Waiting for Clark Kent

Superman's real identity.

Until the 80s, when the famed comic book writer/artist John Byrne helped to completely change the famous Kryptonian's mythology, Superman was a fundamentally different character than he is now. Yes, he still had all of the powers, the enemies, and the famous weaknesses to most kinds of Kryptonite. But until then, the character was the "real" person, and his alter ego just a charade. Happily, Byrne turned that all around, making the mythos far more interesting. He made it so that even though Superman is defined substantially by his alien birth, he's even more defined by his earthly parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent. As we all remember, Clark grew up in Smallville, Kansas. He had to keep his gifts a secret, and he must have had the most understanding parents ever. Anyway, in the new mythology, he probably wouldn't be the man, the "super" man that he is if it weren't for those parents. Clark invented "Superman" as a way to protect his identity, but also be able to fully integrate the values he grew up with and protect "truth, justice and the American way."

So, why am I chattering about Clark Kent. Well (without seeing the movie, but knowing the premise) the new film "Waiting for Superman," posits that we need extraordinary people to go into education and be valued and allowed to use those extraordinary gifts to improve schools, students' lives, and bring America from a second-rate first-world country, a follower, back to being a leader in education. I believe that America needs more Clark Kents, rather than Supermen. We need extraordinary people who are grounded in real values and put on the uniform of Superman when in the classroom. Clark doesn't leave his identity behind when he's out saving the world, he's the same moral creature that he is when he isn't in his costume, though he does act appropriately to the situation. Superman gets all of the accolades, but he isn't the entirety of who Clark is. What Clark does is to de-emphasize his humanity (though he's an alien) and play up the alien parts of his resume to be better in both of his professions.

Teachers are really more like Clark. They become a version, perhaps a stylized and slightly exaggerated "boy scout" in the classroom, but they don't cease being human. They use their gifts in ways to make a difference in the lives of young people. So if you want to be an extraordinary teacher, I say this:

Be like Clark. Act like Superman.