I’ve been thinking about Mentors a bit lately.
Part of this is due to a write-up from the brilliant Bob Harrison. Bob wrote a blog post entitled “Leaving Dearborn: A Tribute to Heroes, Visionaries, Friends, and Students”. I’m honored to have been included in Bob’s post.
I wasn’t sure how to respond. I’ve always felt privileged to discuss and debate with Bob. I tried to create a strong, diverse team. I didn’t set out to be a “mentor”.
The more I think about it though, the more I realize that mentors should be picked by the “mentee”. I started thinking about my mentors. My mentors include Terry Campbell and Gail Shenkman. I doubt either one of them consciously decided to be a mentor for me. Yet, both were absolutely instrumental for me. Terry believed in me as a younster. He shared so many thoughts, so much practical advice. He firmly believed in kids becoming successful even if they weren’t successful in traditional settings. He had a sense of humor and a pragmatic streak.
Gail Shenkman was very, very different than Terry. Gail was a no-nonsense educator. Although most people say that they are in education for the kids, Gail lived it. Every decision was made with kids in mind. She wasn’t afraid to tell it like it was. She pushed me to make decisions that were based in what was best for all learners. For example, we pushed to have students accepted at the Magnet School-based not just on a single test score on a multiple choice test (we absolutely knew the impact of that – students from the “rich” side of the city would make up the entire population), but on fair and balanced criteria. We pushed for equal respresentation. Funny thing, the students from the lower SES areas ended up doing just as well, if not better, than the students from a higher SES background.
I’ll be forever indebted to these two people.
Still, when Bob posted a tribute and included me, I didn’t know how to respond (so, I responded badly – i.e. not all). What I should’ve done is simply accept the honor. I should’ve said, “Thank You”. Indeed, I do feel honored. I’m not sure that I “earned” that, but I guess it’s really not up to me.
So I’d like to say the following to Bob. I’m hoping that this isn’t too late, but “Thank You”. I’m thrilled to have worked with you. I’m honored to have played whatever small role I’ve played. Keep fighting the good fight.
