Points to remember
Inmates may come tp your program for reasons other than a love of poetry, release from boredom, to look good for probation etc
Inmates may not have confidence with pen and paper. So think of oral record sessions
Find out there preconceptions of poetry.
Survive the tits and bum jokes.
Can other people that have teaching experience think of other issues, tactics
What is essential to poetry is rythym not rhyme. In the early stages work at verbal exercises
Hehe thanks fellow poets, I will be keeping a very keen eye on this thread
Educator here (30 years this year!), give them opportunity to save face first and foremost do not judge. They are there too look good at the parole board? Okay, roll with it. They are there because they really want to learn but have build so many walls around themselves they hide behind "insert coping mechanism here" okay roll with it.
You might need a good while to create a safe space for people to actually engage, find a way into poetry that builds on the learners' strength this might be the banter, rough humour, cynicism, or grey stone (no feedback externally whatsoever) pick people up where they are ... they will test you all learners will test you and see how far they can go
Two strategies:
If you are offered extremely explicit content do no flinch take what the learners serve (think improv theatre) and roll with it, do not judge, do not put your values or expectations on the learners, take what they give you and work with it, react to anything you get as if they said: I like apples ... no matter what it is (which in itself can actually create situations that are funny)
Unless you are extremely confident and experienced in reading the room and people and can play with whatever is thrown at you
Try not to react to the trauma you pick up on what I mean is react to their actions and words, not to what your empathic soul is showing you. You might see more about someone than they do know about themselves, if you respond to this, you might put yourself into trouble. As this potentially endangers their self-protection mechanism and could be perceived as a threat.
Cannot comment on anything prison related but worked a lot with young adults and kids that have trauma history some of which were classified dangerous because of the s**** that was done to them.
I like your admirable prison poetry project. From #4, I assume a men's prison, but would a female population be more helpful to hone the program? I wish I could help, but I have no experience in neither prison nor teaching.