Posted by Moher Beer on June 12, 2009 at 11:59:52:
WBBM reporter tells of 'accidental lessons' learned
Helen Marshall - 11 June 2009
CHICAGO (WBBM) -- Dave Berner has been in broadcasting for more than 30 years, most of it as a reporter and news anchor. You can hear him report right here, on Newsradio 780, most often on Friday mornings.
And now, he's a published author.
The book's a memoir. The title: "Accidental Lessons".
After a series of personal upheavals, including the death of his father and a failed marriage, Berner--figuring he had nothing to lose--took a chance and accepted a teaching position in the East Aurora school district in 2003.
It was part of a graduate school scholarship program to attract teachers to troubled schools. Berner taught Language Arts to 8th graders for a year.
He says his students represented what some might call society's throwaways.
"These were kids from broken families, some migrant workers who never saw their fathers, kids in gangs - whose brothers were killed - whose parents were sometimes non-existent."
There sometimes was a difficult language barrier. "Teachers and administrators, even ones who tried very hard to educate them, found it frustrating, difficult, and even alarming. There sometimes was an attitude to 'just get them passed' so they could go do what (some thought) they would probably do anyway - find a minimum wage job and struggle for the rest of their lives."
Berner says these students taught him invaluable lessons about himself and why he became a journalist in the first place.
A chief lesson was about respect. Berner recalls Dress Up Day. Some 20 students wanted to dress up as him. Because he was notorious for wearing a tie, they all wanted to wear ties.
"I brought in dozens of old ties and they wore them - boys and girls. When they were asked, 'Who are you on Dress Up Day?' they would answer 'Mr. Berner.' It was an eye opening moment to know that any of us can find common ground , no matter our major differences or backgrounds, if we respect each other. ... It seems cliche or trite, but until you experience it directly, it's just words."
His top "accidental lessons" learned:
1. Respect for others is the key to education and finding your place in the world.
2. Giving to others is essentially giving to yourself
3. Challenge yourself, do the things you're afraid to do. They will give you better perspective on the world and yourself.
About his approach to news, Berner, 52, says "I've worked some major stories and some minor ones - all of them I try to tell with the skill of a storyteller. That's all we really are as reporters - storytellers with the facts as our basic mantra."
His career now focuses on WBBM and independent audio documentary work. His most recent documentary is "Finding My Kerouac" about his personal 5,000 mile road trip based on Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road.
He also teaches writing, documentary, and radio narrative classes at Columbia College in Chicago.
When he's not working, you can find him golfing.