Learning by Example

Chalk is such a good representation of exactly what teachers should not be. It was supposed to be funny, but I couldn't help but think that many teachers probably exhibit some of these behaviors we watched. I know that they were mainly stereotypes of bad teachers and I doubt these teachers would even be hired at a school. The main thing I learned from this movie is that students' behavior is extremely reliant on what the teacher says and does. If teachers don't get along, either do the students. If they don't have clear expectations, students can't follow them. If teachers are boring, students are bored. It's a simple relationship, but seems to be easily forgotten. It doesn't matter how smart a teacher is, because they have to be able to teach what they know. The attitude of a teacher will affect the class' attitude, but only if they can relate to the students. My favorite part of the whole movie was the slang spelling bee, where the teachers had to spell words that the students use in their everyday speech, which are not a part of Standard English. These words are a barrier between the students and teachers, and by trying to understand this unfamiliar language, the teachers create a connection. They showed that they wanted to understand the students through what is most popular. This role reversal, which makes the students feel smarter than the teachers for once, has an interesting affect.