This Issue
Once upon a time ‘Iolani teachers were not teachers just yet. They were children and teenagers like the ones they now instruct. Find out which childhood books inspired our teachers.
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Winter 2009 - Cover Story
Rob Duval
- Born:
Pomona, California- Grew up:
Northern California (near Berkeley)- Years teaching:
11- Years teaching at ‘Iolani:
2- Favorite childhood book:
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls (published in 1961)
When Rob Duval was 11-years-old, he read Where the Red Fern Grows after his teacher, Linda Jackson (Miss J to students), recommended the American classic. But it was hearing Miss J, an adept storyteller and singer, read the story out loud to the entire sixth grade class that made a larger impact.
“It was the first book I remember actually being moved by,” Duval recalls. “To actually read something and have an emotional response to it was new, and when she read it to the entire class, everyone had an emotional response.”
Duval identified with the young boy, Billy, who raises and trains two Redbone Coonhound hunting dogs named Old Dan and Little Ann. In the end, the dogs die one after the other and Billy’s family moves away from the Ozark Mountains where the dogs are buried. As Billy makes his last visit to the final resting place of Old Dan and Little Ann, he sees a red fern growing between their graves.
“I had two dogs like he did,” Duval said. “I could see the love and connection between these two dogs in my own dogs. I saw it in humans too. With my great-grandparents, when one of them passed away, I could see how with the other one, the light was gone.”
Duval began to understand the other students were as moved as he was. He also saw it was acceptable for boys, even at that age, to cry in public. The experience was one of personal growth.
“(Today, I try to teach) maybe not the experience of reading the book but the experience of reacting to the book, to let students know that having emotions is human,” Duval said. “It’s a human thing to be emotional in a society that doesn’t always condone it.”
At ‘Iolani, Duval has earned applause for his ability to unleash students’ emotions which means a higher caliber of stage productions and character portrayals. Last year, the school staged Antigone and the musical The Wiz. Both received rave reviews. Duval also directs community theater productions, such as Barefoot in the Park and The Wizard of Oz at Diamond Head Theatre and has won Po‘okela Awards for directing and acting.
“I try to let students be free with their emotions especially in the work of my classes because without the emotions you lose humanity, you lose touch with relationships and people. I want people to be able to express themselves and not be afraid of what others might say.”