Thought for the Week
This is a true story. I tutored writing students at a community college, and a suburban pop culture drone had just asked why she should “do punctuation.” “Because it’s the only thing that separates us from the lower animals!” I replied, sarcasm phaser on stun. She shrugged and left.
My co-worker Trina, an African American grandma with a passion for cookies and Dostoyevsky, said, “Good point. My dog still can’t use a semi-colon.”
“If I get one more I’m-only-here-because-my-teacher-made-me knucklehead,” I curmudged, “I’m going to become a custodian.”
“This is community college, sweetie. You’re already in the recycling biz. Have a lemon cookie.”
Then my 11:30 arrived. Roland was in his late 20s, with tattoos on his tattoos–not the artsy kind, the gang-y kind. But there was something in his eyes that said, These aren’t who I am.
“So I wrote this essay,” he said, “and I need to know if I messed up.”
I skimmed the first page. “Redemption Essay?”
“Yeah, we supposed to talk about how everybody can redeem somebody else.”
“So you wrote about…?”
“My cousin Mikey. And I just wanna know if I did it right.”
“Depends. What did you want to say?”
“Well, Mikey, he’s—what you call it?—slow. So everybody in our family, they just kind of give up on him, didn’t even try and show him stuff no more cuz they say he’s ‘unteachable.’”
“But you…?”
“Well, he’s my cousin, so one day I start trying to teach him to catch a ball. He didn’t get it, and everybody say, ‘See, we told you.’ But the next day, I taught him some more.”
“And he caught the ball?”
Roland grinned. “Well, he ain’t gonna play for the Yankees but, yeah, he caught it. So, anyways, from then on, Mikey he goes wherever I go and does whatever I do.”
“Which gets a little old, I imagine?”
“He’s my cousin,” Roland repeated, as though I were the slow one. “But, yeah, a lotta my friends, they didn’t… Anyhow, I start showing Mikey how to draw a circle cuz he never could draw nothing that looked like anything.” The sun rose in Roland’s eyes. “And he finally gets it! Plus, he gets how a circle can be like a face and other things!”
“You are a teacher!”
“Yeah, maybe.” He tucked that away like a treat for later. “And then, cuz he always seeing me write my name, he wants to know how he can do that. And it takes him like two years, but he finally gets it.”
“That’s amazing, Roland! So this is the story of how you redeemed Mikey!”
“Before Mikey, me and my friends was starting to get into some bad shit, you know? Selling drugs and guns, and always having to prove we bad so everybody be ‘respecting’ us, and all that kinda protecting your turf shit that never ends. Anyway, half of ‘em is in lock-up now and the other half got ankle bracelets. Three of ‘em are dead, including my best friend.”
“But you…?”
“See, that’s just it. I couldn’t be doing that no more cuz Mikey, well, he’s watching me all the time.”
“And he wanted to do—”
“Everything I did, yeah.”
I had been the slow one. “So this isn’t the story of how you saved Mikey?”
“No, man…” Roland’s eyes began to leak…
“It’s the story of how Mikey saved me.”
My eyes began to leak, too. “You really are a teacher.”
“Yeah, that’s what I want to be, anyway.” Roland left for the restroom as I scanned his essay.
Trina came over and sat down next to me.
“I think I actually learned something for a change,” I said.
Trina put a cookie in front of me. “Well, that’s why we teach. And what did you learn today, young man?”
“That sometimes teaching is a chore, but sometimes it’s an incredible privilege.”
“And?”
“And that we all have the ability to redeem others. All of us.”
“So I guess that means you won’t be going into sanitation?”
“Not this week.”
√
Drama groups: For a performable version of this true story, click here.
That’s beautiful. Thanks for sharing, Mitch.
My privilege, Abe.
My eyes began to leak, too. Thanks, Mitch.
My pleasure, Steve.
That’s so heartwarming!
lump in throat
Leaking eyes over here, too ❤️ Beautiful.
Thanks for sharing
My privilege, L.G.
I write this comment with teary eyes, what a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing it.
My pleasure, Mam.
That’s so beautiful!!!
My eyes are leaking too, Mitch. Well learned, well told, well done!
Blessings,
Anne
Thank you, Anne, and blessings to you.
That one student that teaches the teacher. It is why we do what we do. It makes the entire career worthwhile. Thank you for making my day!
My privilege, Beth.
so great –
Thank you, Beth.
Love this. ♥️
<3
Absolutely beautiful. I had a couple of these types of moments as a teacher, one from a student like Mikey, actually, and it’s a privilege you’re not likely to forget. Thank you for this.
My privilege, Lynn.
Incredible story!
Thank you, Nancy. It still affects me every time I recall it.
Very touchingly presented Mitch. A true teachable moment all round.
Thanks, Randy.
Beautiful story, beautifully told. I’ve been there too, Mitch. The teacher is taught by the least likely student. It’s the principle of Shakespeare’s fool… you discover the one everyone thinks is the fool is in fact the wisest.
Great point, Malcolm.
I love this heartwarming story of what teaching can do.
I love this story, Mitch. It is the true “why we teach” story. Connections, connections, connections. Thanks so much for sharing.
My privilege, Joanne.
Beautiful 😍
Thank you, Sibongile.
I did laugh. I wonder, is a shrug the same as a comma or a full stop?
;>)
antique works i asked for the handwriting to be in 1 page with the same pen from 0 to 100
The burden becomes the thing that saves us. Great post Mitch.
Thank you, Brian.
Thank you for this, Mitch! So inspiring. During 26 years in the classroom, I certainly experienced days of challenge. Then would come those moments of privilege when I witnessed evidence of progress, an attitude-change, or a blazing spark of creativity. Such payoff more than compensated for the days of challenge!
Indeed, Nancy.
تمت المتابعة يسعدني ويشرفني متابعتكم
Teachers do learn from students. Thanks for emphasizing that through this impressive narrative. And, mmm, lemon cookies.
We never really know how we have touched someone, but we always feel grateful to know that we did.
Blessings
You too, Pete.
Being a teacher is still the most beautiful profession !
And now . . . I want to meet Roland. Thank you for sharing this, Mitch. It made my day!
Truly my pleasure, trE. And there’s even more to the story. He was one of the most remarkable people I’ve ever met, a bona fide hero.
Beautiful story. It’s not always easy to find, but there is genuine goodness out there.
I agree, Ray.
I seem to have something in my eye … eyes. That is beautiful.
<3
Excellent
Thank you, Tilka.
I love redemption stories! Thank you for sharing. Warmed my heart!
My privilege, Terri. I’m so glad it did.
I won’t forget this one!
Thanks, Wenda!
I love this story of redemption! A beautiful reminder that helping others blesses us.
So glad you enjoyed it, Peggy, and right you are.
So beautiful. Thanks, for sharing, Mitch.
My pleasure, T.
Great!
Thank you, Sharee.
Hi Mitch. I love this. Thank you for sharing.
My privilege, Desiree.
Great insight when teaching is ‘reciprocal’ perhaps. The drama version is interesting.
Thanks, Georgina.
Wow, this is good!
Why, thank you, Sheila.
Love this.
Thank you, Cari.
I love this story, Mitch. I could really relate because I spent some time teaching developmental writing at a local university and I learned so much from my students.
I know just what you mean, LuAnne.
That was real changer. How things we teach follow us and turn us into a student.
I am so glad it’s a true story 💙
<3
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For several years I taught a class of Bible Institute students. The unofficial subject of the class was “Teaching Teachers How To Teach.” One assignment was to write an article on what it was like to be a (1) the tree used to make Jesus’s cross, or (2) a brick on the road Jesus walked in old Jerusalem. I cried as I read the articles. Such heart; such anointing. Those students taught me as much or more than I ever taught them. You’re a teacher with your writing these days, Mitch, whether you think of yourself that way or not. Thanks for writing. Bette
My privilege, Bette, and thank you for sharing your experience here.
I am an English teacher myself. Stories like this renew our purpose.
So glad you feel that way, Patrick.
😍
This was beautiful 😭
Thank you, Meonn.
Good morning please I am Prince and I would want to have some discussion with you so please can I get in touch with you
Hi Prince. You can reach me at mitchteemley@gmail.com