' captors can and will punish them?  Military academies probably, but, well....

[Hegemony]

Some of the rules will be different, but the need to be organized and clear will be the same.

Incidentally I had an older student in a regular class a while back. A snowstorm was predicted but we were all told classes would proceed as usual. Everyone else stayed home, but I made it in to class, and this one student made it in as well. So it was just the two of us in the classroom. We got to chatting and I found out why he was older — because he'd spent a long time in prison for murder. I later found information that confirmed the student's story.

However, he did not murder me, and then the administration cancelled classes, so we both went home.

But I don't think that teaching in a prison is the only chance to encounter students with a variety of pasts.

[ciao_yall]

When I taught in prison, the first class was packed to the gills.

The second night I had a much smaller group. Turned out I was up against hip-hop aerobics.

[apl68]

But I don't think that teaching in a prison is the only chance to encounter students with a variety of pasts.

You can do that in our church....

[kaysixteen]

I've been wonderin', are these prison classes full, or not, and if full, is there a waiting list for class admission?  And what if any prior reqs are placed on the cons for permission to enroll in one?

[kaysixteen]

This thread has motivated me to be more directly forthcoming here-- recently a guy in our church, 48 now, was sentenced to 10 years in the maximum security state slammer.  He was convicted of physically abusing his 13yo stepdaughter, though the jury pointedly acquitted him on a sex abuse charge.  The judge vastly exceeded the prosecution sentence rec, obviously believing that the man is a danger to society.   He has a criminal record ( a pair of DUIs), and he, well, ahem, looks like a sleazy scumbag you'd cross the street to avoid.   Beyond any doubt whatsoever, he was repeatedly molested by his father, and repeatedly removed by the state, placed into foster care, and then given back to his parents (mom was a bad drunk).  I do not think he molested the girl now, but my background ain't nothing like his (and I come from a broken home with a mean, violent, abusive drunken father), and I know that this guy could have done whatever.   His estranged wife is also a victim of repeated child molestation, and her background generally makes his look good.

All this to say, I am going to go  up to the prison to  see him, if the state grants me visitation rights (according to the application, there seems no reason for such to be denied).   I do not want to go to a max security pen, but must do this.  I am not necessarily looking forward to the experience.  But it does have to be done.  Moreover, I do not like what my experiences living and working in Rusty City have done to me, giving me a hard crust wrt the lower criminal orders, and, well... I am not sure what else to say.

[Diogenes]

I've been teaching for-credit courses on and off at a prison for about 6 years, and before that did non-credit workshops at the county jail for two.

I'm going to tell it to you straight, like others have alluded to- you need a serious attitude adjustment if you are going to do right by your students. It is in no way, shape, or form for you to judge them. That's already been done by the system. If you can't compartmentalize, don't teach in there because they deserve a teacher that holds that professional boundaries themselves.

Students that have access to education programs have already proven themselves to get higher privileges in order to take those classes. So you tend to get far more motivated students.

As for your concern about getting boundaries pushed by them, and the fear of smuggling contraband, yes lots of people smuggle things into prisons. It's far more of a porous place than people realize. But it sounds like you are still freaked out by the trainings they make you do where they scare you out of doing that. So just don't do it. Just like outside students they try and push boundaries about assignments and time, it just looks slightly different in there.   

[ciao_yall]

Moreover, I do not like what my experiences living and working in Rusty City have done to me, giving me a hard crust wrt the lower criminal orders, and, well... I am not sure what else to say.

"There, but for the grace of G-d, go I."

[apl68]

This thread has motivated me to be more directly forthcoming here-- recently a guy in our church, 48 now, was sentenced to 10 years in the maximum security state slammer.  He was convicted of physically abusing his 13yo stepdaughter, though the jury pointedly acquitted him on a sex abuse charge.  The judge vastly exceeded the prosecution sentence rec, obviously believing that the man is a danger to society.  He has a criminal record ( a pair of DUIs), and he, well, ahem, looks like a sleazy scumbag you'd cross the street to avoid.  Beyond any doubt whatsoever, he was repeatedly molested by his father, and repeatedly removed by the state, placed into foster care, and then given back to his parents (mom was a bad drunk).  I do not think he molested the girl now, but my background ain't nothing like his (and I come from a broken home with a mean, violent, abusive drunken father), and I know that this guy could have done whatever.  His estranged wife is also a victim of repeated child molestation, and her background generally makes his look good.

All this to say, I am going to go  up to the prison to  see him, if the state grants me visitation rights (according to the application, there seems no reason for such to be denied).  I do not want to go to a max security pen, but must do this.  I am not necessarily looking forward to the experience.  But it does have to be done.  Moreover, I do not like what my experiences living and working in Rusty City have done to me, giving me a hard crust wrt the lower criminal orders, and, well... I am not sure what else to say.

You're showing commendable moral courage in doing this.  Why do you feel you must visit?  What do you hope to accomplish by this visit?

Diogenes makes a good point above.  There's no sense going to visit people in prison to offer judgement to them.  The only judge that ultimately counts is God, and we all stand condemned before him.  The only way out of that is to accept his offer of grace through Jesus.  None of us here needs that grace any less than any of the people in stir. 

This makes me think of the two youths who murdered one of my staff members several years ago, and shot and nearly killed her granddaughter.  Having never met the murderers, I've not felt led to contact them in prison.  I do pray for them that they'll see the light while they still can.  Will pray for you also as you prepare for your visit.

[kaysixteen]

The Lord commands His disciples to visit prisoners, esp those who are of the household of faith.  I do not believe this man to have done anything worthy of incarceration, and do believe he is a Christian.   It is also true that, like it or not, it is pretty palpably obvious that many people in our own church disagree with me, and will not be even writing him, let alone visiting him.  I have to support the man, however possible.

But I just do not know what to say to him when I do see him-- 'have a nice day' won't cut it, and 'keep the faith' (or variants thereof) sound like trite spiritual cliches.

[Kron3007]

Student comments are useful and important to get an idea of their experience.  I dont see any problem with giving them this opportunity, and it is the only way you will know how effective you were as an instructor in this setting.

The real issue is how these evaluations a will be used, and you should discuss this with your chair.  Where I am, student evaluations are pretty meaningless and we have an opportunity to put them in context in our T&P package.  I would hope your internal committees would understand the setting. 

If course, this depends on your position (tenured or not) as well.

[Kron3007]

The Lord commands His disciples to visit prisoners, esp those who are of the household of faith.  I do not believe this man to have done anything worthy of incarceration, and do believe he is a Christian.   It is also true that, like it or not, it is pretty palpably obvious that many people in our own church disagree with me, and will not be even writing him, let alone visiting him.  I have to support the man, however possible.

But I just do not know what to say to him when I do see him-- 'have a nice day' won't cut it, and 'keep the faith' (or variants thereof) sound like trite spiritual cliches.

And what if they are guilty?  Would that change anything for you? 

[ciao_yall]

The Lord commands His disciples to visit prisoners, esp those who are of the household of faith.  I do not believe this man to have done anything worthy of incarceration, and do believe he is a Christian.  It is also true that, like it or not, it is pretty palpably obvious that many people in our own church disagree with me, and will not be even writing him, let alone visiting him.  I have to support the man, however possible.

But I just do not know what to say to him when I do see him-- 'have a nice day' won't cut it, and 'keep the faith' (or variants thereof) sound like trite spiritual cliches.

Ask him what is going on with him. And listen.

[apl68]

The Lord commands His disciples to visit prisoners, esp those who are of the household of faith.  I do not believe this man to have done anything worthy of incarceration, and do believe he is a Christian.  It is also true that, like it or not, it is pretty palpably obvious that many people in our own church disagree with me, and will not be even writing him, let alone visiting him.  I have to support the man, however possible.

But I just do not know what to say to him when I do see him-- 'have a nice day' won't cut it, and 'keep the faith' (or variants thereof) sound like trite spiritual cliches.

The biggest thing he probably needs from you is to listen to anything he has to say.  He no doubt needs somebody he can talk to.  If he's a fellow believer then a few words about keeping the faith wouldn't hurt, even if they feel a little "cliched."  If he speaks about struggles with his faith, acknowledge that--and that you, yourself, have had your own struggles.  In that case, though, avoid the temptation to make the conversation about you.  Mainly listen to him.