In This Issue

Making A Difference
John Becker, Class of 1987
10
Although John Becker, ‘87,
didn’t walk a traditional path
into the teaching profession,
he is working at making
a difference in the lives of
students at Detroit’s Burton
International School.
After graduation from De
La Salle, John joined the
U.S. Navy, planning to take
advantage of the GI Bill. But
two years later, his father
suddenly died, and John
asked to be re located to
Detroit, to help his mother
and younger brother, Rob,
then 12 (Rob graduated in
the Class of 1995).
Ten days after his honorable
discharge in 1990, while helping
a friend with a flat tire, John was hit by a car.
His left leg was amputated from the knee down, and
he had to adjust to life with a prosthesis.
Life had thrown him several lemons. So, he threw
them back.
For a few years, he worked at a variety of jobs,
did some tutoring, and had thoughts of pursuing
engineering. A summer camp job with the Grosse
Pointe Schools and then working in the after school
latchkey program made him consider education. “I
enjoyed working with the kids, so I decided to earn
my teaching degree.”
After graduating in 2000 from Wayne State
University, John began teaching in elementary
schools in the Detroit Public School System. He is
currently at the Burton International School, in the
midtown area, where he teaches fourth and fifth
grade math. “I was born in Detroit. I went to college
in Detroit. I play in the city, so it
only feels right that I work there,
too.
“I still get excited for work every
day. I teach as if my hair is on
fire because if I’m not engaging
my students, they are quick
to lose interest. I’m proud to
have a high level of ‘with it ness’
which allows me to connect with
my students and I try to make
learning fun.
“I pattern myself after some of
my favorite teachers that I was
blessed with throughout my days
at De La Salle, and before that
at St. Peter’s in Harper Woods.
Teaching doesn’t get easier with
time, not if you’re doing it right.
Instead, you’re always striving
to do better, to improve your craft, and facilitate as
much student achievement as possible.”
Despite the socio-economic challenges of the neighborhood,
Burton is highly rated. John says, “There
are challenges in teaching everywhere, whether
you’re in the suburbs or you’re in Detroit.”“I’m at one
of the better buildings, although the building has
had some problems. There are some rodents; I think
all big buildings in Detroit have a rodent issue. It’s
hard not to. We had some leaky sewage pipes not
fixed in a timely manner. The great news is that a
lot of the challenges have been addressed recently.
“I feel like I am making a difference. I’ve had students
who have gone on to be successful and come
back and thank me. That makes me feel good. I’m
in for the long haul. There’s a lot of uncertainty in
Detroit. It can feel like the Titanic, but I haven’t
jumped ship. I’m willing to stick with it.”