Fourth Session: Loosened up

This week’s session was powerful and drove the classroom into new understandings of tutors and students. After last week’s reaction to the pieces, as good as they were, I felt we needed to take this discussion up a notch. So I found two speeches and two pictures that fit them. One speech by Kim Phuc and her picture as the little girl running away from napalm fire during the Vietnam War and the other speech by Elie Wiesel and a picture of the holocaust victims and the ovens. I did not know how the men would react to the content but I figured I should give it a shot. If it didn’t work then we would proceed to tutoring proper. Well one factor I did not account for was the lack of tutors this week. In total there was only Joe, Alonna and myself. We knew there would be a good number of inmates not only because the semester is rolling along but it was cold out and yard time might not be appealing.

We needed a game plan and fast. Three tutors 15 men who needed help in their studies. We thought that because we were unprepared for this mini crisis we would have a longer discussion and split up into larger groups of 3-5 depending on subject need. Our longer conversation we hoped and prayed would follow through worked like a charm. We began by looking at the Holocaust pictures and Elie Wiesel’s speech at Buchenwald on June 2009. The gentleman who raised his hand to read prefaced with “I am not a good reader, but I’ll read. Here to learn aren’t I?” We (yes as a class) encouraged him to read it and he did a fantastic job. Yes he stumbled on many words but his rhythm was perfect. It truly captured the emotion, and power of the piece. Elie Wiesel would have to take his hat off to that reading. Looking around the room to see the reaction men began to loosen their shoulders as the speech went on, there was a sigh of understanding, you could see the sadness of the piece mirrored in their eyes. No doubt it touched them and on many levels they found it profound. There was a brief silence after the piece was read. One man raised his hand and it sparked conversation that never took place in any of the sessions before.

We talked about reparations, war, corruption, power, humanity, world leaders, Obama (whom they love), responsibility, symbolism and so much more. It was profound and I was moved. They became more real to me at that point. They were less like shapes and more like men with ideas, opinions, thoughts and the will to voice to them. The idea of national and global responsibility was a huge topic. So many of them believed in Obama and yet others feel like there will ever be a change. One comment made about finding a deeper understanding through education and history really spoke to me because that is what I believe in. Another gentleman asked how we could unite as a country when we are all so different, race, religion, and class. My answer led to the piece about Vietnam War. I told him that the picture and others like it unites us all because it is a burden we carry as a nation and there is no escaping history. And although it is not a pretty picture or ideal it is a point to begin changing for the better. When we talked about Vietnam, the speech and the picture the men surprised me with their compassion towards the young girl. In fact the men said in whispers that I was very passionate and knowledgeable which touched me. I was happy to hear that not because it was a very nice compliment but I know realize I want to be there and I put effort into my work for them.

In this session almost everyone spoke up but I think it is because it is a passionate subject and everyone wants to put in a thought. Even when we were talking over each other the men politely asked to complete his thought or to interject a thought.

And as a last thought to this note the young man I mention last post did not attend session this week. My idealism was both uplifted and broken at the same time. I hope he attends next week but I cannot force it. No to break a good image and good day but in the world nothing is perfect but some things can be good.

Please stay tuned for the posting the speeches and pictures.