ecades ago, on a driving trip, I listened to a recording of Oliver Sacks reading his book, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. His voice (both literal and literary) was so distinctive that, for years afterward, anytime I would read anything he wrote, I would, in my head, hear him reading it aloud. I have heard other authors, even listened to some reading their work, but this bit of synesthesia has never repeated itself until a few days ago, when I started Beyond the Lesson Plan by Steven Cwodzinski. The warmth, the openness, the earnestness, the simultaneous erudite sophistication and childlike simplicity – all this could only come from one person. And then there are the corny jokes. A warning: be looking ahead for “But I digress!” If you see these words a few paragraphs on, brace yourself!
The book is organized into 33 chapters, one for each year of Mr Cwodzinski’s teaching/learning career. (He presents teaching as a reciprocal engagement between the nominal teacher and students.) Each chapter title is a question, and the chapter investigates the question. The first chapter reveals an event that changed the life of the author: a car accident during his senior year in high school, followed by months of hospitalization, a renaissance of spirit, and a newfound sense of purpose. Later chapters feature stories of the search for his biological father, his proposal and marriage, his children, his travels, his campaign and his three years (so far!) as a state senator. These are interspersed with many, many stories about the classroom, which, in turn, are interspersed with philosophical ponderings and exhortations to our better angels. And did I mention the corny jokes? Continue reading.