Nancy Lockett from AEA 267, as strong an advocate of performance assessment as there is, uses the analogy of teaching as coaching. When we teach, much like when we coach, we can only prepare ahead of time for the students chance to perform. When they perform, they are on their own. It is that way for a classroom come test, speech, or project; it is that way for their future.
So what makes a good teacher? One aspect rarely mentioned is passion. The realization that your time is limited, and the demanding that you will get your very best out of your students.
There are two video clips that I cannot watch without tearing up a bit. One is the "O Captain! My Captain!" scene from Dead Poet's Society. The other is a bit more obscure, one I've labeled the "Death Crawl" scene from a movie entitled Facing the Giants. It is a low budget movie which advocates spiritual renewal (it takes place at a parochial school).
A little background on the clip, the football team is struggling and expectations are low on the team. You can see the interaction between the coach and his underachieving star player, Brock. And most of all, you can see the passion. This teacher won't allow their students to fail.
Is there this type of passion in your classroom?
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