Aces of Trades: Steve Clark finds his passion in education
Some teachers are more than teachers.
“Growing up, I was very fortunate to have wonderful role models,” recalled Steve Clark. “My father worked for Detroit Edison for 45 years and was also the secretary of the school board for many years. My mother was a stay-at-home mom and very involved in our church. I had two older brothers. Jerry became a lifelong Lutheran minister. Tom was a research chemist and became a consultant in locations all over the world.”
“I was in love with football growing up, watching my older brothers play,” Clark continued. “I loved playing and was named All-State as a senior. When my high school built a pool, I got involved with diving and swimming. I also played golf in the spring.”
Today, Clark is an intervention specialist with Marion City Schools.
“My job,” he explained, “is providing instruction and experiences for students in my classroom that helps them to acquire and learn to use skills that help them to become more independent so they can function to the best of their ability in the community.”
“Each of our students is unique and very few are on the same level in their academic subjects,” Clark added, “so instruction is differentiated to fit their present needs. That requires extra planning to ensure students are challenged but the work is appropriate to their ability. It also requires extra hands to help in the classroom. I’m very fortunate to have an excellent para-professional partner in my classroom. Without Mrs. Patty Dale, I couldn’t accomplish all the tasks we do each day.”
Clark, 70, grew up in Dundee, Michigan, a town now largely known for a Cabela’s outdoor/sporting goods store at the edge of town. He graduated from Dundee Community High School in 1971, then went to Capital University in Columbus where he was a standout athlete in football, swimming/diving and golf.
Started in the family business and then moved to education
“When I first arrived at Capital,” he said, “I pursued a double major in sociology and psychology and was interested in a career in social work. But the deeper I got into the field of social work, the more questions I had about that as my future. The day after graduation from Capital, my future wife, Bev Crawbaugh, and I began work at her family businesses for the next 24 years. I also rekindled my interest in teaching and took a position as a learning disabilities tutor. I went back to take master’s courses in special education at Ashland University, and I also got a master’s degree in differentiated instruction from Graceland University in Iowa.”
Clark started coaching at Harding High School in 1995, then began as a learning disability tutor in 1996 and as an intervention specialist in 1997.
Carol Bebout is assistant principal at Harding HS.
“When Steve decided to go into education, he was hired as a teacher in our program for students with multiple disabilities and he has never looked back," said Bebout. "When you go into his classroom you may find the students learning to make toasted cheese sandwiches or doing laundry. His laugh is contagious! He laughs at himself and with the students and they in turn learn to laugh frequently and loudly! The program progressed from academics and life skills to running its own cookie business and going to multiple job sites. Wanting them to experience as much as they can, he and his classroom aides take the students to prom each year. Steve knows he has a short time to prepare the students for the rest of their lives and to teach them how to best take care of themselves.”
“Mr. Clark cares deeply for each of his students,” Bebout added, “and he stays in contact with the families even after graduation. They are a member of his family forever. Steve Clark is a special person.”
“I’ve met and gotten to know some wonderful people, both at Harding and the families I work with,” Clark responded. “The people at Harding have been like an extended family. I’ve been fortunate to be in this position and to have been at Harding High School.”
Aces of Trades is a weekly series focusing on people and their jobs — whether they’re unusual jobs, fun jobs or people who take ordinary jobs and make them extraordinary. If you have a suggestion for a future profile, let us know at news@marionstar.com.
This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Marion Harding teacher Steve Clark is changing lives
