PictureIdea:Mr.Macklinsyearbookpicture.

WordCount:901
Draft#3/Issue#1
[Feature]

AlsoaFather
ByHaileyAhn

Timingisthekeytocounseling.Knowingthebestpointtoreachoutyourhandcanmakea
changeinoneslife.GrayMacklinisthecounselorallhighschoolstudentsatSISareboundto
encounterduringtheirschoolcareer.Heistheonewhoknowswhentoreachouthishand,
guidingstudentsthroughtheirstress,difficultywiththeirprogressinschool,andtheprocessof
sendingincollegeapplications.

Asthetestingandstudentservice,Mr.Macklinconfrontsstudentsstartingfromsixthgradeuntil
theiryearofgraduation.Meetingwithmorethanahundredstudentseachyear,herealizesthe
difficultyoflisteningcarefullytohisstudentsobstacles.

Consultingisajobthatrequiresapproachabilityinordertorespondtostudentswithabounding
help.Claimingtohaveanintrovertedsideofhim,Mr.Macklinrealizesthatthischaracteristic
oftencreatescomplicationswhenspeakingwithnewstudentswhilelisteningtotheirdilemmas
withempathy.Hisintrovertedcharacteralwaysblockedhimfromfullsupportespeciallybecause
hismotifsaresocontrarytomanyoftheviewsofstudentsandtheirparents.

However,asateacherwhounderstandsthepressureandburdensstudentsfacewithinSISs
culture,hetakespityinthejudgementsstudentsmakeinplacingvaluesonthenumbersin
Powerschool.Growingupwithwesterneducation,apartfromthecompetitiveandruthlessnature
ofKoreaneducation,healsobelievesthatnumbersdonotsymbolizeanyonesknowledgebut
justanapproximation.Thetwoideasofbeingabletothinkoutsideoftheboxandsteppingback
fromtheobsessivenessofgradesfusedtobecomehisphilosophy.

Duringadvisoryinthe8thgrade,Mr.Macklintaughtusalltohaveadifferentperspectivethink
moreforourselvesthanwhatwearesociallypressuredfor,saidAlexKim(9).

SIScultureislikeananimalkingdom.Chaotic,competitive,andfullofthosewhotrytobe
indefatigable.Mr.MacklinknowsthisasaneducatoratSISforseveralyears.Butasafather,he
yearnstotakeanotherstance,implementinghispersonalviewsforhisson.Believingthat
educationisapersonalresponsibility,allforthebenefitofoneself,studentsshouldnotonly
followtheexactguidelinesforrubrics,butknowhowtothinkoutsidethebox.

Gradesareourowncreation.Gradesdonotspeaktoanysuccess,knowledge,or
understanding,saidMr.Macklin.

Accentuatingonhispersonalbeliefstohischildren,especiallySabinMacklin(10),asophomore
atSIS,Mr.Macklindevelopedafairlycloserelationshipwithhisson,enjoyingtheprivilegesof
gettingacloserinsightintotheschoolcurriculumthantherestoftheparents.Contrarytohis
intentions,however,workingasamentorhasbroughtuponanunintendedeffect.

Mr.Macklinrealizesthatthedistancebetweenthefatherandsonrelationshipworseneddueto
workingastheschoolcounselor.Itreducedtheconversationsdrasticallythataregularsonand
fathermighthaveotherwise.

Hetreatsmelikeastudentatschoolandlikeasonathome,saidSabin,Heremains
professionalanddrawsalinebetweenhomeandschool.

Despitethelackofconversations,Sabinknowsexactlywhathisfatherwants:beinginadistinct
position,differentfromothers.Hisfreshmanyearwasatimehegottoachievehisgoals.Trying
outforcheerleadingmighthavebeenahardchoicetomake,especiallyasateenageboy,but
Sabinknewthatitwouldgivehimachancetoshineaboveothers,nomatterwhatothersthought
ofhim.

IwanttogiveSabinanotherperspective,saidMr.Macklin.Gradesshouldntbehisfirst
priority.Questioningshouldbe.

Eversinceayoungboy,Mr.Macklinquestioned.Hequestionedanythinghelearnedinschool
thatdidntseemtosatisfyhisbeliefs.Hequestionedifhedidntunderstandaconcept.During
hishighschoolyears,whenhelearnedaboutTheScarletLetter,hequestionedaswell.Mr.
Macklinthoughtwhathisteacherwasteachingtheclasswasinterpretedcontradictorilyfrom
whattheauthorwantedtosay.Lookingback,herecollectsthatitwasabitimmatureofhimto
neverlosehispridebypushinghisreasoningcontinuously.However,Mr.Macklinknowsthat
questioninganddoubtingtheelementsthathewastaughtwasthebiggestprogresshemadeasa
student.

Mr.MacklinseducationalstyleismanifestlydifferentfromwhathedemandsfromSISstudents
andhisson.QuicklypickingupwhatSISparentsaskfor,Mr.Macklingivesstudentsaschedule
consideringbothviewsoftheparentsandstudents.Itisaskillhelearned,inordertoovercome
hisintrovertedpersonality,awayfromstringentparents.WhathedemandsfromSabinis
somethingmoretolerant.

ItishardtobelievethatMr.Macklinisanintrovertedpersonbywhatweseeofhiminourdaily
lives.Whatstudentsandteachersviewhimasinthehallwaysnow,hasbeenaresultthrough
yearsofeffortasateacherandacounselor.AllMr.MacklinishopingforishavingSabin
understandthetoleranceandleniencyhegets,inordertobecomeabetterstudentandwishing
foranimprovedfatherandsonrelationship.

ManystudentsofSISonlyknowMr.Macklinasthecounselorthathelpsstudentswithacademic
problems.Manyencounterhiminthehallwaysandoftenexchangegreetingsbuttheres
definitelyonethingstudentsdontknow.Mr.Macklinsroleandresponsibilityasafather.