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Bob J
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Grushecky mixes it up: rock music & special ed Thursday, January 26, 2006 By Dan Gigler, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The topic during a recent fifth-period English class was linguistics, specifically, synonyms and antonyms. The students rattled off pairs of the former, but for the latter, they needn't look further, metaphorically, than the man leading the lesson: a teacher and local rock star. After all, Joe Grushecky is, as he put it with a chuckle, "The only special ed teacher in the world who also works with Bruce Springsteen." And while Mr. Grushecky has graced stages from Burgettstown to Barcelona with his own band, the Houserockers, and has chummed with the Boss and the E Street Band since their salad days at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, his daily stage is in Room 205 at Sto-Rox Area High School, where he teaches special education to 15 students. To Pittsburgh music fans, he is an icon. To the kids, he's just "Mr. G." This is Mr. Grushecky's first year in the district, though he has taught full time for 15 years at schools such as Pressley Ridge on North Side and Wesley Highlands in Whitehall. His lessons are designed to reinforce basics for kids who have struggled because of past or present behavior issues. "We do a lot of work on fundamental skills, a lot of vocabulary work," he explained, adding that behavioral support has been his professional forte. "We read the newspaper every day. I try to keep these guys as current as I can on world events. We also talk a lot about the history of Pittsburgh." The class watches and discusses segments of the recent PBS documentary, "The War That Made America" about the French & Indian War. Mr. Grushecky lectured on battles near where Kennywood Park is today, and the everyday local names -- Forbes, Duquesne, Pitt -- that came from that era, all the while peppering the kids with questions to keep them at attention. At age 57, Mr. Grushecky is built more like an aging linebacker than a guitar player cum educator, but in a teacher's lounge near the Sto-Rox school library, Mr. Grushecky speaks with a cool, laid-back cadence, about difficult subject matter. "When I started working with kids, it was appalling the levels of abuse and neglect in their home lives," Mr. Grushecky said. However, he is quick to point out that this is not the norm at Sto-Rox, as opposed to other schools where he has worked that were designed for juvenile offenders and children with severe emotional issues. "If you knew some of the case histories, it's hard not to be influenced, when you see what goes on every day." Though his only youthful ambition was to be a musician, he said that his father, who dropped out of school to labor during the Depression, insisted he get an education. His first work after graduation from California University of Pennsylvania in the 1970s was teaching life skills such as hygiene and bathroom training at a state hospital to severely retarded -- and in some cases lobotomized -- young patients, many of whom were abandoned as wards of the state. He said that his work there was the most rewarding thing that he's ever done, including the nearly three decades of music which has given him a taste of the glamorous life. After fronting the Houserockers full time from 1979 through the next decade, he returned to teaching in 1990 and has not lost his passion for it, which is reflected through his music. "Personally, it makes me angry that the kids who are the most needy and most difficult to work with get the least [attention] in Pennsylvania ." he pauses before adding, "It gets me fired up. It definitely fuels my art." On his 1995 release, "American Babylon," which was produced by Springsteen, Mr. Grushecky said that several songs, including the title track, were directly influenced by his work with kids. "For years I used to tease that this was my secret life and that I couldn't talk about it. But to me, it's a plus because a lot of artists lose touch with their origins and what happens in everyday life, and then their music goes bad," he said. It also gives him something to fall back on, which he says has "afforded me more freedom than artists who depend solely on the whims of the marketplace." But why wouldn't a professional musician opt to take a cushier job -- perhaps teaching music at a posh private or wealthy suburban school? "I like working with the 'difficult' kids," he said. "I felt a real affinity to the kids too -- a lot of them are the rebels, outsiders and loners -- the rock 'n' roll kids." He doesn't play the star card with them, and concedes that most of them don't even know who Bruce Springsteen is. He hasn't popped in the tape of the segment CNN did last year on his tireless community work, though he did show them a picture of himself with Ben Roethlisberger at a charity function. "Professionally, I try to be consistent. I set and stick to rules and boundaries, but the best advice I've ever gotten is that you have to give these kids a reason to come to school each day. You've got to talk to the kids and be a friend to them. The big thing is to establish a good, positive relationship with them and to be a good role model." His classroom at Sto-Rox is a sanctuary for his students. The door is open to them at any time of the day. If they are having problems in another class, or need extra time to finish a test, they can come to his room. He brings his guitar every day, and occasionally incorporates it into a lesson -- though he said it is not like the movie "School of Rock". During quieter times, students can study while the blues play on satellite radio in the background, which he says is a necessary bit of musical exposure for his pupils. "Its good for these guys, because unfortunately, they all like rap," he laughed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Dan Gigler can be reached at [email protected] or 724-375-6815.)
27 January 2006
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Jimmy S.
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I read the article.I found it interesting that some of "Joe's Kids" influenced American Babylon. Keith, thanks for the info.
27 January 2006 - Biddle, PA (Home of Joe G, Beecho & Big Tit!)
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Keith G. Kondrich
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How about some "banter" on yesterday's (1/26) great article in the West Neighborhoods section of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette - entitled - "Grushecky Mixes It Up: Rock Music & Special Ed". Congratulations Joe on some more well-deserved recognition!
27 January 2006 - Pittsburgh, PA
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Dave O
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Hey you people its a free country and Im aloud to like whatever team I want to . Plus Paul you ought to pack it in you Homer.
26 January 2006 - Irwin
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Paul
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To Dave O. - If you don't like it around here.LEAVE!!! There are other Cities you can live in.
26 January 2006 - Latrobe
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Randy
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Seattle and the points?? Sounds like Dave O. will be out of some money with a dumbass bet like that
26 January 2006 - South Hills
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Keith G. Kondrich
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Check out the great article in the West Neighborhoods section of today's Pittsburgh Post Gazette - entitled - "Grushecky Mixes It Up: Rock Music & Special Ed". Another great testimonial to a man who continues to inspire people with his music and his work! Thursday, January 26, 2006
26 January 2006 - Pittsburgh, PA
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Just Wondering
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It does sound like Dave O. needs a life.Probably a mis-placed Cleve Brown-Hole fan. How many real Pittsburghers would cut on Lemieux, and pick Seattle over the Steelers??
26 January 2006 - Greenfield
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Dave O
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Its about time Lemiux hung it up , what is this the 3rd time he retired. The guy has hardly played in the past 3yrs. Anyone else would be referred as a has been. Im feeling nice so Im giving my Double steamer pic for the Super Bowl. Its Seattle +3.5 and the over 47. Steelers Defense will look like the one that Cincinatti tore apart at Heinz Field. Hell even Joey Harrington threw all over the Steelers HA HA
26 January 2006 - Irwin
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Goodwill
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Ignore he who cometh here to insult us for attention and cheap thrills, lest he stick around. Really, enough. Let him talk to (and play with) himself.
25 January 2006
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