Magazine
PRISON!
April 17, 2012 —I haven’t been to prison for weeks. I miss being the spelling bee judge, or just bonding with the inmates over my lack of knowledge about Lil Wayne. Last week and this week is Spring Break for the teachers in the class, and unfortunately we don’t have class during this period.
I honestly don’t know what to do with myself with my empty Wednesday afternoons. So to help me forget, I’ve started remembering how much fun it was. Since I’ve started teaching this semester, 4 of my students have been released. I miss their presence during every class. One inmate showed my coworkers and I his drawings and we were immediately taken about by how talented he was. Just another reminder that a lot of the guys I work with are not criminals at heart, but have accidentally fallen into this lifestyle.
Another inmate that’s left was a student of mine who wanted to be an editor, and constantly helped me while I was teaching writing skills since he knew more than I did. Unfortunately, though all the guards tell you not to get attached to these men, it’s hard to not root for them. I continually hope that the men that have left my classroom do so with a new appreciation for learning and what you can do with it. In any case, I can’t wait to go back to Cayuga Correctional Facility next week!
