..applied to teach a GED/Adult literacy program in a prison. After 6 years of teaching Special Education I've come to the conclusion that our present education system blows. And the sad part is, that the prison gig will probably be a step up from the classroom that I'm teaching in right now.

Here's hoping that I get in on the inside. Of course the real irony is that my wife is the senion dentist at the prison I applied to <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />.



Peace
Jerry

I wonder is Scrapyard has any openings?

what part blows the most? the clientele? management? pay? hours?

Jerr,
Kudos to ya bro for educating the unwashed masses

IIRC my brother spoke fondly of the teachers he met in prison, during his last stretch

I don't mind the pay, we get a lot of time off. So I've never really whined about the pay, or the hours for that matter. There are some benefits to being a teacher.

My adminstration basically doesn't give a rats(hey, a swamp reference) [censored] about setting up our program so that we can be effective and actually teach these kids. In essence I baby sit a dumping ground. It's just not gratifying and I've frustrated and pissed off every day when I come home.

The kids I teach are some of the toughest of the bunch. We just had a group of 5 kids here in Jacksonville who murdered a food delivery guy. Four of those kids were students at my school. And one of my lovely students in the class was almost involved with them. I'm not so sure that he wasn't.

I hear ya.
At my work sometimes we come across folks.. and we ask "How the HELL did this @#$% get through grade school?!"
The nice ones are alright.. but it's the belligerent ones i can't stand.. think you owe them something.
So one night I was tossing back some cold ones with my compadres that work at the prison.. we were gripin about this very subject.
Then we had an epiphany.. you know what?? If these @#%^ weren't here.. or if they were all Einsteins.. then WE wouldn't be here!
kinda like ying & yang.. can't have cold if there ain't heat.
meh.. anyways.. you had to be there.

But every now and then.. there's a few that walk away with something positive.. and that makes it seem worth it.

IMHO the problem is the concept of school administration. Here is South Carolina the lion's share of the money budgeted for education never makes it to the class room. It is sucked up by state, county and district administration. What value does all of this administration add to the final product, which we would hope would be an educated electorate? In my opinion, the answer is that it adds very little if any.

All the administration a school needs can be provided be the principal and staff. The rest is government "make work". Give the money to the schools and let them spend it on the kids. Put the rest of the carpetbagers out on the street! (Rant, rant)
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Many of my students are going to be providing job security for my wife at the prison.

At my district now the principal pretty much has all the authority. All the district can do is recommend to her. And therein lies the problem.

My principal can screw up the program and face no reprucussions for her actions. However, the district comes into my classroom and increases my burden and frustration by having me jump through hoops to correct the stupidity of my principal.

So I'm at the point where asking the customer is he/she would like to supersize their order would be a better alternative then what I'm doing.



peace
Jerry

Well that sucks. I think principals need to be answerable to the parents of the children in their school. The big flaw in my plan is that it presupposes that the parents care and are reasonable, rational people. Those qualities are often lacking these days.

I am sure you will see some familiar faces in a couple of years. I think you are doing a really good thing although it could end up being really stressfull.
The small city I live in(30 000 people)has 7 different jails including a huge federal pen. I grew up in foster care and the young offendor system and found the
teachers and staff to be of a much higher calibre than the regular system because they actually wanted to make a difference not just have job security and summers off. You will also find the occasional hard case who has reached a point where they really want to make a change and then you can actually do something worthwhile. Unless someone wants to change and knows what they are actually going to have to do to acomplish it(you can't have the same criminal friends)don't waste your time though.

My first teaching gig was in a psychiatric hospital for children. I had the best of the best when it came to trouble makers in my class. And I loved most every minute of it. Sadly the state closed the facility down so it was off to the public school sector.

In the public sector I ran a program for three years teaching boys who had severe emotional problems. And I loved every most every minute of it. Sadly, the economy in Detroit hit the crapper. Luckily the wife and I got out in time.

So after taking a year off and sailing our boat down to my home state of Florida I again sought a job in the public sector. And it's quite the mess here. My hope is that I'll get an interview, and subsequently an offer. And then my hope is that my audience will be older, more mature, and more motivated than what I've got now. If this doesn't work out then it might be time for a career change.



peace
Jerry

THOSE are the great folks that people remember Years later! ..and have a profound effect on. I sure won't forget.
..the ones who aren't in it just for the "tenure" and monetary benefits.
So you know what?
After work.. if you go home feeling shitty.. that's GOOD! cuz it means you still give a [censored]!
Just remember.. leave it at the door though.. don't bring it home to your kids, wife, family.. that's the hard part that I had to learn.