Thunder Soul
My definition of good teaching:
The
student walks behind them,
The
student walks with them,
The
student walks without them.
This is the lesson I saw
taught in the movie “Thunder Soul” and I believe that the Legacy left by the
music director at Kashmere High School,
is what every music educator would hope to achieve.
Conrad “Prof” Johnson
(pictured above) brought his experience and discipline to students who had
none, he brought pride to students who had none, he brought a positive male
role model to those who had none and thus infected a school, families and a town
to believe that a change can happen and its starts with one dream.
Conrad “Prof” Johnson
did not see himself as a musician 24-7, he saw himself as musician, husband,
father, and teacher.
This is an important
lesson and one that could be taught in college.
“Why do you want to be a teacher”? It’s not for the money, can’t be for
the insurance, and vacations. You should
become a teacher because you see yourself helping younger students become great
at something they love to do, or inspire a child to try something they never
tried.
What Conrad “Prof”
Johnson did is something more than most people will do, but he is what we hope
to achieve. He is the epitome of a teacher.
His students not only went on to be musicians and teachers but they brought his
presence with them.
This movie is an
incredibly inspiring documentary and because it is a documentary it touches the
heart of education more than most “teacher” movies. The live footage and testaments are from the
actual students and the interviews are as comical as they heartfelt.
I recommend this
movie to all teachers, beginning and especially to those who have been teaching
for a long time, it gets the juices flowing again!
Think about why the interviews are comical. Wouldn't it be great if someone made a movie about us and there were a lot of laughs? What does that say about him?
ReplyDeleteI think it says he made a great connection with the people around him. They probably saw him in every emotion
DeleteHi Joe,
ReplyDeleteI too was extremely inspired and moved by the legacy of Conrad O. Johnson ("Prof."), as depicted in the documentary "Thunder Soul". You hit the nail on the head when saying that Johnson is a teacher who we should all strive to emulate and embody. The most memorable teachers across the content areas are those who motivate their students to become better as human beings. The musical talent, know-how, hindsight and innovations of Conrad O. Johnson each speak volumes to what he set out to do and subsequently accomplished as a music educator. However, I think that the most important take-away from this story, is the fact that "Prof." was an impeccable person and a man of the highest caliber. During the interview questions that Professor Schneider and our colleagues posed to us in yesterday afternoon's Music in the Secondary School class, Seth spoke about the differences between a student liking his or her teacher and respecting them. Conrad O. Johnson most certainly earned the respect of every child who set foot within his classroom. The jubilation with which he received his students, both while they studied with him and during the celebration in 2008, showed that they too had garnered his respect. A child must be receptive to his or her teacher as a mere person, before there is any hope of accomplishing anything remotely "academic". Why would anyone want to listen to the "teachings" of a person that they didn't view with the utmost sense of integrity and reverence? "Prof." was fully aware of the tough decisions that a teacher will frequently have to make, and yet he had enough confidence in his learners and within himself to carry onward. He knew that it was time to step aside when the new principal at Kashmere High School, in conjunction with the board of education in Houston, didn't see the need for continued funding and support of the Kashmere Stage Band. The reputation and lineage of Conrad O. Johnson's program spoke for itself, allowing him to maintain his dignity while moving on to greener pastures. Teaching is the epitome of a selfless, thankless profession. I completely agree with you that a person cannot embark on this profession with hopes of "hitting the jackpot", in any regard. We do what we do because we love the notion of learning, pursuing knowledge and passing on all that we've accrued over the years to successive generations. Music has always been meant for this type of dispersal, from the days of cave people and oral tradition. "Prof." will live on in the hearts, minds and teachings of those whose lives he touched over a storied thirty-seven year career in public education. I think if any of us are able to have half as much success as Conrad O. Johnson in our own time as music educators, then we will have done alright for ourselves and more importantly right by the learners in our care. I appreciate the heartfelt ideas that you shared in your posting and look forward to seeing you on Wednesday my friend!
-Matt Chasen-