In Senior AP English, Mr. Clark had a flair for engaging us in literature. Whether it was “Catcher in the Rye”, or “The Great Gatsby”, his own love of literature infected many of us in the class. But it was more than his love of literature that he imparted to his students. He made us feel like we mattered, that our opinions were important (as long as we could back them up with an argument), and that we each had our own potential. When I think of the best teachers, they are the ones who care about their students, have passion for their work and make the classroom come alive. They are not condescending, nor do they pretend to have all the answers.
Mr. Clark really tried to help us understand our opinions or thoughts on a topic. He would push us further in our own thinking and would make us think about how we answered his questions by asking, “What do you mean by that?” He respected our opinions and wanted us to feel that they were important. To do that he asked us to back them up with facts and helped us understand how we reached these conclusions. He was perhaps the best teacher I ever had, because he not only taught me to love literature and think more critically, but he also encouraged me to take chances.
When I was applying to college, I only applied to four schools, all of them Jesuit, like my own high school. He had attended Notre Dame, one of his favorite topics to discuss. However, I was uncertain about leaving home and going to Holy Cross, the school furthest from my home. He encouraged me to take a chance and not to be afraid of the unknown. He taught me that I may never learn about new experiences if I am not willing to fail or take a risk.
Beyond his advice to take a chance on the college I ended up attending, he also I encouraged my interest in literature and really made books come alive. I was not alone in my love for Mr. Clark’s teaching, most of his students respected and admired him not only for his fun-loving nature, but also for his dedication to his work. I know now that in part it was due to his influence that I majored in English, got my masters and attempted teaching English myself. I certainly pale in comparison to Mr. Clark in the classroom, but I hope to do better this time.
He has often made me think about whether teachers are born or made. When I think about it now, I believe he represents a combination of both. Though he did not have much formal pedagogy training, I know he worked with other tenured teachers for help and advice. Yet, he also had a certain spark and passion that was just part of him—a quality I think all great teachers have. He worked tirelessly at his craft and continued his learning to help bring new ideas and current thinking in literature into the classroom.
So as I embark on my own teaching path for the second time, I am reminded that I must face challenges to grow and expand my horizons. I only wish he was still here to answer some of my questions about how he did it so well. Unfortunately, for many students, his career was cut short by cancer and he died at age 33. I hope to touch students in the same way he affected me. Though I will start with younger students, I still want to spark their interest in learning as he did and hope to foster that curiosity that we are all born with to discover more about the world around us. Mark Clark was an inspiration to me and still is.
-- Maura Walsh Rogan, American University