Class Clown

Most of us reflect on our lives and time in grade, middle, and high school. Maybe it’s because we run into an old friend or have a particular memory about that time in our lives when we were learning and growing. Recently, a friend has been encouraging me to try stand-up comedy because I can say things out of nowhere to make my friends burst into laughter. I’ve always been a bit of a Class Clown. I struggled academically and found myself goofing off and joking around. This was how I was during my K-8th grade years. It wasn’t until I started high school that I began to take things much more seriously. I joined a study class I attended all four years of high school to have extra time and help and time needed to complete other assignments for core academic courses. During my first year of high school, I found something even more critical that pushed me to be successful: learning about the automotive service industry as it was offered as an auto shop class.?

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Luckily, my high school had the world's most skilled auto shop teacher. His name was Dennis Mattoon. He started teaching sometime during the early 80s at the school previously known as Columbia High School; ultimately, the school was renamed Reynolds High School. My first year was 1998/1999, and when I started in Mr. Mattoon's class that year, he had about 20 years of teaching experience under his belt. For the next four years of high school, I got to know him well and made significant accomplishments due to his outstanding teaching and mentorship. I remember several conversations with him about my interest in becoming an educator and teaching shop one day. His words of wisdom have stuck with me since. I remember one piece of advice from him: “You should be a little older before you start teaching.” You see, Mr. Mattoon began teaching sometime in his mid-20s; he commented that it was challenging for a few years. His advice was to wait at least ten or maybe even 15 years before trying to get into education, which I did. I was 34 when I got my position at Clackamas Community College as a full-time Automotive instructor. Eight years later, in that role, I found myself in the most fulfilling career I’ve ever had, even more so than being an automotive technician and shop owner.?

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As I’ve grown and reflected on where I’m at in life with my career, my wife, and my kids, I've realized how much I’ve grown and matured immensely. I’m thankful I had at least one great teacher with high expectations of me and his students. I believe that an auto shop is often where counselors send students who struggle academically. I’ve heard this over and over again. This is probably because it takes great automotive shop teachers to help them find their pathway to success. You must be an excellent mentor to your students and ask them to perform their best. As a shop teacher, you must have high-level teaching skills and classroom management techniques to engage and help your students reach their full potential. I know this to be true because, during my years as a Class Clown, it took a great job as a teacher to steer me toward becoming a professional in the automotive industry.?