Newsletter for Rosh Hashana
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October 9, 2008
Every Rosh Hashana I laugh when I think of my football coach, Hoot Gibson, an irascible, emotional, and tough WWII veteran. He never pulled any punches and predated political correctness. In that this article is for the public, I have taken the liberty to edit some of his salty language.
"Shoot, Sepkowitch, what is this dadgum Jewish thing this Friday night?”
"Coach, it's Rosh Hashana," I replied. I was a senior, equipped with some skills which Coach Gibson valued.
"Jesus, Lord of Mercy, well, dadburnit, are you going to be able to play or what?"
In all the years of his dominion over me, having me do wind sprints, push ups, leg lifts...etc, I knew I had him and went for it:
"I don't know coach...I am going to have to speak to my rabbi."
A couple of things you need to understand are that there were very few Jews in Oklahoma in the 1970's, and no one ever fully grasped that Jewish holidays began at sundown and ended at sundown. I always knew I was playing, but it was fun watching him try to figure out Rosh Hashana, let alone say it.
On many days, it was the ability to laugh which got me through those agonizing football practices in high school. And as it turns out, a sense of humor is one of the most important attributes any educator can possess. Middle School students are at times like Italian operas, filled with drama, and then for good measure more drama. They are energetic, honest, hilarious, and exhausting, and they need adults who understand them, listen to them, believe in them, and create boundaries for them. I would also add that middle schoolers need a sense of humor and to be surrounded by adults who have the ability to laugh as well.
When I am hiring teachers, one of the first reads I measure is whether a candidate has a sense of humor. Teaching middle school is such intense work that one needs to be able to laugh at situations and at oneself. And more than that, students need to be able to see that their teachers are human, filled with joys, hopes, challenges, illuminations, and strengths. And that they have the ability to laugh.
One of the last times I saw Coach Gibson was in the 1980’s, when he smiled big time and asked about my red-haired older brother, another football player, one he referred to as that smiling Irishman. What could I do but laugh.
Warren
