In Memory

David Marks (Teacher)

David Marks, 73, died Friday, Aug. 6, 2004 of Leukemia.

Marks was born on Dec. 2, 1930 in Royal Oak, MI.
 
He lived for many years in Berrien Springs and Niles, but in his last years, moved to Grand Marais on the shores of Lake Superior, a place of intense and wild beauty he felt a stronger connection to than anywhere else.
 
Marks was the founder of The National Writing Institute and author of the Writing Strands books. Marks devoted the majority of his life to teaching young people how to understand the complexities of the English language. Convinced that an individual’s ability to think is directly tied to his/her facility with language. Marks saw learning how to write as essential to the formation of an active and engaged citizen.
 
For nearly 30 years, he taught high school English in Niles earning a reputation as a smart, rigorous and generous teacher, and many former students continue to remember him as a pivotal presence in their education. After retiring, Marks began a second career writing and distributing a K-through 12 language arts curriculum derived from his years of classroom experience. The Writing Strands books and related volumes sell across the U.S. and in many other English-speaking countries including, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa and are considered by many to set the highest standard for teaching language arts. His books carry on his life’s work to help young minds shape language into a clear, rational and striking expression.
 
Survivors include his wife of 40 years, Lea Marks of Grand Marais; one son, Corey Marks of Denton, Texas, and one granddaughter.



 
go to bottom 
  Post Comment

02/05/09 07:09 PM #1    

Jim Lanier

Dave Marks was the best teacher I ever had. I think of him as a mentor, and find his imprint on many facets of my life. He was, of course, a radical thinker, as am I.
He helped prepare kids for college, by freeing up attendance requirements and only accepting work that fit the requirements of the assignments.
Realizing I might become bored, he steered me toward the theatre, and some of my fondest memories are from there.
I had the opportunity to teach alongside him when I was substituting, and I got the impression he was quite a thorn in the administration's side. Good for him! He was someone who refused to check his intellect at the door, and he fought for his ideals. He was a passionate and caring teacher and a good man. It seems I'll always be his writing student this lifetime, so I did one last poem for Dave Marks:

Dave

There was something to the look
in his keen blue eyes
easily mistaken for madness.
But it was more a look
of dangerous freedom,
from which conservative townfolk
barred their doors as if against
packs of large, powerful dogs,
dogs in whom those who rose early
and roamed the free air
found comfort and companionship.
In a world where tameness
is over-valued, he was fearless
and will be missed.



03/25/09 11:54 AM #2    

Betsy Jenkins (Hasegawa)

Mr Marks had a time of it with me, un-teaching what I had absorbed from earlier teachers-and starting all over again. He provided me with some of the few moments from high school that I remember distinctly; such as the big "D" he gave my first paper for him. It was one, I was pretty sure, that would be graded high because it had lots of the big words and redundant phrases that had gotten me through earlier classes. Then he started educating me and what he taught has served me well ever since. Jim-I love the poem you offer; I can see him well with the help of your words. well done. Mr. Marks was a fantastic teacher, and I believe he knew full well and appreciated the fact that we called him "Karl" when we thought he wasn't listening.

with fond memories,
Betsy (J.) Hasegawa

06/23/09 01:33 PM #3    

David Howells

I was halfway through the first day of his class and I started to wonder, where the heck did this guy come from? Dave Marks was totally different from any other teacher. Everyone in his class was equally gifted and equally ignorant. He made you read and not just write. He cared about whether you had something worthwhile to say much more than how well you said it. I apply what I learned from him almost every day, and there are not many high school teachers you can say that about.

go to top 
  Post Comment