Adult Education

I answered an advertisement in the paper looking for a teacher to run adult education classes through community education. When I called the community education office they said that they were looking for someone that could teach adult education to immigrants of the area. I do not speak a second language, so I did not feel I would be very effective. The community education coordinator told me that the local county jail was looking for someone to teach adult education to inmates. These classes were to help the inmates obtain their general education diploma.

I mentioned this to my husband. He did not like the idea of me going into the jail and teaching inmates.  He wanted to make sure that I checked the teaching conditions prior to agreeing to teach the adult education classes. I contact the local sheriff and told him that I was calling about the teaching position. He told me that he was looking for someone that would be able to help inmates with the packets that they need to complete in order to gain the knowledge to take the examination to gain their general education diploma. The packets are provided by the state education department.

Many of the inmates do not have the skills in reading and math to complete the packets without assistance. I would not have to do lesson plans because I could follow the state curriculum packets. I asked him about arrangements that would be made to insure my safety. He told me that it would be best if I came into the local jail so that I could see the arrangements myself.

I went to the local jail at the day and time that I had arranged with the sheriff. We went to a door that had a button to press. A voice came over the intercom requesting to know who it was and what was wanted. The sheriff identified both of us and we were buzzed in. We entered a small room that held lockers. I was to place anything in the locker that I did not want to be searched. I put my purse and coat in the locker. We then entered a hallway that lead to several visiting areas. One room had a long table that could seat 6 people. The table was pushed up against a glass partition. On the other side of the glass partition was a table and telephone. I would conduct the adult education classes through the glass over the phone. This is going to be a very different method of teaching, but I have agreed to do this two days a week to start.