Mr. Gray Keeps Dreams Alive

Patrick Gray makes teaching feel like a good thing. I approached him at the end of the semester, requesting he show me the ropes.

One of my assignments as a student in the Teach Mississippi Institute for teacher certification requires 30 hours of classroom observation. Mr. Gray graciously took on yet another student, this middle-aged mother of two who is beginning a career in education.

I learned soon enough why the kids call him "awesome." Mr. Gray and his eighth-grade English and history students showed me the process of taking the Mississippi Curriculum Test that is administered each year to gauge the students' progress in math, language and reading.

They finished up the year with a lesson about the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the dramatic events leading up to the Civil War, as well as a deep discussion of the proper identification and use of adverbs.

Throughout the lessons, the students voiced concerns and shared ideas, respectfully and often humorously. As dry as grammar can be, Mr. Gray made it worthy of attention.

One morning, the teacher corrected a young man's "I did good" with an "I did well." The student grinned broadly and announced, "Sir, I did well. And I want to do well, just like you." His words echoed those of Mr. Gray when he shared some of his valuable teacher insight with me.

"Model the behaviors you expect from them," he advised. He does just that. Of course, I'm seeing the product of nine months of instruction and behavior modification. Having been in classrooms at the beginning of the year, I marvel at how teachers can take each group and mold them into obedient, responsive, enlightened individuals in spite of the efforts of some to remain completely noncompliant.

When I was growing up, I was a good student. I minded my teachers, did my homework and studied. But I had parents who bolstered me, encouraging my every attempt to make the most of my education. A lot of students do not.

One of the things I learned by getting to talk with Mr. Gray's students is that plenty of kids learn in spite of what must feel like insurmountable obstacles. I would think having a teacher who cares would go a long way toward a kid wanting to do more than just get by.

Teenagers like those in eighth grade still have a lot to learn, although many will attempt to convince you otherwise. They judge each other pretty harshly at times and offer some colorful commentary on least-favorite teachers. They haven't realized these are some of the best years of their lives. It can seem lackluster, but from this observer's point of view, the potential residing in each one of those desks is nothing less than stunning.

Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream that his four children would "one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

Watching and listening to Mr. Gray's students, I see the dream percolating, wanting to be a reality. I hear it in his voice, carried with the confidence of a well-educated man and steeped in the warmth of sincerity. I see it in his quick smile and ready wit, in the presence of a teacher who understands that his is an incredible responsibility.

But most of all, I see it in the content of his character, that undeniable ability to inspire others simply by being the best he can be.

Is it any wonder that just last week, Oak Grove Middle School voted him "Teacher of the Year?" Thanks to teachers like Mr. Gray, we are reminded how important it is to keep all our children's dreams alive.