By Courtney L. Anderson
SHARON — Watching Marshall Norman walk through the halls of Sharon High School, it’s obvious that the man is popular.
Students wave and shout his name and teachers stop to say “hello” to the busy teacher’s aide. While circling the track with a student during a morning gym class, a crowd of kids form around Norman as they walk and talk, often about football, and offer high fives.
Norman’s bright eyes and welcoming smile make him appear younger than his salt-and-pepper hair and seemingly unflappable patience.
Sporting a Tiger Pride pin on his shirt and an orange district-issued bracelet that says “What’s best for kids,” the 54-year-old spends his days helping a 7th-grader who is visually impaired navigate the wild world of high school. Norman takes notes for the student and helps him read assignments and complete them. He also communicates with the child’s parents to help ensure continuity from the classroom to home.
A Sharon native, Norman attended C.M. Musser and Sacred Heart elementaries, Sharon High the year the current building opened and then graduated from what was then Kennedy Christian High School in 1972.
Most days Norman stays at school into the evening as a tutor in the elementary 21st Century Children’s Opportunities for Outside Learning (COOL) program. He also serves as a homebound instructor for the district for students who are sick, injured or are on disciplinary leave.
In the summers, Norman teaches summer school at Sharon and instructs several classes at Thiel College’s College for Kids program.
“It seems like the more I work, the more I want to work. It suits me just fine,” Norman said.
Listing the courses he teaches at Thiel — sign language, Spanish, martial arts and guitar — shows how well-rounded Norman is and his dedication to sharing his skills with young people. He said he thinks it’s good for kids to see another side of teachers “other than books and dry erase boards.”
Sign language was the last course Norman took while a student at Edinboro University, where he earned a bachelor’s in elementary education and a master’s in special education. It’s something he has used with students at Sharon during his 13 years as an instructional assistant.
When he started his career, special education students were not mainstreamed in regular classes. For two years, Norman taught at the Crawford County School for Exceptional Children and then transferred from Meadville to teach learning support at Fairview School District.
Before settling down back in his hometown, Norman worked for the Pennsylvania Department of Education as special education adviser at several Intermediate Units outside of Harrisburg, something he called an “eye-opening experience”. Prior to that he spent seven years working for Columbia Gas Transmission before getting back into education because he missed the kids.
“Believe it or not, I hadn’t any plans for college,” said Norman, who grew up in the Mesabi Heights. Jobs at steel mills in the Shenango Valley were plentiful at the time and factories in the area were booming.
But some friends went off to Edinboro, so Norman moved there and got a job. After a year, he decided to start taking classes and thought about becoming a nurse.
When he first returned to Mercer County, Norman worked “sporadically” as a substitute teacher and even took a job as a janitor and worked at a fast food restaurant to supplement his income. Eventually, Sharon was calling him to substitute on a regular basis and then hired him as an aide.
He uses his experiences to relate to students.
“If you can be around to help them believe in themselves and motivate them in the slightest way, that’s something special,” Norman said.
Because he graduated from college more than 20 years ago, Norman said keeping abreast of best and current practices in teaching is of the “utmost importance” to him.
“I kind of laugh to myself because … I’ve been out of college as long as some teachers have been alive,” Norman said.
Norman said he likes his job and takes advantage of chances to work with kids outside of the classroom as a regular chaperone for dances and things like the annual I Am Lovable and Capable retreat.
“I just appreciate the camaraderie with the staff and the students,” he said. “It kind of helps me feel young all the time.”
He said the best part of his job is when he sees a student make a connection or understand a concept.
“You see the lights go on, their eyebrows pop up and the wheels start turning,” he said.
And while it’s rewarding to work one-on-one with students, Norman said he really enjoys working with groups and meeting new students. He said his jobs allow him the opportunity to develop a rapport with groups of students in each class.
He also likes getting to know parents and grandparents, especially since this is his hometown and he often meets relatives of people he knows.
“It’s a neat kind of circle to experience,” said Norman, who has three children and five grandchildren of his own.
Education is a tough business, but Norman said he can “count on one hand” the times he’s had negative experiences, like breaking up fights.
“To me, it’s about the positive and that’s what continues to bring out the best in all our students,” Norman said.
Though his high school diploma is from a different school, Norman said he feels like a Sharon Tiger.
“The district has been too kind to me for me not to consider myself one of the team members,” he said.
Norman’s colleagues also think a lot of him, as they nominated him for a district “Pride and Promise” award, which he received at last month’s school board meeting. Norman said he was honored and humbled by the recognition.
High school Principal Leonard Rich presented the award and read statements from teachers about Norman’s work ethic and willingness to help.
English teacher Lee Ann Miller called Norman “the epitome of manners and a gentle heart” and said students and staff are lucky to share a piece of their day with him.
Spanish teacher Krista Rogers said he’s an honorary member of the Spanish club and said she admires Norman’s “enthusiasm toward life in general.”
Fellow support staff member Claire Bennefield said Norman is a “humble servant.”
“He’s just a special kind of person,” she said. “He impressed me right away with the kids and with his steadiness.”
The school administrators appreciate him, as well.
“From my very first days as the superintendent of this school district I have noticed the special relationship he has with the students he works with,” John Sarandrea said, adding that Norman almost never misses a day of work. “I think it comes through loudly and clearly just by observing the interaction he and the students have.”
“Mr. Norman’s all heart. He devotes all he has to his job,” Rich said. “It’s not about his compensation, it’s about the obligation he feels to the students and Sharon.”
Rich called Norman “a great asset” and said he’s often seen outside the school day chaperoning dances and at sporting and other events.
“He’s just a piece of our family.”
And while Norman could technically retire in a few years, he doesn’t plan to.
“I think I would like to stay busy just as long as I possibly can,” he said. “I’d like to be one of those folks who works until they’re 72. I’d rather stay doing what I do as long as possible. There’s a lot to be said for the old cliché that you’re as young as you feel.”
