By Linda A. Beam
Correctional educators constantly strive to become more effective when teaching students.
Seeking new ideas or striving for newer and better retention techniques are constant issues faced by a correctional educator.
The basic content of the curriculum for the Adult Basic Education (ABE/GED) student is math, reading, and language.
From my point of view, teaching only these ‘basic needs’ and nothing else puts a strain between educators and students.
As a correctional educator, I teach the basics but also move my students beyond these.
Correctional educators need to ignite their students’ curiosity and encourage motivation.
Through
thought provoking, instructional but fun-to-do lessons, boredom will
lessen or diminish. The outcome will be continuous gains, improvement on
tests, and most importantly, a successful reintegration into the
community.
A
research project did a study on factors in instruction that could
possibly lead to increased reading and writing and to doing higher
levels of learning outside of the classroom.
[i] The
article explained that through the use of authentic activities in
instruction, which focuses on newspapers, magazines, letters, etc., the
students increased the level of reading and writing. The study argues
that instruction should be drawn from the actual lives of adult
students.
The
article also states that drawing on life experiences would be limited
in a correctional setting, but teachers can be creative and can produce
these ‘authentic activity’ materials. I agree that authentic activities
as defined can increase interests. For example, when I use the News for You, a teaching supplement published by New Readers Press, my students really get involved with it.[ii]
This is like a petite newspaper with lots of current news. I am in
agreement that these so-called ‘authentic materials’ described in the
study are limited in a correctional environment. However, I see a more difficult process in asking an inmate to draw upon his life experiences as the study reveals. Trying
to teach resident students by drawing upon their life experiences is
not easy; it is complicated for these students. Life experiences for
most resident students are not bursting with enough variety. Judy Woods (2002) stated that “Teaching is not filling a bucket. It is lighting a fire.”[iii] I feel that in order to light a fire, there must be fuel in the bucket. Most
resident students do not have this fuel, because their buckets do not
contain enough of life experiences. Definitely, if life experiences for
the resident students had been fully rounded, there would be no problem.
Besides, the life experiences of most of the resident students are
nothing more than street fights, trashy low-income housing, and many
times difficult-life experiences. It would be difficult for any student
to get enthused over such a past as the one mentioned. If
correctional educators want to focus curriculum on real life
experiences, then as one, I feel the need to give the resident students a
chance to savor and view life in a different way by introducing some
rich experiences. Through enriching the curriculum, correctional
educators can supplement the resident students’ lives with activities
upon which to draw. Ultimately, filling their buckets with fuel.
By
enriching the curriculum taught at correctional facilities, lessons can
explode into new experiences for many students. Enrichment of the
prison educational program can be done through many avenues; however, I
will expand upon only three main strategies. Sometimes, educators feel
that being inventive or getting access to different instructional
materials is not as easy as the click of a button. What I have included
in this article are plans that spurred inexpressible interest in my
students. Through this article I will assist educators to explore and
develop curricula that will stimulate interests in their students. These
unique units-of-fun goad the minds of the students and keep them
wanting and waiting for more. Ultimately, it will fill their minds with
wonderful thought-provoking experiences and enhance life memories.
HOW?
Firstly, capitalize on specific hobbies whether it is the teachers’ or
the students’. Hobbies are loaded with countless learning potential.
Secondly,
use multicultural activities so that the students’ minds can
incorporate a better understanding of how important it is to learn about
cultures. Understanding cultural studies is probably foreign to many
resident students.
In many instances, the closest some
resident students get to know about cultural differences is from eating
at Chinese restaurants. Thirdly, produce learning modules that I call
‘conglomerates’ from which to teach by.
Conglomerates are,
in a geological sense, clusters of different materials such as pebbles
and gravel cemented together into a rock. Used in the same way are the
educational conglomerates:
different materials cemented together into a
solid learning module.
The first activity might be a real challenge, taking into consideration the environment. It is mirrored after the show-and-tell technique. I utilize my hobbies. Of course, drawing upon the student’s hobbies also works. Of my show-and-tell schemes, two projects were the more successful. The first was on the subject matter of rocks and minerals. Being
a rock hound since youth and after getting permission from security (a
must when working in corrections), I loaded up a carrier with many
different rocks and brought them into class. The students were greatly
impacted and mesmerized by all the different colored rocks and minerals
and the diverse shapes. After letting the students view and touch the
rocks, I randomly picked up certain rocks and talked about them. Many
students knew nothing about rocks and minerals. I asked my students if they were aware that a rock could float or knew that crystals grew inside some rocks called geodes. The knack of the rock and mineral adventure is to cite examples of rocks and minerals that are UNIQUE in nature.
Unique, bizarre rocks act as magnets and draw the students into the learning module. My
first choices of rocks to talk about were pyrite (fool’s gold), geode
(hidden crystals inside), mica (transparent layers), pumice (a rock that
floats), fluorite (a crystal always found growing in a diamond-shape),
and others. In addition to the discussion, handouts were
used with the lesson. One handout was on mineral uses and another
defined the three main groups of rocks. For the last handout, the
student was to choose one rock that was interesting to them and describe
why it was interesting. After choosing the rock, they were asked to describe the rock on paper. Each student was instructed to do research on his stone. The
class enjoyed the final handout the most. In finalizing this activity,
the students were given a chance to show their selected rock and to tell
the class about its secret. Words cannot describe the curiosity or
passion of the students. This activity furthered their knowledge in
life's miracles and furthered their experiences.
The
second activity I used in my classroom was a mini-cultural event, the
culture of the Native American Indian. The outcomes of teaching about
cultures lend to the students' recognition of diverse cultural groups
and to a better interaction and appreciation for people with different
views. I introduced the lesson by using the words of a poet, who stated
that “All the colors are tied.” [iv] I explained that given any nationality today, they are one of these four colors: black, brown, white, and yellow. Being born half Native American and being active in the Indian community, I had many things I could bring into the classroom. I
packed up an assortment of items: some regalia (outfits), jewelry,
pipes, and fans. Again, with working in corrections, permission must be
given for many of these things. These items were on display for the
students to see as they entered into the classroom.
Because Native American regalia are
colorful and very artsy, the students went straight up to the items upon
entrance. They were drawn to and excited about the display. Many students had never been exposed to Indian things at such a close proximity. After
the students sat down, I discussed the high probability of half the
students sitting in the room having some percentage of Indian. I
talked about how many Americans stereotype Indians, caused by watching
too much television. I related to the students that by knowing about
different cultures is to understand about cultures. I
spoke on the present life of Native Americans and how they are just like
everyone else with the same feelings and the same problems.
Next,
I randomly picked different items from the display and discussed the
importance or history of them. One item I chose was the Cherokee Tear
Dress. I pointed out that it was sewn together from
material that was torn into strips to make the dress plus it was called a
Tear Dress in reference to the Trail of Tears that Cherokees were made
to endure.
In
order to make provisions for addressing diversity even more; I talked a
little about the history of the Native American people, which is
different from what is taught. I stated that according to
Kentucky history, no Indians lived here; they only hunted here. However,
research had been done on Kentucky Indians and found documented proof
that Indians not only hunted in Kentucky but also lived here. Next, I
mentioned several books for them to read if interested in knowing more
about the Native American culture.
To build more exposure to the Indian
culture, I disclosed that some items on display had great significance
to the Native American; one such item is the pipe. The pipe is very
sacred to the Sioux. It is one of their sacred objects used in their
ceremonies.
The legend of the White Buffalo Calf Woman is that she gave the Pipe Ceremony to the Sioux.
I
communicated to the class that this legend is still told; however, all tribes have variations in their beliefs.
One variation is that the Cherokee people believe the tobacco is considered sacred.
The pipe, to the Cherokee people, is merely a tool for holding the sacred tobacco.
I stated that the significance of the pipe is different from tribe to tribe.
The students were very surprised to know there are many differences among Native Americans.
To finalize my lesson on Native Americans, I
addressed Native American jewelry. I revealed that jewelry is
considered just as significant and is one of the most beautiful items of
Native Americans. I talked about symbols in the beads on the jewelry and the fans. To
give students the idea of the symbols, I showed one item with a
seven-sided star. I explained that the Cherokees use the seven-sided
star as a motif in much of their jewelry items, and that this star
represents the seven clans of the tribe. This little presentation gave
them a glimpse into the creativity, the history, and the diversity of
the Native people.
Following the lesson plan, the resident
students' enthusiasms peaked as they embarked on their assignment. The
students were assigned to read a handout on the Treaty of New Echota, 1835,
which is a government document. It disclosed information about the
Removal Act signed by the president, Andrew Jackson. The handout
revealed information about the many Indians who were removed by force
and driven to the Indian Territory in Oklahoma. And how
that after five years, Cherokee Chiefs signed a treaty in New Echota,
the Cherokee capital, giving up claims to their homelands. The students read about the many Cherokee people who died in the journey to the new land. The students learned that this forced walk became known as the Trail of Tears. After
reading the handout and discussing it, the students indicated that they
were more endeavored to become aware of the different cultures.
The final activity to be used in the
classroom is achieved by using a conglomerate. In a conglomerate, you
can use many different media to create one teaching module. My choices of media to present my lesson were stamps, posters, and dolls from my hobbies. Most
people do not know the wealth of information hidden in hobbies. I chose
these because they were different in character than both the rocks and
the Indian culture. It could be a new experience for those who had no prior concept about stamps or dolls. I explained that they needed to be aware that stamps are more than mere objects for mailing packages and letters. Plus, they needed to know that dolls are more then mere objects for kids to play with.
As an introduction to my conglomerate, I began revealing the facts about stamps and dolls. I
stated that many students, as well as the population in general, have
no idea of the historical nature to be learned from dolls. I
reported that certain dolls can provide a peek into the past while
others can tell us about the historical events happening in the periods
when the doll was produced. Additionally, I communicated to the class that dolls were used in advertisements. They
advertised for the war (G.I. Joe), for the rise in the motion pictures
(character doll such as Shirley Temple), or for promoting a business
(Aunt Jemima rag doll). I explained that dolls reflected the history of
nations and countries in many ways. This concept of learning about our
past through dolls is foreign to most people.
In addition to learning history from dolls, I stated that you could learn about costumes. Many
dolls are dressed in national costumes of various countries. Dolls are
also dressed in traditional costumes; for example, the Eskimo dolls are
made from sealskin and whalebone. Many traditional costumes have symbols painted on them that have meaning for the tribes and tribal families. I explained that doll costumes are shown during special festivals in Japan. These festivals were celebrations as well as a time to display family dolls that had been handed down for generations.[v] Through the dolls, Japanese children learned about their country’s culture and the history of their ancestors. The students listened intently as the meaning of dolls poured forth.
I explained to the students that stamps, like dolls, can also teach about the history of a country or specialize in showing specific things such as birds, dinosaurs, rare ancient cars, and ships to name only a few. Stamps also portray famous men and women such as Benjamin Franklin or the Queen of England. I commented that a stamp could provide us with a look into art and its artists. I revealed that stamps could take us on trips to foreign places. They can tell us about our past events.
My conglomerate was of dolls, posters, and
stamps that were symbolic of the effects that World War II had on women.
Setting up the conglomerate is fun and important to the lesson. The display sets the mood and lends a peek into the discussion. The
posters used in the conglomerate were Rosie the Riveter Poster: World
War II and Girl He Left Behind. The stamps used were Japanese stamp of
Blue-eyed Dolls, Rosie the Riveter, and Gold Star Mothers. The dolls
merged all the items into a single unit. The dolls on
display were Madame Alexander’s Rosie the Riveter and Vogue's WAVE-ette.
Put together into one unit, this conglomerate was a very powerful
resource to teach about how World War II affected American women.
To describe the posters on view, they both displayed a Rosie the Riveter character. The Rosie the Riveter poster displayed Rosie flexing her arm muscle with the words, “We Can Do It!” towards the top. The Girl He Left Behind poster shows Rosie holding a wrench and with a soldier silhouette in the sky. Below Rosie are the words, “The Girl He Left Behind is Still Behind Him. She’s a WOW.” These posters showed American women hard at work in defense of their spouses and their country.
My introduction was a discussion on how wars changed things. I talked about how that before World War II, most women took care of the children and stayed at home. However, this war brought many changes. The American men were leaving and this created many job vacancies. I
asked the class if they had heard of Rosie the Riveter. I was surprised
that no one knew of or heard of her. I discussed of whom she symbolized
and how she became the symbol for the millions of women who worked in
America during World War II. I commented that Rosie the Riveter was created as a campaign to employ women in the workforce. Women
were needed to fill vacant job positions and to fill jobs created by
the demands of wartime. Therefore, Rosie the Riveter was a fictitious
person created by the government to help fill these jobs. I commented
that in particular, the Rosie the Riveter character was on display just
about everywhere and on everything. Rosie had rosy cheeks, wore work
clothes, and handled factory machinery.
Another important fact that was discussed
was that all nations during wartime, including the United States, used
propaganda strategies to promote patriotism. I explained that besides radio broadcasting and motion pictures, posters were used for propaganda purposes. I pointed out that numerous posters for advertising women's roles were created. These
posters were utilized to promote the armed forces, the working woman,
and the women in support. It was a widespread campaign technique to
promote the war. The posters displayed in America at this
time were pictures of WAVES, of WACS, of Rosie the Riveter, and many
other posters of the WWII women, and they were a big success. I revealed
that during WWII, the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency
Service) were established. I talked about the opportunities that opened
up for women. The students were enthusiastically scanning all the items
on display throughout my discussion.
For
more background and history, I discussed that during this time, dolls
played a powerful role in shaping America's future. I explained that
dolls were used as another advertising technique for WWII efforts. I
explained there were many doll icons of WWII that inspired patriotism.
The WAVES and WACS directors previewed a doll in its uniform and both
directors stated that this doll was “most important” to the war effort. As
a motivator, I showed the class an old ad of Vogue's war dolls. In
Vogue’s ad which pictured the WAVE and WAC dolls, it reported, “In
keeping with the fast-moving American picture of today, Vogue dolls are
designed to express America-on-the-March-to-Victory.”[vi] On
display coupled with the posters was the Vogue WAVE-ette doll in her
replica of the uniforms worn by the women’s branches of the armed
services. The WAVE-ette doll wears Navy cotton coat
adorned with brass buttons and the WAVE insignia on the cap. This doll
symbolized the fact that women could now enlist in the military.
Madame
Alexander, I explained, also made dolls that honored these wartime
moments. I reported that one of the most important dolls created by
Madame Alexander was none other than Rosie the Riveter. On display and included with the doll were a lunch box and a small poster of Rosie with the words “We Can Do It”. Rosie
wore a red bandanna around her head and a blue work uniform. These
heroic dolls and posters were used to encourage women to leave their
domestic life and to go to work outside of the home to show their
support to their husbands and to the war efforts. I
explained that it was a proud time for women so it is no shock that
North America actually prospered during WWII while other nations
suffered major hardships and widespread destruction.
The next step was to focus attention on the stamps. As
an introduction to one stamp in particular, I discussed the history of
the American Blue-eyed dolls. Before WWII there was tension between
Japan and the United States, I explained that American children sent
dolls to the children in Japan as a sign of goodwill and peace. These dolls were known as the American Blue-eyed dolls. They were welcomed and distributed throughout Japan. Their name was based on a popular song entitled “Blue-eyed Doll” by Ujo Noguchi.[vii]
Unfortunately, when the war broke out in 1941, the ill treatment of
Japanese enemy aliens (immigrants) here in America and the confinement
of them in the relocation camps, resulted in Japanese officials ordering
the American Blue-eyed dolls to be destroyed. Japanese
women, faced with the torment of taking a doll from their children, were
ordered to destroy the doll. I discussed that despite the order, many
Japanese women and teachers hid and preserved the dolls and about 300
out of about 12,000 dolls were saved from this terrible destruction.[viii]
But, in 1989, Japan issued a stamp to commemorate the Blue-eyed Dolls.
This was the stamp on display showing a drawing of the doll that was
destroyed. Giving reference to this stamp highlighted an
even more extensive background on the effects that wartime had on women
across the world.
There
were other stamps on display that portrayed the patriotism of women. I
pointed to the Gold Star Mothers stamp and explained that it was issued
to commemorate mothers who had lost a child in WWII. It was for those mothers who sacrificed their loved ones; it was a commemoration. The other stamp I had on display was the Women Support America in World War II stamp showing Rosie the Riveter. The label read, “Millions of women join war effort, 1942.”[ix] I
reported that according to the publication by the U.S. Postal Service,
“The women who answered their country’s call …forever changed women’s
roles in the American labor market.”[x] Within each discussion, the major concepts were built in a sequential fashion. As
one of the follow-up activities used for this conglomerate, I asked the
students to write, in their own words, a summary of what they learned
new from the lesson.
Using
conglomerates like this one helped to teach resident students and to
give these students an advantage. It developed curiosity and encouraged
motivation through the use of visual aids. The visual aids were
plentiful and geared the discussion to the projected outcome. These
educational conglomerates and the other educational options were
utilized to conclude that correctional educators can, indeed, provide
the life experiences in which are lacking in many of the resident
students. Again, I argue that as a correctional educator, I feel the
need to supplement the basic studies with a thought provoking,
instructional fun-to-do lesson such as described above that will enrich
minds and improve re-integration back into the community.
Deepa Singh
Business Developer
Web Site:-
http://www.gyapti.comBlog:-
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Email Id:-deepa.singh@soarlogic.com
