The Curriculum Guide for "Don't Shake the Spoon: A Journal of Prison Writing" is an attempt to connect users with the stories from the students of Exchange for Change and to inspire others to create their own stories to share the power of the written word.

It is the intention that these lessons be used as a guide/jumping off point to engage the community in the writing of the students in Exchange for Change’s programs and through this engagement, to begin to explore the issues of mass incarceration in the United States. There are suggested arts extensions added to each activity as a way to more deeply engage your students in discussion and thoughtful response.

Exchange for Change facilitates writing in prisons and runs letter exchanges between incarcerated students and writers studying on the outside. By preparing incarcerated people for their reentry into the outside community and preparing that community for their return, Exchange for Change provides vision and understanding on both sides of the fence.