McKoy’s book, Playing Up, speaks to the power of mentorship, which he says leverages a person’s own desire to achieve and provides exposure and access.
“In law school, the psychological effect of mentorship meant I didn’t want to disappoint Mr. G. or myself. It provided an accountability factor. Sometimes kids fail because there’s no one to answer to.†Every week he knew Mr. G. would ask him how he did and he wanted to have the very best report for him.
“I was always a decent student. I passed the bar the first time for two states. I was motivated. I didn’t want to make him look bad. Some of his friends probably told him he was wasting his time with me.â€
McKoy notes that Goldberg, who died in 2000, was Jewish. “Our mentors don’t have to look like us,†he says.
Playing Up, a teacher’s resource
McKoy has enlisted the help of an expert curriculum developer to write a teacher’s resource based on his autobiography. Fully aligned with the rigorous Common Core State Standards for language arts for grades six through 12, the “playbook†can be used in classrooms to help students delve into an inspiring true story about an African American man who overcame many obstacles to succeed.
For more information about Playing Up, the book and the teacher’s resource, and to learn more about Vaughn L. McKoy, go to vaughnmckoy.com.