Meet the Tutor: Randall Freisinger

For this month’s Elaine Bacon Literacy Program spotlight, we are thrilled to introduce Randall Freisinger, one of our dedicated tutors. With decades of teaching experience and a passion for language and culture, Randay brings a warm and thoughtful presence to every session. Get to know more about him and the journey that brought him to our community.

Let’s get to know you!

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and where you’re from?
I’m a retired MTU Humanities Professor, where I taught English Literature, Rhetoric, and Creative Writing for 32 years. I was born and raised in Kansas City, MO, and received a BJ, MA, and Ph.D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia. I taught at a variety of schools before coming to Tech, my previous position being with the University of Maryland Overseas Program—classes held on U.S. military bases but open to locals as well. I’ve been married to Jill Burkland for thirty-eight years and have helped raise her two sons, Ian and Quentin.

How long have you lived in the Houghton/Hancock area?
I moved to Hancock in 1978 and now live in Houghton.

What are some things you enjoy doing in your free time?
I’ve published five books of poems, and my work has appeared in many literary magazines and anthologies. So much of my spare time for many years was focused on making and reading poems.

COVID and health issues derailed me for a time, but I’m back at it now. I also like to cook and regularly bake sourdough bread. I exercise as much as my body allows. What I am able to do is a far cry from my athletic past and my daily running, but it’s the best I can do, and I believe it is important for everyone to try for some reasonable level of fitness.

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Your journey with Elaine Bacon Literacy Program

How did you first hear about the Elaine Bacon Literacy Program?
I had known good things about it for a number of years but only became a tutor/mentor with my wife Jill a few years ago when one of the program teachers was going to be gone for a period of time. Jill and I agreed to fill in, and our involvement evolved from there.

What inspired you to become a conversation partner?
We both liked the goals of the program and thought it was a great volunteer opportunity. The quality of our students has been infective, so we gladly continue.

Do you remember your first day as a volunteer? What was it like?
I remember it vaguely, recall we were feeling a bit uncertain, had been given some materials we didn’t quite know what to do with, but the students were great and put us at ease right away.

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Experiences and Reflections

What do you enjoy most about being part of the program?
I enjoy the students very much, and I enjoy learning about other cultures. I also enjoy teaching a very difficult language to eager international students.

Is there a particular moment or story that stands out from your time as a conversation partner?
None in particular. Each class is marked by genuine interest, hard work, and some good humor to liven things up a bit. Our work with American idioms has been especially interesting. American English is rich with them, as are all languages, and idioms pose obvious challenges for non-native speakers. What, for example, is a non-native speaker to do with terms like “that’s a fine kettle of fish” or “let the cat out of the bag.” Even many if not most Americans would be hard-pressed to explain the origin of such idioms but they grew up with them and learned them from the context in which they occurred.

What have you learned through your conversations with English learners?
I’ve learned that it is important for all of us to broaden our perspective about what is valued around the world and how those values are celebrated. The American-centric view is limiting and counter-productive. More so now than ever.

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Do you speak any other languages or have you ever tried learning one?
Speak? Maybe bits of the ones that follow: I studied Latin for four years in high school, took three semesters of Spanish in college, and had to pass exams in French and German for my Ph.D. I also worked on Italian before Jill and I went to Italy. My four years of Latin were invaluable to all but German. I had to have a tutor one entire summer for that one, and my tutor, a former German teacher, focused on reading German newspapers and German idioms. Such study made an incredible difference, and my German improved, at least for a time. Truly learning a new language requires constant exposure.

Have you traveled to other countries or do you have any places you’d love to visit?
I’ve traveled quite a bit, beginning with my University of Maryland assignments—Labrador, Iceland, and Bermuda. I’ve also spent time in Spain, Germany, England, Scotland, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Costa Rica, Canada, and Mexico. I’ve never been to Paris, and it remains a goal.

What’s a favorite book, movie, or song you’d recommend to someone learning English?
That’s a tough one because of my own history of teaching and writing and reading. In the main, I’ll limit my remarks to books that have influenced me. I think it’s a good idea to read widely in the various genres—non-fiction, fiction, drama, and poetry. For each form, I’d start with writers who write accessibly (not difficult or experimental authors).

Hemingway is a controversial writer for a variety of reasons, but his prose is simple and direct (I’d start with his short stories). Linda Pastan’s poetry is also very readable and emotionally relatable (Five Stages of Grief). Billy Collins, known by many as America’s poet, is wonderful for beginners and most other readers of poetry, both for their insights and their frequent humor. Almost any of his books are great reads, and you can find many TED Talks with him on YouTube. Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek is one of my favorite books because of its language and its fascinating explorations of Nature.

As for drama, Shakespeare, though nearly indispensable, is tough for even most modern speakers of English, but Arthur Miller’s Death of A Salesman might be doable. Also The Fantasticks, a long-running musical play.

Songs? I like almost all of Simon and Garfunkel’s work, for their poetic quality and musicality.

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Message to the Community

What would you say to someone who is thinking about volunteering with the literacy program?
I’d highly recommend it. Our society needs volunteers in so many different areas of American culture, but Elaine Bacon seems especially crucial to me when immigration has become such a highly charged issue. We can all benefit from getting out of our cultural bubbles and relating to other thoughts and cultures.

Any words of encouragement for our English learners?
Stick with it. I’m actually amazed at the abilities of the students Jill and I have worked with, but they have worked hard at it. They bring enthusiasm and motivation to each of our sessions, and it has been a real pleasure to teach in that kind of environment and to work with such exemplary students. I taught thousands of American students over a forty-five year teaching career, but rarely did I find such unanimous interest in learning as I have found in the Elaine Bacon Literacy Program.

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To learn more about Randall’s literary accomplishments beyond the Elaine Bacon Literacy Program, it’s worth noting that his poems have appeared in many respected literary magazines including New Letters, Tar River Poetry, The Cream City Review, Green Mountains Review, and The South Carolina Review. His work has also been featured in notable anthologies such as Inheriting the Land: Contemporary Voices from the Midwest and The Green Mountains Review Anthology of Comedy in Contemporary American Poetry.

Randall is the author of five poetry collections, including Windthrow & Salvage (2019) and Plato’s Breath (1997), and has received numerous accolades such as the May Swenson Poetry Award and the Flume Press National Chapbook Prize. He has also been nominated for the Pushcart Prize seven times.

You can explore more about his work and recognitions on his Poets & Writers profile.