My name is Dack Flagel. I know Chris from working with him at Eden Prairie High School as an EL (English Language) teacher. I work with kids that are new to the US or have left for many years and recently returned. These kids often come to us from across the globe having never used a laptop before or never spoken a word of English. It is a deeply satisfying job, even when students are being feckless twerps. This is the story of how I fell into this career.
If you would have told 16 year old me, that I would actually choose to step foot in a high school voluntarily, I would have laughed in your face. High school was a socially painful place for me. I was an awkward kid who wasn’t sure of himself and could never figure out why my peers acted the way they did. I could get decent enough grades, but I was never going to get a date.
High school was a socially painful place for me.
High school turned into college. I was accepted into a school 80 miles outside of my hometown, and things got better for me. I just had no damn idea as to what I should do. My mother encouraged me to become a history major, as I had some interest in it. She said that I could be a lawyer, or a historian, or a professor, or any other number of jobs. So, I took the classes in the major. They were pretty interesting and they helped me be a clearer writer and thinker, but I did not want to be a lawyer, historian, or a professor. I was as confused about my path forward as ever.
Running out of ideas, I applied for the school of education and decided to try the Education 101 course. I needed the credit. What could it hurt? My 30 hour practicum assignment was in the city’s only alternative high school. This was the place for misfit kids that weren’t on track to graduate in the ‘regular’ high schools. Teachers there had time to get to know the kids. Classes had only 12-16 kids, and kids could work on prescribed curriculum at their own pace. This gave ample time for kids and teachers to connect. As a social misfit myself, I felt comfortable, and I was hooked immediately on teaching.
Fast forward to 2009. I was ending my 3rd year teaching 8th Grade Geography. The 2008 economic downturn had resulted in a $17 million budget shortfall in my district. My $41,000 salary was cut to help bridge that shortfall. And I had to start looking for jobs. I hadn’t realized how lucky I was to get that social studies job. Going up against 300+ applicants per job made getting interviews difficult. And the ones I got never panned out. So, I decided on a new plan.
I went back to school to get an EL license. I like teaching well enough, and this seemed like a shortcut to get back into a teaching job. Just over a year later, I had another license and a new job.
What I didn’t put much thought into was the kids I was working with. They were from all over the world, with experiences and backgrounds so different from my own. They were curious, hopeful, and often challenging. They had some obvious needs, but when you got to know them, they had talents and interests that were often hard to discern. They were complex and caring and fun. I had again fallen bass ackwards into a meaningful job that was even better than teaching 8th Grade Geography.
I had again fallen bass ackwards into a meaningful job that was even better than teaching 8th Grade Geography.
In the last few pages of The Catcher in the Rye, the main character, a young man thinking about his dreams for his future, describes his ideal job. He wants to be on a cliff in a rye field catching lost children and keeping them from falling. Saving those who don’t know any better. Many times in my career, I have convinced myself that that was my job. Keeping my students safe from falling. But the truth, as I have come to understand, is that the kids in the rye are keeping me from falling too. I’d love to say this was all part of a grand plan I hatched years ago. But, as you’ve seen, that’s not true. But I have still saved and been saved by my work with these kids, and that feels pretty awesome.
Chris’ note – I met Dack years ago when he first started teaching in Eden Prairie, but it wasn’t until the fall of 2021 when we worked at the high school together, became building colleagues, and quickly became friends. I knew he was a solid guy when he invited me to his Flag-Toberfest party that fall. I even had the honor of helping him cut down a stump to use for the game, hammerschlagen, at the party. Dack, our friend Dan, and I traveled to Germany and Austria together in the summer of 2023. That trip brought a closeness, literally (haha) and figuratively, to our relationship I wouldn’t have previously imagined.
Dack, your story is deeply inspiring and touching. Your reflection on The Catcher in the Rye and the kids not only highlights your dedication but also shows how teaching is a two-way street of growth and learning. Teaching is truly a generous and revolutionary act, and you express that with great sensitivity
Mr. Flagel was one of my teachers when I first started 9th grade in high school. At that time, I didn’t understand or speak much English, so I felt very different from other students. I thought I would never fit in. But when I took his class, I immediately felt welcome. He always helped me with everything and tried to learn about my culture, which meant a lot to me. I really appreciate Mr. Flagel and Mr. Kreie for always supporting me. From the first day of class until now, as a senior, we have built a strong bond. I am grateful to have been one of his students. He taught me many things I didn’t know before and helped me grow in ways I never imagined. Thank you, Mr. Flagel, for believing in me and making school a better place. You’re an AWSWOME teacher 🙂
This is such a touching story! Mr. Dack Flagel was one of the first teachers I had when I came to the United States. I had no idea what the culture was like here, and I had never been to school before in my life! When I arrived in the U.S., they placed me in high school at the 15th grade because of my age, and this was back in 2020, just before COVID-19 hit. Mr. Flagel is a big reason why I feel so proud and successful in my career with the largest retail company where I work. He and a couple of other teachers really helped me learn how to speak English. He was an amazing teacher, and I truly appreciate everything he has done for me!