Friday, January 20, 2012
Each of you can remember at least one teacher in your life who really had an impact on you – might have changed the pathway of your life completely. And, in many of these cases, that teacher worked in a school system and was probably certified by some governmental agency. And, having accepted that, is it possible that we have amongst us some people who are natural born teachers, who will never do the work necessary to be certified, who will teach many and then turn and go on their way looking for the next person who wants to learn? We know today that kids often learn a good deal from their phones, their computers, their iBooks and iPads and that some are lucky enough to run across some person who ‘makes all the difference by opening doors we might never have chosen to enter’.
Today, I’d like to introduce you to a student I taught years and years ago to illustrate the importance of giving the students we teach an increasingly large voice in deciding what they want from our education system.
Meet Jerome Smith: A relatively big guy, about 23 or 24 years old, a smile that would melt glaciers, a full head of hair in what we called in the ’70’s an afro, and the most pleasant way of presenting himself that anyone could imagine. He said, “Hello!” to me as he entered the room joining about 65 other students. He took a seat and I noticed that he immediately took up a conversation with the young gal he’d chosen to sit beside. One of my first activities was to hear the students say their own name to me and he said, “I’m Jerome!” No last name, but that’s OK – I just noticed that while every other student gave me at least two names, this guy gave me one!
I handed out my syllabus – a two page document which I thought would cover the topic at hand in this class – an overview of the things children learn outside the formal classroom. Western Michigan’s University had titled the class, “Human Development and Learning” – it was one of a two-part sequence designed especially for students going into teaching. After covering the basic requirements in the syllabus including attendance expectations, I informed that class that if a student would do everything listed on that handout, he/she would receive a ‘C’ in the class – that grade would indicate that the student had met the basic requirements. Of course, you know that some student would ask, “And, what do we need to do to get a ‘B’?” I had that one covered too: “Read at least one book off this reading list.” The students, having been conditioned by years of being evaluated, judged, assessed, asked how do we report on the book and I told them that they only had to tell me – preferably face-to-face – that they had read it.
And, then the next question: “And, how do we get an ‘A’ in this class?” That seemed to be very important to these young people – I wondered at that time (and several times since) if the grade would eventually be worth more than the learning!! My answer: “You’ll have to do something else – something which interests you and I’d like to have you share with me what you’ve chosen to do.”
Well, you can imagine that the anxiety level of those students accustomed to be spoon-fed assignments left that day with several unanswered questions on their minds. Jerome didn’t leave, he came directly to me at the end of the class – dinner time, as the class met from 4:00-6:00. “I’d like to tell you now about my ‘something else’,” Jerome started. And, even before I could respond to that, he continued: “I’ll show up at your place at 4:00 every Tuesday during this tri-mester and I’ll teach all four of your kids – you did say you had four, didn’t you? – how to play stringed instruments, you know, like guitars, and ukeleles, and violins, you know, just regular stringed instruments.” His eyes literally danced in his head as he added, “Of course, I’ll expect dinner at the end of the lessons.” What could I say to this young fella? ‘Go for it, Jerome!’
I learned in the next week or so that Jerome had very little (like no’) interest in attending college, this was his dad’s idea and dad would pay for one year. Jerome had but one desire, he wanted to go to Nashville to play back-up for some country western band. And, I wasn’t at all sure whether or not he’d show up at our small upstairs apartment on Gull Road.
Well, Jerome came every time and on time – didn’t miss even one session. He brought a variety of instruments (we had none) and he taught the kids to play the ukelele, the guitar, the mandolin, the banjo, and a bit on the violin. The kids couldn’t wait for Jerome to come, and later argued about who would get to sit by him at dinner. He was full of music stories, he seemed to know every song we mentioned, he loved the kids and they loved him. Pam presented a bit of a problem – she’s left handed. No problem for that ‘natural teacher’ – he strung one of his old guitars with the strings in the opposite order, and that way he could sit in front of her and model how she could play her guitar. They sang songs, they played the instruments, they even wrote a song with Jerome’s help.
I’ve asked my boys to tell me what they remember now about Jerome and his lessons. You might be interested in what they told me. Paul, who after high school traveled and sang with ‘Up With People’ and who can play the guitar better than anyone else I know, remembered this: “The two things I do remember are: 1) I loved learning to play the guitar and never felt pressured to make the chord changes smoothly or continue strumming during the changes or anything like that. It was all positive; all accepting. 2) During the writing of the song we all did together (School, It Ain’t So Cool), he asked us for input. As I remember, he managed to get every small suggestion into the song. He welcomed input from the four of us and our friends (I think Pam’s friend, Robin, was responsible for the line, “I don’t like math ‘cause it really is too hard”) All four of the songs we learned together (Bobby McGee, Clayton Delaney, Yankee Lady, and School) remain a part of my repertoire.”
Paul still plays the guitar both professionally and for those he loves. He’s performed with the cast of the ‘Country Dinner Playhouse’ in Denver, he’s led the music for his church, and I’ve watched him walk into an assisted living facility and begin to play and sing in the cafeteria. In a short time a crowd gathers around to join in the singing of many favorites. He also plays at a family gathering just a bit north and west of where he lives in the Denver area – they call the gathering ‘Campfire’ – some of our close friends have heard his work.
And, while Chris doesn’t play professionally, he will on occasion join with Paul to add his guitar sounds and his warm voice to songs when the family gathers together. Chris sent along these memories of Jerome: “I remember his patience, and his talent .. He taught us the ‘easy’ chords that our little fingers could reach on the guitar, and when we’d struggle with the harder ones (‘F’, and ‘Dm’) he was very encouraging… I remember what Paul says about writing the song too . . he really made it easy for us.”
As with every good thing, this tri-mester ended, the lessons were finished, and I remember the day I called Jerome into my office. We were alone when I asked him if he knew what grade he would be getting in my class, and with a surprising enthusiasm and his straightforward honesty, Jerome said, “Yep! I’m getting an ‘F’.” I can’t remember anything in this world harder than bringing this message to a young guy I had come to love as my children loved him. “Why would he receive a failing grade?”, you ask! Because he didn’t do anything else in class – didn’t read any of the assigned books, didn’t hand in any of the assignments. He did, however, attend every class, he contributed many insights, he won the respect and love of his classmates and my four children and he probably went happily to Nashville to fulfill his dream.
It’s been my pleasure and honor to work with many – MANY – wonderful and effective teachers, but I’ll probably always remember Jerome as ‘His Classroom Would Have Been Exemplary’. He knew how to teach! He knew where he was going! I’m glad his life touched mine and the lives of many of my students at Western and four people I love!
