Interning
So today was my first real day of interning. I went from 9-2, and did things like paperwork, hangin out in their classrooms, in the lunchroom, talkin with my assigned kid, and looking at more tattoos i've ever seen in one place (especially on 14-17 year olds) among the kids i met were druggees, gang bangers, murder acessories (one kid was in there for hiding a gun used in a murder for a friend), robbers, armed robbers, etc. etc. etc. I was pleasantly surprised by my assigned kid though because as intimidating as he looked, he was actually a pretty nice guy. A sophomore in highschool, he was pretty smart - if you could find doing sixth grade level math and science with little trouble smart. He said he had been using drugs since 5th grade, and was already pretty messed up on them by 7th. I found it amazing that when I asked where he was from, he responded with a gang name, not a location.
I also saw better how they had the place set up - they do it a lot by reward system, and the people who get the most rewards get "promoted" and are the leaders of their unit, with scheduled "working" times and stuff. The ones who don't do anything, like some of the kids I saw in class just sitting there looking at the floor - what a boring life, huh?- don't recieve rewards (in the form of points which translate to mock paychecks, where they can write checks from their "account" to "buy" seven dollar sodas and ten-dollar cup-o-noodles) also are assigned to sit in a particular place in the unit hall during community times - in the middle of a u-shaped formation of everyone else. Surpirsingly, many don't care and want to do their time, sail through, and do nothing.
One kid I met during a case review that I felt sorry for actually pretended to not speak very good english, and, reading over his file, were many comments about possible mild schizophrenia. To be 16, and crazy, possibly because of drug use? And he was one of the ones who didn't care and just wanted out, so he didn't do anything, and refused to set personal goals for the month. How can one get so wrapped up in stuff like that that they get to the point where they don't even want to set goals? I wish someone would help that kid. Speaking of which, the teachers and DPOs have a completely different perspective on these kids. The teachers, normal state-accredited (probably middle school level) teachers, from what I observed tended to give the kids the benefit of the doubt, while one DPO said to me many comments like "See that? I'd never do that. These kids are too dangerous." It was kind of sad for both parties - the teachers because they may be easily manipulated by these kids, and the DPOs because it seems they have lost almost all hope in these kids - I'm sure that hope gets weathered away with time and experience though.
Sorry it's so long, I've got lots more to say, I wish I could say more than general stuff, but they're strict about confidentiality. I cut it so it wouldn't take up huge space on peoples' friends pages.