Molding
a Critical Thinker
Education in the twenty-first century suggests that the
teacher/student relationship depends on one another to develop and create critical
thinkers. This idea is one of the basic foundational blocks to the Ontario
English Curriculum (OEC), as well as the basis of Mr. Keating’s approach to
teaching. Mr. Keating is an advocate of teaching students to think freely and
to breakout of the norm; to find their own voices. As educators, we must use
this idea of “thinking critically” (OEC, 4) to guide our student’s learning.
Keating’s approach to teaching students how to think for themselves fits
extremely well into how the Ontario English document lays out the curriculum for
the twenty-first century learner.
Keating’s
pedagogy, in my opinion, is far ahead of his time. He uses nontraditional
teaching methods to help his students learn in ways they would have never
deemed possible. For example, his approach to poetry changes when Keating
realizes that one of his students finds it difficult to write and perform their
poem. Keating supports Todd in an unconventional approach and suggests to the
rest of his students that they must stand up for what they believe in, even if
it is not what society suggests appropriate. When he asks his students to stand
up for this ideal, both figuratively and literally (on their desks), he is
creating a safe environment for learning to take place, even if it is
progressive and different.
The
students in this film, in my opinion, are scared and anxious at first to follow
this “new” teaching strategy that Mr. Keating presents. They are unsure of his
tactics and have difficulty opening themselves up, especially when he moves the
leaning outside of the classroom and when he has them rip out the introduction
to their textbooks. Although Keating’s pedagogy is different, he still wants
his students to learn, but learn through their own ideas and beliefs; to think
about a piece of literature with openness to differing opinions and meanings.
The OEC also states that through these types of teaching practices, like
Keating’s, we will produce independent and critical thinkers. “Effective
teaching approaches involve students in the use of higher-level thinking skills
and encourage them to look beyond the literal meaning of texts and to think
about fairness, equity, social justice, and citizenship in a global society,”
(OEC, 29).
As educators in the twenty-first century, we
are celebrated and encouraged to demonstrate learning in different capacities
for our diverse students. The OEC states, “Teachers bring enthusiasm and varied
teaching and assessment approaches to the classroom, addressing different
student needs and ensuring sound learning opportunities for every student” (6).
This statement is crucial for student development and learning because if we remained
stagnant in our teaching practices, without modeling diverse approaches and
styles, we would not appeal or benefit all students’ needs. Keating’s success in this eventually becomes
his downfall or failure as a teacher in the eyes of those who believe that teaching
is a linear task. The other teachers see
Keating’s approach to education as a mockery and nontraditional. We see this at
numerous points throughout the film, but more significantly at the end when the
headmaster is teaching Keating’s class and is dumbfounded to find out that he
had all his students rip out the introduction to their textbooks. It also
becomes apparent that the other teachers don’t conform to Keating’s teaching
when one suggests that as teachers we should “just follow the curriculum, it
works!”
This
approach of just follow the curriculum does not fit in at all with our OEC,
neither with Keating. On page five of the curriculum document it states “The
English Curriculum… emphasizes the use of higher-level thinking skills,
including critical literacy skills, to enable students to understand,
appreciate, and evaluate what they read and view at a deeper level, and to help
them become reflective, critical, and independent learners.” I believe that
this statement is an important statement for not only English teachers but ALL
teachers alike. Our twenty-first century students have everything at their
fingertips with the way technology is today, and it is our job to show them how
to think critically and without hesitation. If we stick to the notion that
students learn best in the same way, all the time, then we are not providing
for them an education that celebrates diversity and critical thinking
throughout the learning process.
The
study of English literature is an important medium for students to communicate
their ideas and thoughts freely through the words on the page. Literature
provides a creative outlet and platform for students, which should be
celebrated by their educators. Keating provided this outlet for his students
against what other educators thought. Keating, in my opinion, would have
relished in the fact that his way of teaching is now the foundation for
education; creating critical learners who think freely and liberally.
Government of Ontario. The Ontario English Curriculum, Grade 11 and 12. Ontario,
Revised 2007.
