Today, I finally got to teach the class I was supposed to teach in prison last October. I was a bit concerned about building rapport with a bunch of adults I'd never met before within the space of a class period, but it went great.
Things that stuck with me:
- In pre-class training, the liaison said that if anyone held the door open for me, I should wave them through first--I shouldn't let anyone walk behind me. (And then they assigned me a Personal Protection Device with an emergency button.)
- But apart from some people in the hallway who were gawking at the classroom, everyone was welcoming and respectful.
- When I mused out loud that the classroom didn't have a clock (and as no smart phones are allowed in the building, I didn't have mine), one of the students gave me his watch to use.
- How eager my students were to laugh at my silly jokes. My kids could stand to take some lessons on how they did NOT roll their eyes. Ha.
- But seriously, 100% of the class wanted to be there, had done their homework, and were active participants.
- How dependent they were on forces completely out of their control--whether the program would continue or not, whether they'd receive funding or not, if people would find the time and inclination to come visit/teach them or not.
- What they said about freedom, the way rehabilitations had been rolled back, how when you grow up hearing gunshots every day, you don't even think to duck.
- How in the space of two hours, I was already assigning place values to the students as the philosopher, the historian, the memoirist, the media consultant and so on.
- The new things I learned in these texts I've read a zillion times--from my reading of course--but more importantly from the ways other people read, shared, and built on in community. I love this part of teaching so much.
- How they must have picked up on the small coded things I said (there was an official observer in class) about the carceral system, restorative justice, needing a Malcolm in order to have the government negotiate with a Martin, etc. When I answered their question about why I was there, I got a deep "I understand" from the person who asked it. And at the end of the class when we we were taking the desks from the circle and putting them back into the mandated and regimented rows (metaphor much?) three students shook my hand and told me to "keep fighting the good fight."
I will.
Lots of moving parts to the prison education program currently, but I want to keep being involved. Surprisingly Big A, who usually supports everything I want to do, was a bit taken aback when I mentioned taking this on as an extra class and wondered if I might need to pace myself.
(Also, I don't like shaking hands. If I resort to my heritage and start offering namastes instead--would that be rude?)
Pic: Spring is really coming! A sunshiny-bright patch of crocuses on the MSU campus.
22 comments:
I don't think that would be rude at all. I do like shaking hands but I also wash my hands a lot just in case.
One of my yoga teacher friends taught at a women's prison, and there were a lot of protocols she had to follow. Another woman friend was a prison guard and she told me all the rules regarding personal hygiene, makeup, etc., and it was very interesting.
Big A might be right - you do have a lot on the go!
"The new things I learned in these texts I've read a zillion times--from my reading of course, but more importantly from the ways other people read and shared in community. I love this part of teaching so much." This is my favorite part of teaching, too!!
I love that you are doing this- it is on my list when the kids are older because I have to drive a bit or for wen we move to IL because we'll be closer to a prison. I worry about not shaking hands in this context because of the power differential you're already working w/in-- you know?
I'm glad you finally got to go and that it went well.
I'm also glad the crocuses are blooming. It's also so cheering when that happens. We're in the next phase-- peak daffodil with hyacinth and cherry blossoms starting.
Nice.
What a powerful experience! I am so glad you were able to do this. What a wonderful way to give back.
I would like to be exempt from shaking hands. I am wearing my splint when traveling because shaking hands is still so painful. With my splint I can get away with shaking with my left which is awkward. I don’t know how to avoid shaking hands without coming off as rude. But hopefully as I recover more it won’t be an issue in the future.
I shake hands now but during Covid and the year following, it was the Japanese hands-in-front-head-bow. Everyone got it. This is such a wonderful thing to do and it sounds extremely gratifying.
I think you should simply tell the students that you don't like shaking hands. You can offer an explanation and then tell them/show them what you prefer instead. They'll appreciate your honesty.
It's terrific that you're finally able to teach this class; I know that you were so looking forward to it. I can imagine how gratifying it is for everyone involved.
"The new things I learned in these texts I've read a zillion times--from my reading of course, but more importantly from the ways other people read and shared in community. I love this part of teaching so much."--SAME, and I'd still be teaching if this is what my job could truly be about instead of mandated testing, administrative bullshit, constant parent contact, and the overarching feeling that no matter how much I was doing, it was never, ever enough and no one in authority ever gave me acknowledgment.
But I still miss the kids and talking about the stuff I love.
I love that you are doing this. There is a (possibly similar? I'm not sure) program in my city that is always looking for volunteers, and I always get a surge of "I want to do this" before becoming weighed down by all the reasons I'm not the right person to do it. I am impressed and inspired by your courage to step into a new situation. What material have you covered/will you cover?
Shaking hands is the worst. I had such high hopes that it would die out post Covid, but alas -- it seems to be back with a vengeance. No matter how I try to frame it -- "I don't shake hands!" "I'm feeling a cold coming on and don't want to spread it" or even once, completely honestly, "My hands are still damp from the washroom" -- it feels like a rejection of the other person and (even if *they* don't perceive it as such) I HATE that. All that said: if someone else told me they don't shake hands, I would feel such immense relief!!!!
Thanks for being a person who shows up!
-Steph :)
I wonder if it's the yogi in you who finds the namaste an acceptable switch, Nicole.
Gosh, yes--there was a whole booklet on dress code, what materials were acceptable to take in, inappropriate contact, and all of that. I had to do two hours of in-person training as well. (hopefully just a one-time thing.)
This is *my* "when the kids are older" phase, Sarah :)! I hope you get to do it--people would get SO MUCH from you!
You're right about the shaking hands--I have warded off handshakes in other situations--where I couldn't care less if people thought I was haughty, but I didn't want to hurt feelings here.
Steph--You are my Spring herald :)! I look at your photos to see what might come our way in a few weeks!
Thanks, Gillian!
I'm a bit horrified people are grabbing your splinted hand... And smiling at the awkwardness of left-hand shakes :)
Jeanie, yes! I was hoping fistbumps and bows and namastes would take the place of handshakes after Covid. (And thank you!)
If it becomes a regular class, I think I'll do exactly that, Nance. I agree--teachers ought to be honest.
The rest of your comment made me so sad--what a loss not to have you in a classroom doing what you love and passing on your love of language to successive cohorts! Why are teachers treated so poorly and teaching so terribly supervised in this country? Speaking of... Have you watched a show called _Abbott Elementary_?
Suzanne, you'd be awesome at leading book discussions and crafting writing programs! I hope you go for it. (I developed a module of prison writing--starting with Dr. King, Malcolm X, Mandela, O. Henry, Angela Davis, Mumia, Gramsci, etc. and got through the first two yesterday.)
I know! I like hugs! But not handshakes!
Fingers crossed that the program gets greenlit, so I can keep showing up, Steph.
Hope your week is going well!
I love Abbott Elementary! So much of it rings so very true.
I know you were really looking forward to this, and I'm so glad it was a good experience for you. It sounds so rewarding. I had a cousin who was in prison for a long time, and I know he cherished any opportunity he got like the one you are providing. <3 I love how the teachers here in your comment thread love the same thing about teaching that you do.
Your comment unlocked something for me, J. People get locked away for all sorts of things, and I can easily imagine it happening to me. I know I would want this for myself, so thank you for sharing that. This was only part of the pilot, and I really hope the project gets greenlit.
I love this so, so much. I have a lot of fear/anxiety regarding the carceral system (stemming from my own childhood, as my dad was in and out of jail and prison my whole life), and I love that you get to be a light for people who need someone to see their humanity. <3 Thank you for doing this!
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