Two topics intrigued me after last class: 1. The world of the five paragraph essay and the basic standards that went with it. And 2. The idea of becoming inspired (both to write and to teach).
I found this clip to be appropriate for talking about both, as it is an inspiring standard, although you don't have to watch the whole thing if you don't want to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOENu0fK0uM&feature=related
First this is the classic example of evaluating essays, or poetry in the case of Mr. Keating's classroom, in a way that horrifies me. In order to simplify the writing, in order to be able to critique it, Mr. Prichard (the boring editor of the Dead Poet's Society textbook), turned analysis into a math problem LITERALLY. I felt the same way with the five paragraph essay when I was growing up. I know it is a useful tool but I simply cannot accept that teacher's can grade and critique this way, whether it is through standardized tests, AP exams, or basic classroom instruction. English is a more powerful subject area than that and cannot simply be looked at in so basic dimensions.
Second- I find that Mr Keating in Dead Poet's Society is a classic example of an inspiring teacher- a person that can teach by inspiration and passion, leading his students enthusiastically. Of course, those that know the end of this film can see why there are problems associated with this style and will understand that we all can't do this.
Inspiration in my opinion (for both teaching and writing) must start with such a passion like the tearing out of a page or the standing upon a desk. But you can't live your whole life this way. I like to go to outside forces first- to find a movie clip that might inspire me, but then I bring it back to earth a bit. I always try to keep this inspiration alive, but to me it is a little glowing ember I keep in a jar, something that I want to allow to flare to life from time to time, not a bonfire that consumes me entirely. If it did, I'd be doing nothing but writing erratically all day long or teaching my students how to rebel.
-Alex Rummelhart
What a great clip. You're spot on in your analysis of the absolute necessity of the Keatings of this world to oppose the Prichards. And of course you are right again that we can't all be rebelling all the time, in that there is only anarchy.
ReplyDeleteThe question I would ask you, though, is why do you believe the 5 paragraph essay has gained such importance in our schools? Surely we are not the first generation of teachers to enter the field because we love the written word. So, how was the 5 paragraph essay originally constructed by those before us who thought of it as a vital tool in their own love affair with writing? Can it be co-opted to our methods given its status in the curriculum?