The Collegian Wednesday, January 25
John Coleman:
by Bill Warner
Collegian Staff Writer
John Coleman is reading
minds again. As the semester
gets under way and Coleman
begins again to practice his craft,
his students begin to see why he
is so popular, and so successfuL
"I think that's what makes
him so key as a teacher. That he
knows what the student is
thinking while he is teaching,"
said former Coleman student
Steve McGarvey.
His ability to see through the
eyes of his students, as well as
those of the average man, is a
quality that has earned Coleman
respect on campus and enabled
him to write poetry that conveys
a sense of "being there."
Coleman, a former Behrend
student himself, has been
teaching several writing courses
here since 1985. He is a
published poet as well as a
founding member of the Round
Table Society and heads the
Behrend Learning Assistance
Center. Firmly rooted in the
Behrend community, Coleman's
past has afforded him many
insights when advising his
students.
He was raised on the cast-side
of Erie and came from a blue
collar background, with both of
his parents working at local
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11 European 38 Gaelic
12 Second of two 39 Edible seed
14 Above 41 Otherwise
15 Supplications 42 Damp
17 Proceed 43 Poets
18 Lamprey 45 Sched. abbr.
20 Fear 46 Half an em
21 Weaken 47 More pitiful
22 Projecting tooth 49 Article
24 Finish 50 Small wave
25 Diminutive 52 Builds
suffix 54 Frocks
55 Mediterranean
26 Run aground vessel
28 Diatribe
30 Weapon
31 Garden tool 1 Feel regret
32 Attempts to 2 Either
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Loomemammmsasmmassonmmewsumd
shops. Following along that
path, he worked part-time as a
stockboy/cashier at Gary's
Variety in Wesleyville. Both of
his older sisters attended Behrend
before him, but that didn't
provide him with much direction.
"I really didn't know what the
hell I was doing," he recalls of
his freshman year. At first a
Business Management major, he
spent the year watching dollar
movies at Eastway Theater and
getting C's in his course work.
During his third term (Behrend
was on a trimester schedule then),
he took a Persuasive Writing
course which inspired him to
change to an English major and
ultimately changed his life. There
were only five or six students
taking the English major at the
time, and Coleman found himself
becoming more involved in
campus activities.
As the group came to know
one another they began to meet
informally to read poetry and
share insights. Thus began the
Round Table Society. Though he
greatly admires and respects the
students he has dealt with since
then, Coleman has strong
feelings about those founding
members of the Round Table.
"That crowd of people are among
the best group of students I've
ever been around."
Coleman's own students feel
3 Demon
4 Fat of swine
5 Trapped
6 Begs
7 Difficult
DOWN
The
Weekly
Cr❑ssw❑rd
Puzzle
8 Possessive
pronoun
9 Near
10 Ambassador
11 Estimate
13 Lassoed
16 Deep yearning
19 Biggest
21 Spire
23 Standard
measure
25 Worn away
27 Compass point
29 Greek letter
32 Drain
33 Peaceful
34 Extras
35 Females
36 Landed
property
37 College officials
40 Transgress
43 Nut's
companion
44 Withered
47 Health resort
48 Soak, as flax
51 River in Italy
53 Symbol for
cerium
The Working Man's Poet
strongly about him too. "It was
the epitomy of the college
course," recalled Darrell Freund,
of his poetry writing course.
Coleman's policy of open forum
during his poetry class left a
permenant impression on Freund,
who is the editor of Behrend's
literary magazine "Tempus."
"That was what I was looking for
in a college course."
Steve McGarvey, president of
the Student Government
Association, spoke of Coleman's
Business Writing course. "He
always stressed the need to say
things the best way they can
possibly be said. He loves what
he does, you can tell that right
away. He's really energetic."
Coleman's energy and his love
for his work seem to make his
advice important to students.
"I see this mistaken notion
around that you can do anything
you want," Coleman says of
students deciding on a major. He
feels that while anyone can learn
about a subject or trade, students
often ignore possibilities that
should be explored. "If you find
something you like or you're
good at, don't hesitate because it
may not be lucrative. Find out
what you're strong in and do it."
John Coleman has obviously
found what he is strong in and
his students are glad he is doing
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John Coleman
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photo by Audrey Acosta