Ineffective Teaching
I chose the clip of the Economics teacher from the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off as an example of ineffective teaching. I feel as though this teacher is a prime example of this. I state this for several reasons. Firstly, his tone of voice is monotone throughout his lessons and he solely teaches his students facts that clearly do not interest them. Secondly, he constantly asks questions, and then seconds later, answers them himself. He does not allow the students to think for themselves and come up with an answer on their own. Finally, the students are undoubtedly disinterested with his teaching styles, and unfortunately, he does not attempt to do anything different in order to change this. In my opinion, if it is apparent that the students are not engaged, as it is in this clip, the teacher should explore different teaching styles that encourage the student to participate in his/her learning. Therefore, in my opinion, this clip is a good example of ineffective teaching. |
Effective Teaching
I chose a scene from the movie, Dead Poets Society, where the English teacher makes an effort to inspire his students to understand poetry through various perspectives. I believe that this is a good example of effective teaching due to the fact that the teacher engages his students in his lessons. He makes jokes about how he wishes to be addressed, without making himself seem superior to his students. Furthermore, he went against the curriculum by ripping out the introduction page of a poetry textbook. He further went on to say “It's not the Bible, you're not gonna go to Hell for this.” This addresses the idea that having a different method of teaching is not the end of the world. He does not seem worried as to if his professionalism will be at risk, but instead, wishes to give his students a positive learning experience. He encourages them to constantly explore new perspectives, and states “Just when you think you know something, you have to look at in another way. Even though it may seem silly or wrong, you must try.” This mentality sets up a positive learning environment. The students will not be afraid to make mistakes and take risks, because they will not feel judged. Finally, this English teacher takes into consideration that an individual’s personal life is separate from their academic life. However, he tries to incorporate one into the other by connecting their lessons with outdoor activities that they enjoy. For example, they studied poetry while playing soccer. This gave the students a sense of comfort, which eased their minds for learning. For these reasons, I believe that this clip is a good example of effective teaching. |