NCJ Number
90334
Journal
Alternative Higher Education Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: (Fall 1981) Pages: 49-59
Date Published
1981
Length
11 pages
Annotation
If interest and attendance is to be sustained in a college humanities course taught in a prison, the teacher must acknowledge the debilitating influence of the prison environment and provide a stimulating atmosphere through innovative teaching methods that encourage independent and creative thinking.
Abstract
College humanities courses taught in prisons in the same manner in which they are taught in college classrooms will inevitably fail, as measured by sustained student attendance. Inmate students have been conditioned by the prison authorities to be dependent, and the prison subculture has encouraged conformist behavior and thinking. The instructor should make the class as interesting and entertaining as possible by using films, tapes, slideshows, guest speakers, group work, debates, and drama. So as to provide a sustained atmosphere of creativity and stimulation, more than one class should be taught in the same semester, so as to maximize inmate contact with the classroom environment. The instructor should gain knowledge of the students' academic preparedness. Classroom discussions and personal interviews can aid in this effort.