How did your high school experience compare to Gatto's claims?

Even though I have had some very great teachers during my K-12 years that have inspired me, I have to admit I agree with some of Gatto's observations about classrooms in particular. When I was in school I usually felt quite bored and lacked any stimulation to motivate me to learn, and found that I loved learning on my own, not in the classroom. I also felt that many of my teachers lacked motivation, either they never liked their job in the first place or quickly burned out, and did not have an interest to learn more about their subject. I think I came into school at a disadvantage though, because I had been home-schooled up to my last years of junior high, and was used to a dynamic learning environment of creativity, calm, and movement. When I first experienced public school I was astonished at the amount of the time wasted in classrooms, and that children were so disrespectful to their teachers and lacking any interest in learning. I couldn't relate to this, because my mind revolved around learning, but I quickly became disinterested in my schooling, despite a few classes that were given by talented teachers. Gatto repeats that boredom is a large part of daily life in a school, and I have to agree that public schools need to make an effort to cater to new generations of children and their learning interests. I also agree that as Gatto states that schools suppress originality, because my earliest memories of school are teachers telling me to follow directions exactly even though I was sure my way was more original and just as effective. I think it is imperative that we reevaluate our education system as a whole. The US has some of the poorest academic achievements in K-12 schools compared to other countries, so I think that is proof enough that our system needs to be rethought completely, and that Gatto is on to something.    

Observation Paper 'Two Educators'

Excellent educators are known to motivate and inspire students, helping them to unravel new skills and find joy in learning. Many believe that dynamic teachers are fundamental in encouraging children to seek higher education and appreciate life-long learning. Each instructor has a different method of teaching, but if they all truly care about the future of their students, they will make a lasting impact. Some teachers might prefer rules and regulations, others creativity and passion, there is no exact mold that makes the perfect mentor. Different teachers give variety and new perspectives to a school and their students, and each has something very important to contribute: to pass on the knowledge of their subject to their students. A great teacher is someone who puts their students above themselves. Two very different teachers with contrasting styles are Mr. Keating from Dead Poets Society, and Mr. Peck from W.T. Sampson High school. While Mr. Keating was an enthusiastic, radical, and perceptual teacher that recognized the importance of self-expression, Mr. Peck preferred rules, control, and unanimous opinions. 

                Mr. Keating was an enthusiastic English instructor who liked to put a spin on the standard teaching method. While the other teachers at Welton Academy embraced the strict methods and policies of the academy, Mr. Keating preferred to be radical and spontaneous. On the first day of school, he had his class tear out the first pages of their English textbooks, and told them that they must take control of their own lives and live them to the fullest. He tied this concept into his subject by teaching that poetry can bring joy to life, open your mind, and consequently making you more attractive to the other gender. He believed the most important thing about success in life is recognizing your need for self-expression through poetry and language in general, and he taught his students this by encouraging them to write their own prose. When he noticed one of his students was unsure of himself and did not wish to read aloud in class, instead of ignoring him Mr. Keating challenged him to confront his fears and insecurities, and recite his own poetry for everyone to hear. Mr. Keating could perceive when his students were having trouble with their parents or doubts about their future, and he used his love for poetry to encourage them to find their own path in life as an individual. During his classes, Mr. Keating liked to use humor to relax his students, twice pretending that he was a game show host, and even encouraging them to go outdoors and express themselves through sports and creating clubs like The Dead Poets Society. He used these tactics because he did not wish the atmosphere in his classroom to be tense, but a place of refuge that allowed his students to connect with their inner artist and find passion in life. When asked by one of his students, Mr. Keating admitted that teaching was his passion and that there was no other thing he would rather do. By setting an example of what it was like to live life to the fullest, Mr. Keating inspired his students to follow their interests instead of their parents and societies expectations of them.  

            Mr. Peck was an 11^th grade math teacher in W.T. Sampson High school who believed that his classroom should be as orderly and predictable as the subject he taught. He was a small round man with sparse hair who preferred silence over discussion, and believed that math was the most important thing a student could learn in school, and in life. On the first day of school he told his students that this might be one of the hardest classes they will ever take, but if they are willing to work hard, they will pass with flying colors and be well prepared for the SAT math test the next year. At first, Mr. Peck was disappointed that his students had such poor math skills, but believed that with enough practice he could turn them from incompetent to masters of Algebra II. He liked to give a solemn lecture on each lesson at the beginning of the class. If a student interrupted or wanted to leave the classroom momentarily, he would become quite annoyed. He believed that his students wouldn’t learn if they were not given rules on how to behave and how to do their homework, and that he must control his class at all times. Students could not raise their voices or leave their seats, and were penalized if their homework was not done. He did not believe in children expressing themselves because according to him life should be like math: controlled, stable, and dry. When he posed math questions to his class, he didn’t want to hear anyone call out an answer until the entire class had come to a unanimous decision. Mr. Peck would then say that because math has only one answer, his students should have one as well. Despite his harsh manner, Mr. Peck’s tactics proved effective. Even though none of his students liked his class, they did not wish to fail and therefore worked very hard to please him. By the end of the year they were scoring extremely well on their exams, and would later feel more confident than ever during SAT testing. Mr. Peck was brash and hated disorder, but he was undoubtedly a master in his field. Few liked him, but many respected him for teaching them that math is not as intimidating as it might seem, and with practice can be conquered.              

            Mr. Keating and Mr. Peck had two very opposite opinions about education. Mr. Keating believed that the most important part of learning was finding passion in a subject, and that poetry was a beautiful form of human self-expression that should be cherished and rejoiced. Through dynamic teaching and encouraging his students to be themselves instead of conforming to societies expectations, Mr. Keating earned love and admiration by his pupils. Mr. Peck sensed that his students would only learn through rigorous practice in a controlled environment, and believed that students could express themselves anywhere but in math class, where he expected them to be quiet and studious. Despite their differences Mr. Keating and Mr. Peck had something in common. Both of them wanted to teach, and their students to learn. They also were able to cater to their environment, and taught according to the different situations of their students. Mr. Keating saw that his students where under a lot of stress and needed release, while Mr. Peck knew that his students might not work very hard if he didn’t give them a lot of rules. Both of them also recognized the importance of lifelong learning, and wanted to encourage their students to work hard and consequently pass their exams. While Mr. Keating wanted his students to find their inner voice, and Mr. Peck wanted to silence it for the duration of his class, both where very knowledgeable about their subjects and where able to effectively teach their students. While most students might prefer Mr. Keating’s teaching style, it would hardly be effective when teaching such a staunch subject as math. Mr. Peck could not care less about poetry, but was able to help his students polish their math skills and score high on their annual exams. Mr. Keating and Mr. Peck were two very different teachers, but both believed in one thing: the impact that education can have on willing students. And they succeeded.                  

ROUGH DRAFT of Educators Essay

Good educators can motivate and inspire students, many times helping them unravel new skills and sometimes even change their perspective of the world. I am happy to say that my experience with educators, both in elementary school, high school, and beyond has been extremely positive. The only time I found my a teacher to be simply average was in elementary school, where I was in and out of public schools a lot because my parents moved to a new naval base every few years. This all changed when I got to junior high, and later high school. Here I would come across some of the most inspiring people I have ever met, and this trend would continue even beyond grade school. The two teachers I chose from my past that were some of many examples of great educators would be my junior high biology teacher Mrs. Janie, and my sophomore Algebra teacher Mrs. Steel. These two women used kindness and patience to inspire their students along with their love of learning, and in the process revealed the infinite possibilities of education to me and my classmates.

Mrs. Janie, a small woman known for her bright red hair, taught me biology during my first year at a new school in central Washington. She started the first class by telling us that she knew many of us are afraid of doing something wrong in her class, to say the wrong thing or fail at a science project. She assured us that this was going to happen, that sooner or later we would make a mistake, and that it was perfectly fine. Mistakes are natural, you’ll miss directions or you might forget to add something to your project, but that’s okay, she had said. Even though this might seem like she was setting us up for failure, I found it very comforting. I, notoriously being the one to fumble my assignments, felt that she was communicating something very comforting to her class. When my first science project came around and I was unsure how to complete my diorama of a habitat, Mrs. Janie paired me up with a girl a little older than me that had made similar projects before, and together we got a good grade on the assignment. This girl would later become my best friend, and we would from then on do all our projects together. One day, when we had all been struggling to understand the parts of a cell, Mrs. Janie said that she would dress up in a funny costume and come to school if we all studied hard and got A’s on the exams. Sure enough, after test day she came dressed like a banana, and we all had a laugh. Throughout the biology course, Mrs. Janie revealed to me that science is not something to be afraid of, but an interesting field that simply needed to be approached with patience and an open mind.

My Algebra teacher, Mrs. Steel or ‘Peachy’ as she was nicknamed, was a very important teacher in my life because she taught me that math was, believe it or not, very fun. Until I took her class math was a constant struggle for me, and I squirmed whenever I had to solve even the simplest equations. But ‘Peachy’ changed everything for me. She was an incredibly strict teacher. She didn’t like her students to become rowdy and always gave her lesson in a solemn tone. Even though I was at first disconcerted by her teaching style, I late found it the best way to learn math. Her thorough and step by step examples helped to polish my math skills and give me confidence. Everything wasn’t perfect from the beginning, though. During my second test I blanked out and wasn’t able to remember anything I had learned! I have test anxiety and can usually control it, but at that time all my calm alluded me, and I wasn’t able to finish the test in time. I was so disappointed in myself and felt that I had failed my favorite teacher, but when she collected the tests she hugged me and told me that everything would be fine, and I would try again when the next test came around. To say the least, I never studied so hard in my life! Thinking of it now takes me back to the movie Stand and Deliver, where the teacher’s high expectations of his students inspired them to raise to the challenge of passing his class. Mrs. Steel’s expectations of me surly inspired me as well. When the next test came around I was anxious, but I kept calm and completed it. Mrs. Steel told me the next day that I had aced the test and she was very proud of me, and I felt like I had finally conquered my fears of Algebra! Mrs. Steel was not only a great teacher, but she helped me develop my math skills, which would forever assist me in my future math and science courses.

Mrs. Steel and Mrs. Janie were both very similar, and different, teachers. In comparison, the ways they treated their students were identical. They were patient with their students, giving them time and resources to do well, and they were always motivating us through their own examples. In contrast, Mrs. Steel was stricter and had a solemn personality and liked her classroom to be orderly. This was positive because it involved an orderly subject: math. Mrs. Steel didn’t make a lot of jokes, but was always kind. Mrs. Janie; however, enjoyed a casual classroom setting and liked to add humor to her lessons, and especially didn’t mind her students expressing themselves. Unfortunately, after taking their classes I moved away and didn’t see either of them again, but I hope to one day go back and visit, and tell them how important they were in my life. I don’t know if they realized this, or how many teachers in general do, but a good educator can change your perspective on your life. After taking Mrs. Janie’s Biology coarse I would forever by amazed and interested in animals and plants, and even contemplate studying it more later on. Because of that class I volunteered at a vet clinic that summer, and got to spend a lot of time looking a skin samples of pets, which I found very interesting and was able to apply what I had previously learned. Even though I still prefer other subjects to math, Mrs. Steel erased all the fear of numbers I had inside of me, and gave me confidence in myself and my abilities. No matter how much you dislike it, math is a very important skill that either be a life-long pain or pleasure. Though I cannot say I quite find pleasure in working math problems, Mrs. Steel showed me that it didn’t need to be a pain, and that if I mastered basic algebraic math I would be unstoppable. I can relate myself to the character of Todd in Dead Poets Society, because he was weighed down by fears and found release in a positive educational environment. Even though my only fears was my inability to master a subject, I found that these two great educators helped me be less stressed, and made a great difference in my life.                     

Comparing and Contrasting/Opinions of Teachers from Stand and Deliver and Dead Poets Society

Comparisons:

-Both teachers use new and unique methods to teach their students that stands them apart from other teachers in their schools

-Both receive criticism from their colleagues.

-Both must deal with a wide range of personalities and forces in their classrooms

-Both are loyal to their students and  love teaching

Contrasts:

-Mr. Escalante's class is made up of poor Hispanic children who have mostly low grades, don't have means or motivation to work hard in school, lack encouragement from their parents, have experienced racism, and are unsure of their futures.

-Mr. Keating's class comes from rich Caucasian families that have come from academically successful families, feel a lot of pressure to be top students at their school from their parents, and have been predestined by their parents to be great scholars and businessmen. 

-Mr. Escalante must show his students that he has high standards to make them work hard, while Mr. Keating almost does the opposite. He wants the boys to disconnect from pressures of family and try to find their passions. 

What are your opinions on Mr. Escalante?

     I think Mr. Escalante was a very strict teacher with very high standard, and I think he might be too harsh if he was in any other situation, but I think the students he had would only respond to a teacher like that. Even though he had a hard time finding balance between his teaching career and his family, I think he made a difference in those kids lives.

What are your opinions on Mr Keating? 

    Mr. Keating was my vision of a perfect teacher. He did not put his students on the spot or pressured them until he knew they were ready, and gave them time to discover themselves and find once again passion in life. He could truly empathize with his students and knew the pressure they had on their shoulders, and was trying to redefine their views of what is success: not money and pride, but joy and indescribable passion. 

Audre Lorde's perception of her teachers

Audre Lorde reveals her school experiences in her book Zami, a New Spelling of My Name. While she has some positive experiences with teachers, she also finds high school to be a judgmental place. She illustrates her first impression of school by admitting that, "But in high school, my real sisters were strangers; my teachers were racists; (58)" this reveals her perception of her teachers, but as she also states earlier, "If you can't change reality, change your perceptions of it." (18) so Lorde makes a tough situation into a opportunity. She makes friends and becomes an editor of the school newspaper and writes poetry. Even though this situation eventually crumbles following tragedies, Lorde is forever inspired by learning, spurred on by her very first yearning, "I want to read." (23). I think this reveals that the character had a deeper sense of the world and a greater intelligence and understanding of herself and others. I think one of my favorite passages by Audre Lorde, from other parts of her works, is “I was going to die, sooner or later, whether or not I had even spoken myself. My silences had not protected me. Your silences will not protect you.... What are the words you do not yet have? What are the tyrannies you swallow day by day and attempt to make your own, until you will sicken and die of them, still in silence? We have been socialized to respect fear more than our own need for language." I think its beautifully written and I believe its true.

Dead Poets Society Notes + Q's on Mr. Keating

Mr. Keating, an English teacher, comes to a private all boys Eastern school where he is put in charge of a class full of many diverse personalities.

The school has high expectations of their students, almost all of which graduate and go on to ivy league universities.

 Mr. Keating has a very unusual way of teaching, and uses inspiration and unique ways to teach his class to motivate the boys to acquire a deeper understanding of English.

-Main character, Todd, is constantly controlled by his parents, who decide his future and the classes he
takes, and have little respect for classes such as English, that have nothing to do with going to medical school.

- Mr. Keating faces a lot of opposition from other teachers at the school because of his unique methods of teaching, which involve singular thinking

- Free thinking and taking charge of ones own life is the key to education.

-A group of boys starts the Dead Poets society, a group that reads poetry at night. The society becomes a break from life in the boys lives, and allows them to better understand themselves.

- Todd becomes increasingly interested in poetry overtime, and unravels a passion for the arts. His family disapprove, and keep restricting him from following his interests.

- The climax of the movie is when Todd performs Midsummer Nights Dream, and is encouraged by Mr. Keating to act. Todd finds joy and stress relief from his schooling, and finds joy when he acts in the Shakespearean play. Todd begins to entertain the ideas of not going to medical school, but his family forces him.

- Todd acts in the play, and realizes that wants to be an actor and feels like he finally has purpose in his life, but his father informs him that that is not possible.

- Todd believes that his father will never let him do what he wants, and in desperation commits suicide.
This greatly impacts the school and depresses his friends.

- Afterwards, Todds family files complaints against Mr. Keating, and Mr. Keating is dismissed; However, when he is about to leave the English class salutes him by standing up and calling him Captain my Captain, and Mr. Keating leaves.

- This movie reveals a lot about the pressure kids are under to succeed, and sometimes a great teacher can inspire and relief stress in children, and reveal to them that they are full of possibilities and do not need to be what their parents want of them, but what they want to be.      

Stand and Deliver Notes + Is Mr. Escalante a good teacher?

-Low class Hispanic community, suggests the suspicion and inferiority towards minority races
-Teacher does not leave work despite health problems, reveals his loyalty towards his students
-Suspected cheating because not only do all the children pass the test, but they are a minority group and it is extremely unusual for so many to pass in one school.
-Retake is scheduled because investigators believe they are guilty
-Children retake test, despite only one night of reviewing
-All pass again
- Reveals teachers great talent for teaching younger generations, and for years to come he keeps on teaching AP Calculus.
-Teacher uses humor and high standards to motivate his students, challenging them to take AP Calculus exam, but there will be a price..... they must take a rigorous math course and go to summer school, while other children their age run around "barefoot and naked" (Stand and Deliver)

Q: is Mr. Escalante a good teacher?
A: I think Mr. Escalante is a good teacher, and even though his teaching style isn't exactly my preference as I prefer more gentle and building up ways of teaching, he is very charismatic and is successful in inspiring his students. He also stays strong when his students and him are accused of cheating, and lets his work with the children in his class show for itself when they all retake the exam. One example is when he lines his classroom up and has them recite answers, and when he dresses up on the first day of school. Using these unique teaching methods inspired his students.