Here’s the thing, though: if challenges can be varied, so can you. More often than not, challenges don’t line up single-file they come at you from many directions. I suppose that this applies to life in general as well. In retrospect, I realize that I could have begged off all the new ventures and simply stuck to my comfort zone. Throughout my career, I worked diligently to thrive at each distinct role that I had to fulfill as an educator and administrator. Like Keating, teachers need to be the total package-Swiss Army knives that can adapt to any physical and psychological environment. ![]() Thanks to Keating’s example, I realized that diversity and multitasking are integral to the teaching profession. As much as possible, I move to another assignment only when I am convinced that I have genuinely completed the task at hand. ![]() The most frustrating part? I am a notorious “tunnel vision” guy, meaning I prefer to devote my entire focus to just one task. In addition, I was assigned to teach subjects that I had never handled before (like, say, the highly exciting course called “English for Academic and Professional Purposes”). Case in point: As I got further into my teaching career, I was also delegated administrative duties-first as head of the English subject area, then as assistant principal. Many times in my career, I had to come to terms with the difficulty of juggling multiple roles and challenges all at once. Early on in my career, I embraced the fact that a teacher can also be an entertainer, preacher, counselor, and parental figure. Keating’s versatility opened my eyes to the many hats that an educator has to wear. He could have his students bending over in full-belly laughter one moment, and contemplating a deep philosophical insight the next. Embrace versatilityīecause Keating was so comfortable in his own skin, he effortlessly navigated the many roles inherent to the teaching career. Keating sends a clear message: One way to genuinely enjoy your line of work is to be yourself as much as you can. Isn’t this what we all strive for in our careers-to maintain a strong sense of self amidst all the tasks and roles that we have to juggle? The unconventional approach of Mr. As the Captain, I translated my personal love for hip-hop music into poetry lessons my fascination for pop culture into enjoyable icebreaker activities at the start of my lessons and my passion for sports into coaching to help the students finish their course requirements. Gradually, I began to incorporate other elements of my personality into my teaching persona, so that I could have more ways to engage the students’ interest. I realized that this strategy helped me establish a distinct identity: a “cool uncle”-type of mentor who can relate well with teenagers while maintaining an authoritative figure. Pretty soon, my students were fondly calling me “Captain” instead of Mr. RELATED: How Watching Others Lead Helped My Career With a pinch of audacity-after all, I was ripping off a beloved, all-time classic-I told my students to shun “Good morning” and “Good afternoon,” in favor of the greeting “Oh captain, my captain!” Williams had supplied me with the answer long ago. Fast forward to my second year teaching high school juniors: I realized that I needed a strong opening to my classes to command my students’ attention immediately.Īfter thinking long and hard, I realized that Mr. When I first watched the film, this little scene got me chuckling, but I didn’t think much of it. Keating” or even “Sir,” Keating tells his students to greet him “Oh captain, my captain” (a reference to a Walt Whitman poem ). On his first day of teaching, he wastes no time setting himself apart from the other faculty members. In “Dead Poets Society, ” Williams plays the role of John Keating, an English teacher at an all-male prep school. So what exactly did I glean from this flick? I count three insights, to be exact. ![]() If everyone could just block off a couple of hours this weekend to rewatch this masterpiece, we can all remind ourselves of precious truths in this finite life. I also believe that, on a universal level, the film speaks to every human’s need for a meaningful life. From an academic and professional standpoint, the film showed me how to become a teacher who genuinely cares for student development. Two of my professors listed this Robin Williams film on their syllabi, and it’s not hard to see why. When I pursued a degree in education at the University of the Philippines, “ Dead Poets Society ” was required viewing material.
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