This one is a special one. I knew about him only a day before school when someone told me there was a new English head of department coming to our school. My mother’s eyes lit up when she saw his education at the University of Michigan - she said he’ll be a good one. I didn’t care much until I met him in class.
School started and I met JC Trowt. He had a slight hunch to his back, and a thick earring bound to his ears. His style of teaching was nothing I’d ever experienced before, ever. It was something of, as I constantly preach around the campus, 20 percent history, 40 percent philosophy, and 40 percent politics. In his class, there was an ever-present discussion of the bible, or masculinity, or femininity. There were a thousand different answers to one question he’d pitch. This was something we’ve come to adore about our Trowt.
A month into school, I decided to talk more, to know more about this man who I’d love to see dress up as Frankenstein for Halloween. In his office on the second floor, he sat back in his chair and began his tale in his state of birth, Michigan.
“It was a tough place where jobs were hard to find, and people there generally weren’t nice. So I came to China.”
He talked about his story with his family, COVID, coming to Shanghai, but what stood out to me was when he mentioned his method of achieving fulfillment.
“I like having kids walking out of my class chattering about whatever we went through in class. It means I got in their head.”
I told him that it was exactly what we did in practically every class. He grinned.
I remember he’d sometimes come to class looking fatigued. He’d also tell us about his scheduling and the newfound workload burdened onto him since his entry to the school. But he’d always remember to ask us something along the lines of “Did you learn something in today’s class? Did you enjoy today’s class?” before we leave. It was something of a signature.
On countless occasions, I looked at others and thought, “This guy takes us seriously.” This was particularly the case when he printed everyone in class a two-page comment sheet for their midterms. I knew he was putting in the work.
This was what he told us one day when he was analyzing the IB curriculum. I’d show off to my friends, almost as a brag that we get to learn what Trowt feeds us every day.
At this point, I’m grinning as I’m typing as I start to see more and more of the moments during class. He is truly the one-of-a-kind teacher that one would remember going forward.