I took school leave to redefine myself, to reinforce the belief that I’m just as much a part of Michigan’s education system as the thousands of public school teachers armed with lesson plans. Prison teachers, you see, don’t “plan,” as much as “redirect.” We wield quarterly IEP’s (Individualized Education Plans), knowing damn well our students won’t follow a word we say. Still, a start’s a start and we do a lot of that—“starting.”
I have to remind myself that my teaching certificate is just as good, if not better than most certified teachers - even WITHOUT a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership. Too many chefs in the kitchen, too many bloated paychecks, and the diner, the consumer, ain’t consuming. But this isn’t about eating or salaries. This is about volunteering at a public middle school and gathering bags full of money—lunch money.
So I got caught up in the school’s penny wars, something The National Junior Honor Society sponsors to raise money for charity. The class with the most pennies wins an Olive Garden lunch. And it’s not just pennies collected—students chip away at their opponents’ penny total by tossing nickels, dimes, and quarters into their enemy’s coffers.
So I took the loot to a Coin Star, fed the machine, collected the receipts, then reported back to the principal’s office. Regardless of the results, here are a few of my observations: 1) the resource and special education classes didn’t collect much, probably due to class size, 2) their coins were caked in mud or foreign or Windsor Casino / Chuck E.Cheese tokens, and 3) I was not afforded the opportunity to interact with the teachers or students.
Overall, I enjoyed my day.
9 comments:
Coin Star!!!! At your local Krogers!!!--Mr. Whipple and Artie the bagger
It was a more worthy cause than collecting pennies for your bail money, but then in a way it was bail money because it got you our of jail for a day.
Great to hear of kids (and teachers) involved in such endeavors - and that's a great smile on your face.
Okay, your prison job sounds like my public school job most days - i'm mostly redirecting. Although my kiddos are only *potential* killers at this point...
You are the real deal, btw - don't ever forget that...even if they won't let you mingle with the other teachers and students. :)
1) Digging the new bookend graphics, clangs home a good point.
2) a penny saved is a token spent.
3) they still make pennies? why?
4) I don't know, Alaska . . .
Good job J.R. I think and educator educates whereever he works.
If you enjoyed your day than that's all that matters.
I must be hungry: I took one look at that photograph and saw chicken curry, not pennies. Bet you could buy a lot of chicken curry with those pennies, though...
An M.A. can't make a crappy teacher a good one any more than not having one can make a born teacher a crappy one. I do a lot of redirecting myself. And a depressing lot of babysitting...
Very cool. I'm glad you enjoyed your day. :)
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