Students Are The Real Teachers - Part 3: The Student I Wish I Had Been

Students Are The Real Teachers

The student I wish I had been in high school sits in my AP English class this year. This is my 2^nd year with her in my AP English courses (I teach Lit and Lang)  and I only wish I had more students like her.  In fact, I wish every student were like her.  Truth be told, I wish I had been more like her. 

This girl has a hunger to learn.  She’s not satisfied with the status quo. She challenges me to bring my teaching “A-game” every single class period.  Those days I want to slack off and just whip out a worksheet, I can't - I feel guilty – like in some way I’m letting her down. I was the kind of student who was just fine taking the non-challenging, "easy A" courses. I turned down a chance to take AP English my senior year because I didn't want the extra work. Not this girl. She’s driven to take every single challenging, AP/Honors course out there and she’s determined to succeed in each one. It’s the kind of drive and motivation, that, quite frankly, I do not understand.  I think I may have horrified her when, last year, I told the class that they needed to “strive for C’s” (so they could experience a taste of “failure” before getting to college).  

She is the kind of intelligent that doesn’t seem to even try – the so smart she doesn’t know how easy she’s got it – kind of smarts.  But she’s not that know-it-all - that annoying person who talks just to hear the sound of her own voice – she’s not that at all. In fact, she’s (seemingly) unaware of how difficult it is for the rest of us, assuming that the rest of the class is on par, making the connections that to her are so obvious – but to others are eye-opening. 

Sure, I got good grades (ok, truth be told, in English and History I got good grades. They were barely decent in Math or Science) – but grades aren’t the only indicator of intelligence and this girl has both the grades and the intelligence. 

She’s read almost every book I mention, both classics and modern fiction. I read in high school, but tended to re-read the same books over and over. I waited to expand my literary horizons until well after college.

She’s articulate – a great debater, quick thinking and quick witted.   I think of my best arguments at 3am two weeks after the initial debate. “Should have said THAT!!” (and then I can’t sleep out of the sheer frustration of having lost my chance to win that argument).

An amazing writer – her essays are a joy to read. Her ideas are insightful. Her thoughts clear and organized, her phrasing is beautiful.  I'm not so sure my essays would have qualified as "a joy to read."

She’s more than just smarts though. She’s funny, a great sense of humor – always willing to laugh at herself and playfully tease others. 

These past two years have been so enjoyable to teach because of this girl sitting in my class. I only wish I had been that student for my high school teachers. I only wish I had been that student for myself. 

Project Based Learning - one example

In one of our recent staff development trainings, we learned that good teachers don't "teach to the test" anymore - something probably all good teachers already knew - but that the new teaching trend incorporates "project based" learning. Project based learning is in theory, (isn't that all of the 'new teaching trends - just "theoretically"?) more "real world" and, hence, more "relevant" to the students.

So, as it turns out, despite my refusal to "T to the 4" (Teach To The Test) - as I was instructed to do the first day I got hired by my current district - according to the new definition, I've been a "good teacher" all along!

The following is a project I assign my students as one assessment of the epic poem "Beowulf."  This particular project is to recreate the story as a movie trailer - no more than 60 seconds - they have to tell the whole story without revealing the ending, incorporate the major theme/s of the story, and they can't use any scenes from the actual movie of "Beowulf."

This trailer is from a student who is currently studying film at a 4 year University, and hopes to be a movie director.  I'd like to think this project helped to fan the flames of that interest ... But either way, he did a great job!

Disbelief, Dismay, and Huckleberry Finn

Last week I had a shocking revelation. Out of 2 classes of Seniors in a regular English class – out of a total of 70 students – your average, run of the mill, middle class, college bound students – less than 10 students had heard of the book, movie, or basic plot line of the classic work of fiction Huckleberry Finn.

one of my favorite authors Mark Twain

Look, I understand, I teach in a public high school, but I had no idea that public schools were THIS bad! How is it possible that less than 10 students had heard the basic storyline to one of THE defining works of literature in American history?

When I expressed disbelief, exclaiming that I couldn’t believe that they didn’t know this most basic work – “EVERYONE has heard of Huckleberry Finn” I said - a student countered dryly, “Obviously not.”

Rather than being ashamed of their ignorance, the class laughed, thinking his retort smart and funny.

So I set out to do some research.  How prevalent IS Huck Finn in pop culture? Should they have some consciousness of it?

Turns out I'm not so crazy after all ...

Who do they think Brad Paisley named his son after?

What was this episode of Family Guy parodying then?

They are probably too young to remember this cartoon playing on Saturday mornings, but surely they’ve seen the “Cartoon Classics” DVD?

This popular kids' cartoon (originally titled: Adventure Time with Finn and Jake) even had a spin on the story:

Shoot, even Legos has a Huck and Jim character set.

Not to mention plays, movies, even musicals made about this book:

When I studied this book for the first time my freshman year of high school, I realized, for the first time, that books could do more than just entertain. They can teach; they can show the evils of society; they can change how we see others and ourselves.  

Much to their dismay, I informed my students that in good conscience, there is no way I can let them graduate from high school without having read this book.  

But I'll make sure we read the original and not these books!

Belated Thanks

He went quietly; after wavering in his decision for over a year, finally one afternoon towards the end of the school year, he just decided it was time to retire.   His announcement was made without fanfare, made only to the Administration, which must be the only way explain how after 37 years of service, he slipped through the cracks of recognition of his service to the school and the community.  37 years – his entire working life – for which he received in thanks: a passing mention at a board meeting and a passing mention at the first staff meeting of the following year. No fake Rolex watch, no email sent to the staff, no announcement in the local paper, no retirement party the last day of school, not even a hastily thrown together cake at break in the teacher’s lounge for him.  37 years – as long as I have been alive – he worked at Brawley Union High School, for the last 8, I was privileged to work with him.

Wrestling Hall of Fame photo

In true Smith fashion, he left without expecting pomp and circumstance. Despite the moments of bluster and fuss throughout those 37 years, he ended them quietly, humbly.  He must have thought it was worth the effort, because for the past 37 years, he did all he could to make it a better place to be both for the students and the teachers.  

With one of his undefeated football teams

When he was passed over for the Head Varsity Football Coach position, he took the lower paid, less prestigious Junior Varsity coach position – and promptly led those kids to an undefeated season - a feat he accomplished more than once with multiple teams.  He continued to coach in whatever capacity needed – Freshmen coach, or as an Assistant – he gave his all no matter the title.

He revived the Wrestling program - taking the team from a handful of kids who wanted to Wrestle, to a CIF Championship team –  his was the first CIF championship winning team starting the current 12 consecutive year winning streak.  He not only coached the current coach as a wrestler, but coached him up on how to coach. He is a California Hall of Fame Wrestling Coach - winning recognition for his wins, his teams' achievements as well as his lifetime of service.

As a Smith, he was a political outsider (being a Conservative and a Contrarian, much like being a Teacher, is in our DNA), never afraid to speak out on issues, the voice in the desert crying out for common sense; he was the one who said what others were thinking but were either afraid, or not sure how to say it.  His political ideals and staunch principles may have made him unpopular with some, but he was respected for having the courage to speak his mind. 

With his sons, three of whom are teachers

Like to play Chess? He started a school chess club. Want to learn ballroom dancing? Take his PE class. Want to serve in the community? He was a Boy Scout Master for many years.  Need a ride home from practice? You could count on Coach Smith to not leave you stranded.  

When I was a student, his classroom was a lunch haven for an odd assortment of misfits, “cool kids,” athletes and anyone else looking to get out of the heat, or a place to just hang out.  His was a “come one, come all,” open door policy. 

After 37 years, he’d seen it all in the educational world, and whenever I have expressed frustration or given a passionate argument for different issues, his response is always the same: a gentle laugh and reminder that “there are worse places you could work.”  When I once asked him how he could have spent his lifetime in ONE place, in THIS particular place, he just smiled, sighed and reminded me, “Well, you have to spend those years working somewhere, and ... Brawley is a good place to work.”

He is who I reference when asked “which Smith” family I am from.  My response of “COACH Smith” will usually get me a smile and a story of when “he was my coach” or “he was my Science teacher,” or some other way he impacted the life of whoever it is in the community I happen to be talking to at the moment. It seems that EVERYONE has a story about Coach Smith. 

So, to Keith Smith, my uncle, my teacher, coach, mentor, and colleague, though it is long overdue, I thank you for your 37 years of dedication, for the sacrifice of time, of family life, energy, and passion, for spending your life giving to the students at Brawley Union High School, for caring about not just their test scores, but their characters, for working to create better students and citizens of this community.  Brawley Union High School just isn’t the same without you.

Behind every great man, is a great woman -
my Aunt Lynn and Uncle Keith in their younger years