What is your teaching experience so far?

Today I had my first day of teaching at the jail and it went better than I expected. Sara was very relaxed and flexible with her work style which makes me feel more comfortable coming in later in the semester and also seems to make the inmates more comfortable to express themselves rather than trying to do a project “right”. I got to take part in the inmates creating a group project on canvas and watch the flow of the class. I loved the conversations that were had and the general feel in the classroom. It felt like an open environment and a safe space.

What are you looking forward to about the class you will be teaching?

I look forward to creating new and exciting art projects to help the inmates to express themselves. I want to give these people an outlet to express themselves with what gives them a sort of purpose and helps them see that they can be productive members of society. From talking with the inmates that were in this class I could really tell how the art helped them see their past, present, and future.

What do you hope to learn/gain from this experience?

I would like to learn more about how to work with unconventional classrooms. This will give me an experience to become comfortable working with people that I have little familiarity with and learn how to talk with people from a wider range of backgrounds. I mostly would like to learn more about how I can help others and figure out if working in a jail rehabilitation environment would be a good setting for me in the future.