- i .1 i
John Montgomery
.An exceptional instructor
F ormer Students To
Honor John Montgomery
By Loretta Maaago
Poet Staff Writer
There was a time when
John Montgomery was on
the verge of pursuing a
radio broadcasting career.
No doubt be would have
excelled in that field as he
has throughout his near 20
year-old career as a
teacher
Education gained more
than just another teacher
when Montgomery decided
that that would be his
profession. It gained an
educator.'
‘ He is one of those ex
ceptional instructors who
feels that teaching extends
beyond the process of sup
plying information and
facts. “I look at my stu
dents. as individuals and
with whatever expeHlse I
have I help them develop
their skills.”
That philosophy, coupled
with Montgomery’s four
C’s approach to teaching -
control, concern, compe
tency and consistency,
have been key elements lit
his overwhelming success
inthedartft&tf? •
On the rare occasion
wnen a student complains
about having to learn the
difference between intran
sitive and transitive verbs
and whines, ‘fI’m never
gonna use this stuff when I
graduate,” Montgomery
replies, “That may be true
but your gramma tic usage
may be the deciding fac
tor in whether you get a job
or not.” Montgomery is an
English, teacher at Quail
Hollow Junior High School.
Like magic, Montgomery
takes the English language
and shows bow U will later
affect them in life.
^veryuung aoout Mont
gomery seems to be some
what magical. After suf
fering from a bout of polio
at the age of 10, Mont
gomery was confined jto a
wheelchair. Whereas this
illness may have defeated'
others, it only aspired
Montgomery to over
achieve. Some of that
credit of motivation Mont
gomery gives to his phy
sical therapist during his
hospitalization: ”1 remem
ber she used to tell me'You
have to remember that the
most important part of
your body has no limit
ations, and that's your
brain.’”
Those words of wisdom
stuck with Montgomery
and no matter what he
attempted to do he did his
best. ‘‘My father used to
tell me that whatever you
did that was honest you
should do it to the best of
your ability. That’s why
when I decided I would
become a teacher I knew
I would be the best teach
er I could be.”
, His personal drive to ex
cell led him to become
class valedictorian at York
Road High School (now
Kennedy Junior High). He
pursued a four-year college
education at Livingstone
College, earning a double
major in English and So
cial Science. While at
Livingstone, he was also
selected for Who’s Who.
Returning to Charlotte,
Montgomery taught at
York Road for six years
before being transferred to
Quail Hollow.
He has always had the
encouragement of local
citizens like Kays Gary and
“Genial” Gene Potts who
raised money to send him
to school, but it was his
former math teacher,
Mattie Grisby, who in
spired him to become a
teacher. “The way she
managed the classroom
and taught her subject
matter made me want to
follow in her footsteps,
She knew the students as
well as the individual,”
commented Montgomery.
“I have tried to pay my
debt to those whs contri
buted to my education by
giving ray students a le
gacy of a love for leant
ing and' the desire to
achieve against all ob
stacles.” Through almost
20 years of teaching, this is
what Montgomery has
done. And it has
worxea, not only tor his
students but for his co
workers as well. Out of the
H years Montgomery has
been at Quail Hollow be has
been voted “Teacher of the
Year” eight times.
Just as rewarding as the
teachers’ votes of confi
dence has been the thank
yous be has received over
the years from parents and
students. Nothing has quite
exceeded the latest ex
pression of gratitude and
appreciation by his former
students than their desire
to raise enough money to
buy Montgomery a hand
controlled van in lieu of his
20th year as a teacher. A
fundraiser was kicked off
Thursday, February 9, and
by August, the students
aim to achieve their goal.
“The gist of the fundraiser
will be contributions trom
former students along with
car washes, discos and
bake sales,” remarked
Montgomery. Anise Brown
of Johnson C. Smith and
Beatrice Thompson of
WBTV are cO-chairper-'
sons. They can be con
tacted at 378-1060 or
374-3696 for contributions.
No doubt Montgomery’s
former students will suc
ceed in this endeavor; if
there was ever one thing he
Instilled in them it was: .
“CAN’T is not in my vo
cabulary. Don’t use this
word in my class.”
Whether If* the people who
make thing* happen nr the
happening* them«elre*.
Loretta keep* yen in
formed through her weekly
featured entertainer and
her "Charlotte Area Hap
pening*" column. Read
lx>retta each week in The
Charlotte Peat.
1
NEA Proposes Four-Point Program To
special io inerosi
.. Washington, D.C.- A
four-part program aimed
at developing a "positive
disciplined learning en
vironment," in the nation’s
public schools was urged
today by the National Edu
cation Association.
The early detection of
students with learning pro
blems is a first crucial stop
In heading off more serious
discipline problems later,
NEA President Mary Hat-/'
wood Futrell told the House
Education on discipline in
schools.
“When students can’t
master a subject, they act
up-and that 'acting up' is a
local programs that
would: ‘ \ '
establish uniform disci
pline codes, Jointly devel
oped by teachers, parents,
administrations and stu
dents;
-provide the professional
counseling and support ser
vices necessary to deal
with the root causes of
discipline;
-involve parents at
every level of their child
ren's education1
Futreil Sid the ^ntl
Out Congress can help
local schMt ’(Bstricte by
providing jttteiate fend
ing through such federal
programs as compensatory
■ i ■ —_
education (Chapter lV
These Currently .under
funded programs have In
the past significantly
helped solve school disci
gee ted that in-school sus
pension programs^ care
fully designed-can Im
prove the conduct of of
fending students.
"We can’t solve disci
plinary problems by throw*
ing kids out on the street,”
Futrell said. “The only
things kids learn no the
street is crime-and society
will eventually pay dearly
for that lesson.”
Futrell also called for
—.. -
coating support to help
teachers and schools cope
wtth the myriad of disci
pline problems.
Many schools, aha said,
don’t have adequate coun
ting support or, if they
do, are overwhelmed by
the number of students who
need help.
“Troubled students will
not simply step being trou
bled because we ask them
to do so-or demand that
they shape up,” explained
Futrell. “Many need spe
cial help, individual help,
trained professional help.”
Finally',, FutreD noted,
students learn best when
schools and parents work
Armour Star Reg.
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