® A Day in the Life: Magnet in the Scrap Iron of Life

Teachers often have students who have had troubles. While I was an instructor at MMI (Motorcycle Mechanics Institute) I visited students in ICU and in jail. I tutored them before and after class, gave them rides, gave them money. I once had a gentleman older than myself simply break down and cry; his wife 2,000 miles away had sent him a "dear john letter.". Another student failed my class because he couldn't read and was too ashamed to let anyone know. I encouraged 12-step survivors, counseled parents of young students, met with reps from Bureau of Indian Affairs, Veteran's Adminstration and other agencies. For many students it was all they could do to resist the swirl of of temptations of all sorts while living so far from home and family. And ironically, those who tried the hardest, working during the day and going to MMI at night, often were among the majority of those who succumbed. The night has a way of making resistance weaken. After observing this for many years, it became my habit to talk to my students the very first day about the dangers and trials awaiting them. With increasingly fewer trustworthy influences in students' lives, teachers are often magnets in the scrap iron of life.

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