It is kind of ironic that on my first day of teaching at Herron, I have already encountered a challenging student, who lacks motivation. I was once that kid. It is a situation that must be handled with patience and understanding. These are key attributes for any teacher to have regardless of subject. I can think of several shining examples of what it takes to be a great art teacher. I try to take a piece from every one and bring that into my approach. Some of the teachers that I have witnessed and been inspired by include: Kathy Arduini, Dave Seward, Dr. Cindy Borgman and the late great Larry Hurt just to name a few.
I guess you could add Gary Miller to that list. He was my art teacher when I was a freshman in high school. Not too much stands out about him for me, except I remember he had a neatly trimmed gray mustache, he always said, "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well," and I didn't cooperate much for him. I don't believe that I enjoyed Mr. Miller or his class, but to be fair, I didn't enjoy much about school in those days; I was very much in my I don't care phase. I'm sure he spotted that from a mile away, and I'm sure he had cracked many tougher nuts than me.
I was being immature one day when I should have been working, arguing with him about something. I don't remember what it was. Mr. Miller finally had enough and said, "Step out in the hall with me. I'll buy you a drink." I was confused because I had never had a teacher offer to buy me a drink before, and it didn't happen again until grad school. I wanted to appear tough so I didn't lead on that I was perplexed, and I followed the directive. Leaving his class unattended, we took a stroll and hung a right down the main hall of the art department. He said nothing. I wondered where we were going. Would he take me to a vending machine and buy me a coke? Would we hop in his car and go to the nearest bar for a round of beers? At the end of the hall was a drinking fountain. He coolly bent forward and took a long slurp, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and then motioned for me to go next. "Here have a drink on me," he said. So I took a drink, and then we returned from whence we came, neither one of us said another word. I did not disturb him again. I spent the remainder of that class period instead trying to figure out the meaning of his Jedi mind trick.
Soon I realized his purpose for doing this. He was pointing out that I was being immature and that he didn't care to waste anymore time arguing with me over silliness, either that or he was really concerned about my level of hydration. I like to think that while he hardly knew me, he understood me. And he had enough respect for me to let me gather it on my own without a lengthy lecture or a screaming session as my former geography teacher, Mr. Strain once subjected me to. Mr. Miller lead me to the water and literally made me drink. Now I'm an art teacher myself and not a week goes by that I don't think about that time I had a drink with Gary Miller.
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