I value life. I was that kid who opened the jar when my brother had managed to capture a bee (or snake, bird, raccoon, girlfriend…).
Although I suggested to those who asked, that my choice to pursue a career in corrections was a practical one (job security, benefits, no foreign language requirement); I actually chose it because I believed that I could improve the lives of other people. I could reduce victimization. I could save people from brutal torture, rape, and murder. I wanted to open the jar.
I got my wish. Every day, I kept people safe. One day, someone I admired at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay, Wisconsin convinced me that I could keep many more people safe by training up the next batch of correctional professionals. She said, “We can teach you how to teach.” And, here we are, twenty years later, and I am still learning how to teach. Continue reading
