Natural Teacher Makes A Difference In The Classroom
Thursday, May 29, 1997
FORT COLLINS--Frank Leibrock learned much more than he
realized the day he attended a Lamar City Council meeting in
1990. While attending a discussion on citywide recycling, the
Colorado State University Cooperative Extension staff-development
coordinator met a sixth-grade teacher who invited him into her
classroom to discuss recycling. Once there, it was hard to get
Leibrock back out of the classroom.
When he transferred to Fort Collins several years ago, he
brought his volunteering inclinations with him. He's worked with
sixth-grade science and math students at Bennett Elementary
School and seventh-grade English students at Weber Junior High
School.
"I teach them how to apply literature and language to their
future lives; how to apply the Pythagorean theorem to a simple
cardboard box; how to save money using coupons; and other lessons
they"ll find useful as they enter the working world. Naturally, I
also encourage them to join a Colorado State Cooperative
Extension 4-H club," Leibrock said. "Sometimes, however, I feel I
learn more from them than they learn from me."
Leibrock's volunteer work is representative of the outreach
efforts seen throughout Colorado State Cooperative Extension and
the university community. It's a reciprocal relationship that
benefits everyone involved.
"I get such a kick out of watching the students soak up new
knowledge like a sponge," Leibrock said. "I greatly enjoy doing
it, and the teachers and students I work with make it clear they
enjoy the relationship as well."
At the beginning of each school year, Leibrock asks his
students, "What is the most important issue or opportunity you
will face, your community will face and your country will face in
the next year?"
The younger students' answers are fairly predictable, but
the seventh graders' answers are both interesting and somewhat
surprising. Their personal concerns focus on the usual: homework,
peer pressure, sports, etc. But their concerns for community
reflect the popular concerns about overgrowth, teen-age violence
and gangs. Concerns for their country focus a great deal on
violence that could touch their lives.
Despite their weighty concerns, however, about half the
students said their heroes were family members and teachers. But
that didn"t surprise Leibrock, who cites Lee Iacocca's quote, "In
a completely logical world, we would choose to be teachers. Those
of us who couldn"t, would have to take something less."
Perhaps that's why Leibrock, once he's retired from
Cooperative Extension, plans to earn his teaching certificate and
become one of those who chose to be teachers.
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