The SuperTeacher

Last night I saw a movie about the life and work of Ron Clark, a master teacher who went into an inner city school and turned around the lives and academic achievements of an at risk class. Based on a true story; matter of fact, he's opening a school in Atlanta, GA in Fall 2006. My thoughts? Well...

Ron Clark is an admirable example of an ideal. He is the teacher who is gifted with the time and energy to not only be good at what he does, but to be the solution to the problems of those around him, getting physically involved in the lives of the studnets he teaches. That is commendable beyond any honor he could ever receive.

Maybe I'm paranoid... But while I was watching this movie with the family last night, admiring Mr. Clark's story while simultaneously gritting my teeth, I couldn't help thinking to myself, "I bet they think they see me on the TV screen, huh..." And the messed up thing was, I kinda wanted to be Mr. Clark. Or something like that.

It's not that I wanted the glory that he received at all; if you can't tell by now, I give less than a funny expression what people think of me. I get no pleasure in receiving honors (unless I can spend them, lol). But I watched this man getting so deeply involved in his kids' lives, cooking dinner at one student's house so that she could study instead of taking care of her family; rescuing another student from an abusive foster parent. From watching, being a part of, experiencing the public school experience, SuperTeachers like Mr. Clark are SO needed. And any student that is helped makes the whole profession worth it.

BUT... And I still maintain this: the SuperTeacher is NOT the solution to the problem. At the end of the day, what SuperTeachers do is double-edged: on one hand he/she saves the students put in his/her care; on the other hand they take the place of good parenting and allow it an outlet to continue. Any student that can be saved should be saved, by any means necessary; I'm not saying it's wrong to do this. But think of how many more students would be saved if parents were held accountable and if the fight was taken to the homes of these kids. THAT's a solution. The SuperTeacher is just a temporary solution.

There was a key scene in the movie that brings up an important point. Eventually, Mr. Clark develops pneumonia. Instead of resting, he continues to teach, and collapses before his students. What a moment, what a gesture, what tenacity, right? Those kids would love him forever for his sacrifice, no doubt. But it's just a reminder than every man is only a man, not a superhuman. A man can't take responsibility for so many other people and shoulder the burden alone. And this is what SuperTeachers face doing to themselves; they assume the occupations of teachers and parents, but only have the stamina to be teachers. This is not an effective, long-term solution to this crisis of at risk children.

Don't get me wrong though, Mr. Clark is fighting "the good fight" in this movie. And I was impressed by his method from the beginning, because it showed that he understood the root of the problem in the school system. You see, Mr. Clark starts off by making his first classroom rule, "We Are a Family". That's what these kids were missing in large proportion: healthy, fulfilling, encouraging, functional, supportive families. And it's a noteworthy approach, no question. But Mr. Clark, using the school to replace the family...

I'm bothered because... well... how can the family problem be solved if the family is dissolved? I'm caught between the welfare of the individual students and the welfare of the collective school systems of America. I mean... if the solution is to make the school the new family, then perhaps the public school systems should create boarding schools that provide room and board for students. I mean, have breakfast, lunch, and dinner at school; sleep at the schools. Become a real family in the full sense of the word. And have SuperTeachers like Mr. Clark as the "heads of the household", living iwth the students, cooking, helping with homework. Can you see my angle in this?

I say this not at all to discourage people like Mr. Clark; you are fighting a good fight, and... who knows, maybe I'll get suckered into it like I always feared. But I warn school systems everywhere; don't rely on good teachers to bail you out of the current situation. If you don't take the fight to the parents and hold them responsible, you might as well start building boarding schools now and preparing teachers to serve dinner and tuck their students in at night.

By the way, Mr. Clark... Whatever diet you're on, fill a brotha in cuz you must have crazy energy to be able to do all that you do. Stay strong.

B-J