My favorite high school teacher, Linda Dixon, played a song for our class on the last day we were together before graduation. She explained how, every year, she picked a song to share that spoke of her feelings for her students. We watched as she took out the album, put it on the record player, turned the switch on, and placed the needle in the groove. She was weeping the whole time. The song she played—which is in my head as I write this—was And When I Die by Blood, Sweat & Tears. It’s a beautiful song from one of the great rock and roll bands of the 1970s. The lyric she especially wanted us to hear was, “And when I die, and when I’m gone, they’ll be one child born, in this world, to carry on, to carry on.”
I remember feeling awkward at that time. I was 17, and as much as I knew and liked the song, I did not get it, not at all. None of us did. Then I became a teacher—elementary school, then middle school, then high school at Encinal—and by the time I retired in 2019 I absolutely, without a doubt, burn-a-hole-in-my-soul got it. Ms. Dixon wanted us to embrace the love of learning that she brought to school every day, hoping some of us might follow her career path. As I began to prepare to leave teaching after 35 years, I thought of her and that song, but in my case I was thinking of my fellow teachers, my younger colleagues, whom I hoped would take that golden heart she gave me, that beat in my chest, and let it guide them to carry on, to keep doing that secular holy work she’d done, that I did, that they do.
I’m overjoyed to say that so many of them have, from Jessica Kerber to Josh Linville, Derrick Lyons to Anneka Fagundes. And for sure Eric Schoeffler, Chair of the Visual and Performing Arts Department at Encinal High School, who is maybe the coolest teacher ever, and the subject of this 5Q4.
At what moment did you discover that you wanted to be an artist?
I had always appreciated art and design, but moving into art was directly motivated by working with tools and materials. My father was a mechanical engineer, and instilled a respect for equipment and design process. I worked in woodshops, building cabinetry and furniture as well as working automotive restoration facilities. My father wanted me to be an engineer, so I chose something different. I declared as an art major at CSU Long Beach, much to the dismay of my father.
Through a European Backpacking trip, I began volunteer work with an NGO named Balkan Sunflowers. They were working with ethnic Albanian refugees in multiple cities after the war in Kosovo. I worked in Albania and Kosovo, doing art therapy with youth. I saw the healing power of art and play, especially in the very young children. Upon returning to the U.S., I moved to the Bay area for school and started working towards becoming an art teacher.
Who was the most influential person who helped you achieve your goal as both an artist and art teacher?
The great Michael Easterday was such a powerful influence as my mentor coming into teaching at Encinal. He and his wife Leslie were role models showing how to navigate so many aspects of life. His positive spirit and having fun with sarcasm in class changed how I viewed the profession.
Tell about the best—or a best—experience you’ve had as an artist/art teacher. Conversely, tell us about a pretty bad experience.
Wow, so many. I’ve had so many talented students. When I was teaching shop early on, it was students going to trade schools and getting good jobs. With visual art, I recommended a student look into tattooing and she has become quite successful. She tattooed Michael Easterday’s initials on me as we had shared the student. Kids have always pushed me to challenge myself as a result of seeing what they could do.
Losing a previous student is always difficult. Whether medical emergency, an accident, or bad choices, it’s just so unfortunate. I also took it pretty hard when they razed my old shop classroom to make way for the Junior Jet building.
Getting into teaching, I did after-school art programs in junior high and elementary at Havenscourt and Lockwood. Everyone needs to find the age group they are going to fit in best with. Glitter explosions, crying, unplanned projectile vomiting, and little kids peeing in their pants kept me away from teaching elementary school.
Any advice to folks who are hoping to pursue a life in the arts? Any advice about those wanting to teach art?
Do it. Teaching art is such a great job. Sure, there are difficult moments and hard days, but spending time with kids in productive struggle is amazing. I laugh and have fun every day at work, generally most periods. The art classroom is an environment where everyone gets to be themselves and push their ability.
As for advice to get into teaching art, try many mediums. Take as many classes as you can to get paid more as a beginning teacher. (understand the steps BA+) Everyone will gravitate to an age group in their wheelhouse. Find a school to student teach in with a mentor close to retirement age. Art teachers stay at their school sites a long time. I think I’m on year 20.
Has being an artist and/or teaching art changed greatly with the role technology plays in our lives?
I think so. Technology is great. Google Classroom and having a Chromebook for each student in class is great. I think back to all the magazines, calendars, and photocopies of things that used to be necessary. Now students have any type of imagery or YouTube video available to help them. Unfortunately, however, some students are easily distracted. It is harder for them to focus on art for long periods of time. Not everyone, just a general trend.
Gene Kahane is the founder of the Foodbank Players, a lifelong teacher, and former Poet Laureate for the City of Alameda. Reach him at [email protected]. His writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Gene-Kahane.
