All over the world, there are some fantastic teachers. These are the teachers that help you gain new knowledge, care about your well-being, and of course, have great tactics to keep students engaged while learning. In my opinion, these are the best kinds of teachers. These kinds of teachers are the reasons why I want to become an educator in the near future.
Then, there are the complete opposite of good educators. These teachers are the ones who are the complete opposite of the good educators. They don't tend to teach very much (if any at all), or if they do, it tends to be so boring that no one pays attention to what they're saying. These educators tend to be very unreliable, careless, and have very condescending personalities.
When it comes to comparing these two types of teachers, it isn't the easiest to tell the great teachers from the awful teachers. So, I am here to tell you about two teachers. The amazing, and the not so amazing.
The first teacher I will be talking about today is Dewey Finn from the 2003 film School of Rock.
Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMvpJDbWX_c
Why Did I choose this clip?
I chose this clip because I feel that Finn is an amazing teacher. Although he isn't actually a licensed teacher (I am still in utter shock that they didn't catch that), he did teach these students very well. He let them be creative and let their talents flourish. He knew that these students can be leaders in their own way, and I felt that his teachings led the students to think in another perspective. If I was a student, I would love having a teacher like Dewey Finn, because I'd have my chance to be my true self and be able to learn how to be a leader while using my own talents to highlight my leadership.
What is the Context?
Finn is a teacher at a prestigious private school, where creativity was not encouraged and children all fit in "cookie cutter molds." When Finn finds out what these children are learning in music (which is minimal to none), he decides to teach them about his passion for rock music. This leads to the formation of a band (seen in the clip.) Almost instantly, the children are very interested, and their passions for music and leadership are seeping from their brains. They are encouraged to learn music and to enjoy it as well.
I feel that Finn is a great example of a teacher because
He is encouraging the children to be creative and to use their creativity in unique ways and learning while doing things, rather than listening to a strict teacher who makes the children just sit and do work. I find that Finn is a great mentor to these children, who just needed to unleash their creativeness from inside their heads.
Everyone needs at least one teacher or mentor like Dewey Finn.
When it comes to awful teachers, the first person that came up to my mind was John Kimble from the 90's classic, Kindergarten Cop.
Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMQADg1Dp9g
Why did I choose this clip?
I chose this clip because in my eyes, it shows who the worst teacher in the world is. Leaving an entire class of Kindergartners unattended to talk to an attractive looking woman is not how teaching works. After watching the movie (several times), I feel that Kimble is the worst person to be a teacher. The complete opposite of Dewey Finn, John Kimble is not optimistic, unreliable, and a very rude man. He is an awful example, and this is clearly shown in this clip where he tells the children to "shut up." If I was a child in his class, I would immediately be in tears, maybe even now at my age.
What is the context?
Kimble was busy taking a child over to the washroom when the female teacher appeared. Kimble was supposed to be keeping an eye on the students and actually teaching them, but he was so entranced by the attractive woman that he forgot about his students. When he returned, he saw the children running and screaming, making massive messes. So, he was angered and screamed at the children.
I feel that John Kimble is an example of an awful teacher because...
he degrades his students, leaves them in dangerous situations, and does not enforce rules. I find that even that alone constitutes a bad learning environment. Leaving young children alone for even a short period of time can turn to the worst. Being responsible for students means you enforce rules, teach students, and care about them- without leaving them unattended.
In conclusion, I feel that the differences between a fantastic teacher and an awful teacher are very easy to find. A good teacher educates and cares for their students, and Dewey Finn is a fantastic example of that. John Kimble? He's the complete opposite.
Therefore, being a teacher does not just mean you teach students, you prepare them for the real world after school. It depends on how you are with these students. Are you kind? Are you condescending? Whatever it is, teachers can always improve on their techniques.
All I know is that if I want a good teacher, I would much rather choose someone like Dewey Finn, rather than John Kimble.