New Guys In Town

This last week I inaugurated our weekly professional development seminar with a poem I found by John Steinbeck. What better way to introduce a year designed to heighten and/or deepen teacher effectiveness than with these lines. Savor this poem from the 1930s:

Captured Fireflies
In her classroom our speculations ranged the world;
she aroused us to book waving discussions.
Every morning we came to her carrying new truths, new facts,
new ideas cupped and sheltered in our hands like captured fireflies.
When she went away a sadness did not go out.
She left her signature upon us.
The literature of the teacher who writes on children's minds.
I've had many teachers who taught us soon forgotten things,
but only a few like her who created in me a new thing, a new attitude, a new hunger.
I suppose that to a large extent I am the unsigned manuscript of that teacher.
What deathless power lies in the hands of such a person.
---by John Steinbeck

I mean—it is profound what a great teacher can do…and look at two lines especially, lines 7 and 8, and right there is the fork in the road for teachers: Steinbeck speaks of the “many” who “taught us soon forgotten things,” but oh, that important, and sadly, too “few” who created that “new hunger.” Oh my—doesn’t that just inspire you to new heights to try and be one of the “few”???

Well, one of the great features of a new school year, of course, is the introduction of new people. There are new students, new faculty, and you wonder every year from that grand parade who will be some of the great ones you will come to know and admire. I want to introduce you to two new guys, and I have a feeling they will be starring in the line-up of great ones.

There is John, a fresh-from-college-brand-new-teacher-from-Yale, who is teaching Chemistry. When I interviewed John last February at the job fair in Boston, I sensed that he had the goods to be a great one. When you interview college seniors, it is a little difficult to tell which ones might emerge as great teachers since they have had little or no experience teaching. But with John I liked him especially for his devotion to technical theater. I realize that hanging lights and enduring theatrical “hell week”[s] may not mean you understand chemistry, or any other discipline for that matter, but as I talked with this guy, I could tell from his theater work that he had dedication and stamina and grit, three things that mean oh so much in the educational world.

I took John out to Chili Ways after the second day of school, and, well, first of all, he liked my fast food of choice in Madaba. But the real pleasure of the evening was the privilege of hearing him talk about those first hours in the classroom. He had had to ask a young man to leave class and speak sternly to him in the hallway. He said that when they both came back in, he could tell it wasn’t going to cast a pall on the classroom. He had dealt with his first issue of classroom management. Then his mood changed, his eyes got misty as he spoke of the first lab, that introduction to chemistry and when he saw the power in a students’ eyes as the student understood a chemical principle. Watching John explain that wonderful moment, and hearing him realize the power and obligation he had as a teacher, was a genuine thrill. John observes other teachers’ classes, asks questions, wonders about grading and even keeps a journal about how a class goes (Why was a good class good? What might improve a class?). He is excited by the teaching and I look forward to what he all he will add to KA.

The other new guy I wanted to make sure you knew was a young man from China named Li. Li was actually the first new student I met this school year—he arrived a day before the others, and I met him at lunch and was struck by his friendliness. We talked about my 2001 trip to China and I learned that he came here with two other Chinese students, but they had not met before the plane ride. I marveled at how far he had come and his enthusiasm for Jordan is infectious. What a brave soul to come all this way for school. He has ended up in my AP Art History class, as well.

Last Sunday I was quite moved and impressed by a speech Li asked to give to the whole school. Julianne told me he asked her to give this speech, yet was nervous since this was the first speech he had ever given in English (!). I asked Li if I could print his speech and offer it to the world in my blog. Here is Li’s speech to the KA throngs:

Yesterday was a very traditional Chinese festival called “Teacher’s Day.”

In China, teachers are held in high esteem. This day is in honor of all those involved in the teaching profession.

September 28th is the birthday of Confucius who was a great philosopher and a world-famous teacher. In the history of Chinese education, Confucius is a paragon of all teachers, symbolizing the philosophy of “Educate all without discrimination, and teach according to the abilities of ones students.” Using the six arts of rites, music, archery, chariot driving, learning, and mathematics, Confucius had more than three thousand students during his lifetime.

In the ancient times, Confucius’s birthday was regarded as a Teachers’ Day.

Now In the People's Republic of China, Teacher's Day is held on September 10th each year. This year is the 27th annual festival.

On this day, there are some activities for the students to show their appreciation to the teachers, such as holding a concert, making a lecture or presenting gifts including cards and flowers. And the Confucius Memorial Service is also solemnly held at the Confucius Temple to show respect and honor for him. “Teachers Day Celebration” will held by the Ministry of Education and the various local governments, teachers are recognized for their contribution to society.

In China, every day when our class begins, we need to stand up and say hello to teachers and when class is over we also need to stand up and say thanks. Why do we do this? That’s because the teacher plays a very important role in our lives. We all know the population of China is very large. The only way for students to achieve their goals or change their destiny is to get the chance to study in university and have a better education. So teachers may help them a lot. They are very kind and do anything they could to help students.

And I think all the teachers here in King’s are really nice and responsible too. They came on campus two weeks earlier than the students to prepare for the new year. They made many activities for the new students to make sure they can adapt to the school life quickly. They gave a warm welcome to all the international students and always asked us whether we needed help which made us feel at home. They try to make every class interesting and enjoyable to ensure that we learn and be happy.

Since yesterday we were in weekend. Today I want say “Happy Teachers’ day” to all the king’s teachers and thanks for your excellent job!

Teachers are engineers of souls, are the people who tell us ways to explore the world, to give us wisdom and knowledge to create our own life.

I think no matter whether or not we have a teacher's day, we all need to be highly respectful and grateful to our teachers every day. To remember all the things they have taught us and appreciate the person who brings us to a new life.
Thank you!

That evening Li performed a musical piece on the flute for our first “open-mic” night. As he started he said, “I am playing a Chinese piece and I want you to think about a Chinese sailor as he brings his boat back home from the sea.” Li proceeded to play the flute with exquisite beauty. I once took the flute just for fun and I know the breath support and the care it takes to produce the quality of tone he offered us. What will he do next?!

In many ways this was a perfect week to think about John and Li. Both of them are excited about teachers and teaching. Thinking about these new guys came in a perfect week: this past week witnessed the birthdays of two of my greatest teachers ever. I have a list of my 5 greatest teachers (do you? I think you should make on and savor those teachers!) and this week saw the birthdays of Nina Wilson and Mary Schneider, two of my icons on my list. I could write on and on and on about the profound effects these two have had on me (search other blog entries if you do not know them) but Li really said it very well—these two educators are “engineers of the soul,” and every day in their classes was like the excitement of “captured fireflies.”