One December on the day before the last day of school before the winter holidays, I jokingly told one of my classes that the best Christmas present for me would that none of them show up for class tomorrow.  The next day I enter class to find only one student sitting there.  We were both very confused and I began to wonder if there was an assembly that I didn't know about or maybe I had missed a fire drill.  The lone student and I began to investigate.  We noticed there were students in other classrooms (not many considering what day it was)  I asked other teachers if they had seen my kids and the answer was no by all except one English teacher.  I looked in the window of the door of her classroom and there sat my class.  When I entered they all began to laugh as did the teacher who was in on the joke. The lone student who did show up was upset that he was not told about the caper. I really loved my students.

MY OLD NEW FRIENDS.
when each new technology came out, my wife and sons had to drag me, kicking and screaming, into a modern era.  I didn't want to get a computer. I got one. Got so I couldn't do without one.  I used Commodore 64 primarily for word processing, usually for tests and study guide for class.  Amazingly, my students seemed to love it, because now they could almost read them.  There were still an amazing number of typos, transposing and misspellings making some sentences hard to understand.

Then I bought a PC and began to use WordPerfect, didn't understand it, hated it, cursed it, screamed at it and sometimes refused to use it.  Eventually  I got pretty comfortable and my students began to appreciate that I had spell check and grammar check.  So did I.

One thing I took to very quickly was cellphones.  But being the careless, forgetful and unorganized person that I am, I have lost three or four and murdered at least two.  One was while running across the Seneca courtyard in the pouring rain and the phone slipped from my pocket and into a deep mud puddle.  It was instant, the phone never felt a thing.  The other was while visiting my son and his family in Philly.  I washed it in the washing machine with detergent.  I insisted that all I wanted to do was make and receive calls.  When we went to teach in the Czech Republic we bought really cheap European phones and learned to manage texting with a keyboard because it was a lot cheaper.  Now I have a really nice phone and enjoy always having the internet and Facebook  available.  With lots of apps for work and entertainment.  Then Facebook came up and all I could think was, "Why in the world would I want Facebook?"  and as usual I was forced into it by my tech savvy family and I began to collect friends many being my former students.  In fact, of the 850+ friend I have, probably 600+ are former pupils I had at Seneca and Manual High Schools.

This brings me to my point.  I have, for years, felt a very personal relation with many of my pupils and worried about them, wondered about them and really wanted to know how they were doing.  Facebook did that for me.  I still fret, I still worry, but now, at least in many cases, I know some of these things.  I also love speaking with you as adult and not in the student-teacher relationship.  Many of you still call me Mister McAdams, and that is fine but I am very comfortable with Charlie, if you are.

There are times when I receive disturbing news about you, including the loss of parents, serious illnesses and even the lose of children which is really difficult for me.  There have been the occasional loss of life by some of my former pupils.  I laugh, I cry, I mourn and I celebrate with you and all is better than it was.  I am so glad that we are able to reconnect.  Facebook, with all its problems has been a true blessing to me.

Theo

I want to tell you about someone I'll call Theo.  Theo was born into poverty and lived in the west end of town.  I knew a couple of his brothers and they had dropped out of school and had been in and out of jail a number of times.  Theo told me that it happened often in his family and that his home, usually shared by 15 or twenty relatives at a time was always in an uproar, some had jobs, most did not.  Theo had a number of bad years at Seneca and had been in and out of school.  When I first met him in his ninth grade home room that I conducted, he was quiet, untrusting, often surly, and frequently sleep deprived and angry.  We had our bad moments but for the most part we had made a silent pact of agitated co-existence.  I really didn't hold out much hope for him but really wanted him to do well.  His home life was a really bad influence.  Many were on drugs, had babies without support, others were violent without warning.

I thought about theo a lot but was powerless, it seemed, to help him.  After his first year I would see him on occasion and would tell him that I hoped things were going well for him.  He would reply with a quiet "think you" without any embellishment.  He eventually showed up in a senior Psychology class of mine and I noticed that he had come out of his shell a bit and was more alert, less angry and, for the most part very nice to have in class.  He still didn't participate a lot but he did what I asked and turned in his worked and did well on tests and was no trouble.  He improved the entire year and and the end of the year I spoke with him one-on-one and I stated how pleased I was that he come along so well.  He had been accepted into a good college and it looked like things were going to work for him.  I just bluntly asked what had happened and he said that sometime late in his sophomore year he decided that he did not want to live his life in and out of jail, nor did he want it to end prematurely.  He went to live with a relative that had a much better home situation.  He thanked me for my interest through the years and said that Seneca had been good to him.

Theo has graduated and is doing well and living somewhere in the Northeast and is raising his own family, and I am sure is raising them well.  This the kind of story that makes me feel that it is worth the effort.  The strongest kid in the room was always Theo and I didn't know it.

THE PURLOINED FILE CABINET AND WHITE GOLD

I always found that the requisitioning methods in the school system was put in place by a demented person at the central office in order the keep teachers busy during all their free time and designed to never work. The best example I can provide is my quest to get a file cabinet that had drawers that opened, locks that worked,  and one that didn't have layers of wood splintering falling off and one that wasn't ready to fall over and crush a student or me.

When I started teaching, I had a classroom that had a file cabinet donated by General Grant after the Civil War. It was made of wood and had a general list to the right. I realized immediately that that side had to go against the wall to keep someone from getting hurt. While pushing it against the wall, I received wound from two splinters that peeled from the side wall. There was actually a hole in the left side where I could see through to one of the four sagging and sticking drawer. Over the years the drawers had deteriorated to the point that they were no longer square and one had to yank very hard to get them to come out and often on trying to get them to go back in made a horrid sound like a red tailed hawk on the hunt.

After a number of years of teaching I discovered how these things happened. When a teacher retired or transferred, the school went through the great file cabinet migration. The older teachers had the best cabinets and this is why. They had gotten to know the custodians well and that is the best group to have on your side. Custodians have keys to EVERYTHING and they are not afraid to use them. They are the secret link in this mass migrations

Teacher “A” retires and teacher “B” who has an in with the custodial staff has them open the room and remove the beautiful new heavy metal file cabinets to their room. Now she has an extra cabinet and barters her other “in good shape” cabinet to her friend. He, in turn, gave his to another friend for a promise of a box (ten reams) of copier paper at the beginning of the next school year. There is a continuous movement of file cabinets from one room to another the entire summer and the beginning of the season in August. Needless to say, as the the quality of the moved cabinets continue, each get older and older and sicker and sicker. Thus the new teacher (s) get stuck with General Grants cabinets (s) It take the new comer a few years to realize what is going on. It took me about ten years. I am a slow learner.  In that ten years I turned in 12 request for a new file cabinet, sometime I did more than one in a year, and was rejected 12 times. With only twelve years seniority, I had moved up in file cabinet quality only marginally and was still in desperate need of one. One year I came back to my room in August only to find a mouse had made her nest in my file cabinet and was raising her brood in there. The only consolation I had was that she was scared just a little more than I when we encountered each other.

In 1981, I was walking through a classroom in Our auditorium when I looked through a door window and to my surprise saw five, yes, five file cabinets that had never been taken out of their protective plastic shipping bags. My mouth started to water, my mind started reeling and I began making plans. One custodian told me that those file cabinets had been sitting there through what I calculated to be 5 or 6 of my requisitions. Oh, man, I thought, and I sort of got angry. “Could you get me one of those” I enquired, He couldn't, or more accurately, wouldn't. I determined that the person or person (s) who ordered them had totally forgotten about them, and thus they were considered public domain. I asked if he knew how I could get a master key, he walked to a cabinet, took a key off a keyboard and placed in my hand and said something like, if you or any member of your Impossible Mission force get caught, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your action. I smiled and began to plot my crime.

These cabinets, I could tell, were very nice and heavy so I enlisted the help of a couple of students and, being a proponent of Title IX, employed a male and a female student to aide and abet me in my felony. After school, one day the three of us snuck from my Third floor room down to the first floor with the magic key in hand. I had previously tested IT eight or nine time, I was very nervous. We managed to muscle that 200 pound monster up two flights of steps 250 feet along a corridor, with one ninety degree turn and into my room and then proceeded to destroy all the evidence except for the file cabinet itself. When we finished I looked at my prize and was moved to tears. It was a red letter day in my teaching career and the cabinet got many oohs and aahs, from approving teachers and administrators. As I suspected, the cabinet was never missed, or,  at least, I didn't hear about it. The other file cabinets remained in that room for a couple of years and then were moved to another storage area where my friend told me remained for a few more.

The two juvenile delinquents that I created, did very well for themselves. One is a very successful business executive and the other is a judge. I figure that skill will help the one to make a lot of money and the other to understand the criminal mind.

After learning the system for a few years I became a master of it. I began to hoard, bum and gather many things that teachers didn't want anymore. These commodities could be simple things like pencils and the little pointy erasers that you put on the back end of a pencil (teenagers used them so much because they made so many mistakes. I also bought a large supply from the bookstore of pencils notebook paper and other essentials goodies using my own money. I gave away tissues for free.. I also learned early that when a student wanted to “borrow' a pencil, you were, in essence giving it to them because you were never going to see that item again and on the rare occasions when you did it had teeth marks in them. After a few years I learned that fact and quit giving things away. I sold them. I made no profit but I didn't lose money either. If it were a partially used pencil we would barter in order to pro-rate it. The kid got a very good deal on pencils with teeth marks or funny colored spots that were not originally on them. I even sold note book paper a penny a sheet. If there were complaints, I told them that the bookstore was open during lunch. Or they could borrow from someone else. I sometimes took stuff for collateral like watches and shoe laces. After a few days it went pretty smoothly. I often got about 40 dollars per class per year and then I would go out and buy junk food and had a party at the end of the year. By doing so I was out those forty dollars but I think it gave the students valuable life lessons.

In dealing with teachers, I discovered that there were certain materials that became very valuable as the school year became shorter. The king of the black market and the white gold of the school house was copier paper. When final tests and lesson were due and the other teachers had frivolously frittered away their supply, I was king of marketplace. Each teacher got a budget at the beginning of the year and I always used my entire budget on paper. A typical teacher supply of paper per year was about five boxes that each containing ten reams of paper, 500 sheet per ream. 500 x ten= 5,000 x 10 is 50,000 sheets of paper. There were 187 student days per year time 150 students per day. If each student get 2 sheets per day that would be 187 x = 561x 150 = 84,000 sheets+. This does not include the lesson plans lost and tests messed up where a students needed a replacement. You see where this is going. I did not average that many papers per day I averaged about one sheet per day. With these numbers in mind, paper became the international currency of Seneca High School in the second semester of each year. With that in mind and with my not losing a large amount of money on pencils and such, I was always well supplied for my students. Some teachers complained that I had too much paper and the Administration reminded each one that I had the same budget as everyone else. That was not strictly true because the science department teachers got more.  

My son, Jeff, graduated from Seneca in 1991, while I was teaching at Louisville Manual Magnet School, and he had also heard it all and was very much aware of the North Dakota thing. He later got to know one of my former students, Rob, and began hanging with Rob's group of close friends. North Dakota came up and Jeff remarked that their really is no North Dakota. A number of the group turns and said something like, “Not you , too.” Jeff replied, “where do you think Rob got that stuff? From my dad.”

Rob related to me a story of how he and his friend, another of my former Seneca pupils, Susan, got into a discussion of how to pronounce the capital city of South Dakota. They even went so far as to call the governor's office to ask. When the receptionist answered the phone they actually asked to talk to the governor to solve their disagreement. Amazingly, the receptionist informed them that the Governor was out of town but they could speak to the Lt. Governor if they liked. You must be kidding me. When else and where else other than 1990's South Dakota can that happen. They were thrilled and asked the Lt. Governor how to pronounce his capital city. “Peer,” he said. I don't who won the argument. They conversed with the Lt. Governor for a few minutes and finally said, “ we had a history teacher who claimed that North Dakota was a myth and did not exist. Without hesitating, the Lt. Governor of South Dakota replied, “ As far as I can tell, he is absolutely right.” does it get any better than that. Now I have over 800 Facebook friends, about half of which are former pupils of mine and the concept has gone, at least in a local sense, viral.

MY TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

It took a few years to develop my teaching philosophy and, to be honest, with all the education classes I took, with all the practice I had, and with the semester of student teaching I took, when I got my own classroom I still didn't have a clue as to what I was doing. I remember the first class I taught by myself. It was not an auspicious beginning. I was acting like the big tough dude and what I really was was the big scared dude. At least I was big. Those first classes, unfortunately, were my laboratory and the students occasionally suffered for it.

I had been told by the old timers, “Never smile until Easter.” So, being a brand new teacher, I really laid down the law with firm words and dire warnings about what would happen if my charges defied my will. I was really playing the tough guy. I was also told that I should engage my students in discussion and honor their ideas as if there were actually right. I worked very hard to get my student to speak and contribute to the non-existent discussions in class. But I noticed that when I came into room, everyone got really quiet and really still. After some weeks I finally got the kids to start talking. I asked why they had been so reticent to take part in discussing anything class. As it turns out my rule making and warning had been much more successful than I had anticipated. They told me they were afraid to breathe, let alone venture an opinion about anything. I also discovered that I had a much better rapport with all my students if I engaged them honestly and respectfully; even to the point of telling them that I may have been a little harsh in my initial disciplinary rantings. 

Another revelation was that they had no idea that it was my first year of teaching and how scared I was. I started teaching when I was 25, after having served time in the US Army. Some of that self assurance gained obviously was apparent. I was also married with a child, thus was not your typical “just out of college teacher. Those classes turned out to really great classes and they are wonderful memories for me.

Within a few years I had developed, often by trial and many errors, a message that worked for me. 1. “You will be expected” is a much better statement for their behavior than, “Thou shalt not” 2. You will be expected to take an active part in class and for those of you who are shy, you may take part by actively listening. You will be expected to respect others by listening when they are talking and respecting others opinions even it is wrong, in your opinion. One can disagree respectfully 3. I am a human being with a family, (one son, at the time) and I get hungry, so if you see me in the grocery store try not to feel awkward, because I have to buy food. 4. I have a very good sense of humor and and if you say something funny in the classroom, I will laugh. I will laugh even harder if the humor is appropriate to the subject matter at hand.

Andy, a very capable and quick thinking young man, made a very appropriate statement about our subject and it was even a clever shot at the teacher. I was telling about the Gilded Age of the late 19^th Century America that developed among the rich during the American Industrial Revolution . The very rich often lived a very showy, even ostentatious, lifestyle. Andy raised his hand and when recognized (Hey, I know you) said” Mr. McAdams, I think that if one uses the word ostentatious, he is ostentatious. I laughed, the class laughed and Andy beamed with pride. “Great point,” I said, you have an 'A' for the day. I really got to love that stuff.

I became a very popular teacher with the teens and I championed many of their causes, which occasionally got me in some hot water with the administration because some administrators had an “us against them” mind set. I wrote very few referrals and my students and I thrived together in mutual care and respect. In some cases we survived .

The question then becomes, “what approach should a teacher take as far as the subject matter is concerned. Clearly, that depends a lot on the subject matter and what is required to master the subject and on the nature of the class. For example, In algebra class it is essential to do a lot of memorization of equations. In Chemistry, one must know formulas, and in Geometry, theorems. In history it is not nearly as important to do a lot of memorization of exact quotes, exact dates, speeches and laws. Names of laws sometimes were important and a good understanding of cause and effect on everything is helpful, but my students could live a very fulfilling life even if they did not learn a lot of History. History, in the big scheme of things, is a minor life skill. English grammar, math and science are much more important for survival in our society. There are three basic life skills in History class I wanted my students to have at their disposal 1. A lust of learning that would carry over into all phases of life. 2. Critical thinking skills lessons to be learned from studying History that can help them learn even more in the future 3. An appreciation of who they are and why they are who they are. This is the reason History is important or, in case someone goes on a game show 4. Enough History facts ( a very slippery word) that will provide an overall foundation in the subject if they choose to go that way.

Thus, my biggest questions started with the words , “why, do you think that?, what is your opinion on? Do you thinks this was handled in the best manner and, followed up again by the that student frightening word. “why.” And the most dreaded of all, discuss the assets and liabilities of, and, the second hated phrase, give specific reasons for your conclusions.

This philosophy carried over into testing. Yes testing, which is often hated by students and teachers alike. Even though multiple choice items are frowned upon by certain folks in the field of formal education, I found them to be very useful in evaluating a student grasp of the subject matter. Poor test questions often evaluate trivial learning.  Typical multiple choice question often started like, “In what year did, who of the following said, who was the leading general at,” Well you get the picture I preferred stems like the following for multiple choice questions, “Which of the following statements best describes," “Which of the following factors led the leading general at Gettysburg to command Picket to charge the center of the Union forces."  These are a totally different kind of test items. One requires a basic knowledge of facts, the other requires the same plus analytical and critical thinking skills. Even thinking, concentration skills and observation skills can be tested with multiple choice items. For example, “Which of the following statements least describes Washington decision to put down the Whisky Rebellion?" Be careful of those negative concepts that require attentive reading.

My bottom line philosophy? I eventually figured out that I needed to go into each class period with the vow to respect each student as a thinking entity with feelings and pride until I am proven wrong. It worked for me but not necessarily for every teacher.

One of the things I had on my side was the awareness of personal humbleness and being armed with the knowledge that in every classroom, there were many people smarter than I and some that would make a lot more money than I did in my lifetime. that some would become famous, usually for good things they did.

I was a big tease and often had some sharp barbs for students and I always made it clear to them at the beginning of the year that I would probably tease you often this year and you are perfectly welcome and safe in doing so to me. For the most part, they took me up on that and it was great. They deserved my best shot at making their goals and life choices easier and part of that was to be able to engage with adults in respectful banter.

Summed up quickly, I wanted my students to love learning and I wanted to give them the skills to do so. Some classes were tougher than others to institute that love and those skills. Having students who are grouped together in homogenous classes, I.e. Advanced, Honors, Regular and Remedial, I found that some groups were harder to motivate than others. In my experience, the “better,” sometimes more popular teachers and occasionally those with an in with the administration, eventually get the higher rated classes even though the other classes are ones that need the more motivated and motivating educators. Those “lesser” classes are a bit more difficult to build that urge to learn and the desire to work hard enough to acquire the skills to learn. They often feel forgotten, with seems to tend to have a lack of hope for high achievements. It was inevitable that in the “regular” classes, when the lust for learning kicked in in a student, it was always a big thrill to me.

I actually have an advantage with the Non-advanced, honors program student because, 1- I was a very bad high school student and 2- I was willing to admit this to my students. They are able to see a person like themselves who, at least, in their eyes, achieved. I was often asked to give them a break on a grade because I had experienced bad grades. My answer to those request was, sorry, nobody gave me those breaks, but I think you can do well yourself and I am willing to help you improve.

It all comes down to the kids and whether a teacher can hit the right nerve or nerves. Sometime we can and sometimes we can't and sometimes that is very sad.

Vivian and I had brunch with a fellow teacher and two former students at Wild Eggs.  Fun time and great memories.  Good to see you Krishna, Kelli and Phyllis.  Krisna's friend, Brian, also joined us.