Dead Poet Society
Maddy Ball
Mrs. Restivo
English Honors 9A
3/7/16
Is Mr. Keating from, Dead Poet Society, a Good Teacher?
“A teacher is a compass that activates the magnets of curiosity, knowledge, and wisdom in the pupils,” (Ever Garrison). This is especially true of Mr. Keating, a high school english teacher in, Dead Poet Society. Although, Mr. Keating had an unusual way of teaching he changed his students lives for the best and taught them to express themselves. Keating brought his students out of their comfort zones and helped them discover who they really are and to go after what they want in life. Keating inspires his students to overcome their fears, think for themselves, and stay true to what they believed in.
Good teachers focus on content while …show more content…
the great teachers focus on the process. Keating works at Welton Academy, an all boys preparatory school. Keating uses unconventional methods to teach the students to go against the status quo. At Welton, everyone is expected to become graduates from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and major academic schools even though that’s not what many of the students want. Keating, knowing that his student needed to overcome his weakness, made terribly shy Todd Anderson stand up in front of the class and recite his poem. Todd’s fear wouldn’t allow him to write a poem so Keating makes Todd make one up on the spot. Todd’s poem is about the picture of a madman on the wall. Keating reaches out to Todd and builds his confidence by having him stand up, close his eyes, and speak his mind. Todd who is living in his older brother's shadow gains the courage to tell his parents that he wants to be a writer not a lawyer.
Keating empowered the young boys he taught by showing them the value of thinking for themselves. Keating is a fun teacher who has weird ways of teaching his students. For example, he tells the boys they may call him “Oh Captain, my Captain,” if they dare. He is trying to challenge the boys to get out of their comfort zone. In addition, Keating has the boys open up their poetry textbook and shows them the essay in the introduction. The essay describes how to rate the quality of poetry. Keating instructs his students to rip out that essay. This demonstrates freedom of expression and thought. He tells the students, “This is a battle, a war... You will have to think for yourselves.” When you look at the world the same way your whole life you won’t see things differently, you will think and feel the same way forever. Keating demonstrates this by having the boys stand on his desk so they can see the world from a different perspective.
Throughout Keating’s time as a teacher he remains true to the quality of being an inspiring leader and an upstander in the face of challenge.
People start realizing Keating’s unusual teaching style and get suspicious. One day, Todd, one of Keating’s students, is called into the headmaster’s office. While in speaking with the headmaster Todd is forced to admit to being a member of the Dead Poet Society and forced to sign a document blaming Mr. Keating for abusing his authority. As a result, Mr. Keating was fired from Welton. One day, as Keating is going to pick up the last of his things, Todd reveals that he was intimidated into signing the confession. Todd demonstrates the impact that Keating had on him and proves his ability to think for himself and stay true to what he believed in by standing on his desk and saying, “Oh Captain! My Captain!” Headmaster Nolan who is taking over Keating’s poetry class warns Todd to sit down or he will be expelled. Todd ignores his threat and stays standing. Many other members of the Dead Poet Society as well as other students stand up as well. The final scenario shows that the teacher’s ideals were extremely effective and powerful. Keating wished to teach his students to think for themselves, and even though they were fearful at first, they ended up overcoming that fear and standing up for what they believed in before the end of the
story.
Overcome fears, think for themselves, and staying true to what they believed in is what Keating inspires his students to do. A great teacher is someone who really makes an impact on their students. Keating did exactly that. Although, he ended up losing the job he loved so much, he bettered the life of the students he taught. Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be, (Rita Pierson).
Mrs. Restivo
English Honors 9A
3/7/16
Is Mr. Keating from, Dead Poet Society, a Good Teacher?
“A teacher is a compass that activates the magnets of curiosity, knowledge, and wisdom in the pupils,” (Ever Garrison). This is especially true of Mr. Keating, a high school english teacher in, Dead Poet Society. Although, Mr. Keating had an unusual way of teaching he changed his students lives for the best and taught them to express themselves. Keating brought his students out of their comfort zones and helped them discover who they really are and to go after what they want in life. Keating inspires his students to overcome their fears, think for themselves, and stay true to what they believed in.
Good teachers focus on content while …show more content…
the great teachers focus on the process. Keating works at Welton Academy, an all boys preparatory school. Keating uses unconventional methods to teach the students to go against the status quo. At Welton, everyone is expected to become graduates from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and major academic schools even though that’s not what many of the students want. Keating, knowing that his student needed to overcome his weakness, made terribly shy Todd Anderson stand up in front of the class and recite his poem. Todd’s fear wouldn’t allow him to write a poem so Keating makes Todd make one up on the spot. Todd’s poem is about the picture of a madman on the wall. Keating reaches out to Todd and builds his confidence by having him stand up, close his eyes, and speak his mind. Todd who is living in his older brother's shadow gains the courage to tell his parents that he wants to be a writer not a lawyer.
Keating empowered the young boys he taught by showing them the value of thinking for themselves. Keating is a fun teacher who has weird ways of teaching his students. For example, he tells the boys they may call him “Oh Captain, my Captain,” if they dare. He is trying to challenge the boys to get out of their comfort zone. In addition, Keating has the boys open up their poetry textbook and shows them the essay in the introduction. The essay describes how to rate the quality of poetry. Keating instructs his students to rip out that essay. This demonstrates freedom of expression and thought. He tells the students, “This is a battle, a war... You will have to think for yourselves.” When you look at the world the same way your whole life you won’t see things differently, you will think and feel the same way forever. Keating demonstrates this by having the boys stand on his desk so they can see the world from a different perspective.
Throughout Keating’s time as a teacher he remains true to the quality of being an inspiring leader and an upstander in the face of challenge.
People start realizing Keating’s unusual teaching style and get suspicious. One day, Todd, one of Keating’s students, is called into the headmaster’s office. While in speaking with the headmaster Todd is forced to admit to being a member of the Dead Poet Society and forced to sign a document blaming Mr. Keating for abusing his authority. As a result, Mr. Keating was fired from Welton. One day, as Keating is going to pick up the last of his things, Todd reveals that he was intimidated into signing the confession. Todd demonstrates the impact that Keating had on him and proves his ability to think for himself and stay true to what he believed in by standing on his desk and saying, “Oh Captain! My Captain!” Headmaster Nolan who is taking over Keating’s poetry class warns Todd to sit down or he will be expelled. Todd ignores his threat and stays standing. Many other members of the Dead Poet Society as well as other students stand up as well. The final scenario shows that the teacher’s ideals were extremely effective and powerful. Keating wished to teach his students to think for themselves, and even though they were fearful at first, they ended up overcoming that fear and standing up for what they believed in before the end of the
story.
Overcome fears, think for themselves, and staying true to what they believed in is what Keating inspires his students to do. A great teacher is someone who really makes an impact on their students. Keating did exactly that. Although, he ended up losing the job he loved so much, he bettered the life of the students he taught. Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be, (Rita Pierson).