watch an inspirational teacher and weep a little

[BadDog]

dont apply mascara before watching

As a physicist (with many physicist friends) can I just say that each and everyone one of us went on to study physics because we had inspirational and amazing physics teachers. There needs to be more physics teachers like this man!

You're not allowed to set fire to students. You can do that flame demo on yourself, or another teacher, but not on students. Cos of the Health and Safety.

You're not allowed to set fire to students

That made me

I bet teachers are sorely tempted at times though.

It's really difficult to judge from one small clip - but if that student at the beginning say he always fell asleep in other lessons is telling the truth, I wonder if the problem isn't the other teachers? Or a lack of sleep at home?!

Thank you for sharing the film, BadDog. Whatever any of us might think about teaching styles, it is great to see this video. I love the way he's teaching people about his son; his attitude is contagious.

Many fathers of disabled children leave. They just cannot cope with it.

It is so good to see a family like this, and to see a man this involved with his son's development and self esteem, and for him to share this with such confidence and fortitude with his students.

you are very knowledgable about the us system of education, and what american children are like, ronaldo. how long did you teach over there, and in which state(s)?

My DD had a science teacher like this. He was amazing. He had the students in the palm of his hand and they hung off every word he said. My DD's grades shot up.

you are very knowledgable about the us system of education, and what american children are like, ronaldo. how long did you teach over there, and in which state(s)?

I havent, but I have a number of American (US) friends and colleagues and I went to the US many times when I was an academic. I do spend a lot of time in Canada though and I know more about their systems.

oh, ok then.

i went to school in canada, trained to teach there, and do have some teaching experience there. which canadian system are you familiar with, i wonder if it is the same as mine...what do you make of it.

MY DW is Canadian. She is also trained as a teacher. We have a home in PEI. (I hope for my DS to at least be educated at secondary level there but we have his name down for private education there). My DW worked for the school board in Nova Scotia and trained in Halifax. I worked in Canada in the 1980's ( thats when I got my house there). PEI, like some other Eastern Sea Board provences is dominated by regional school boards with a faith basis as well as the French/ English divide.

nope, different province but similar catholic/nonfaith and anglophone/fancophone options

I used to teach in Primary and Prep schools, done some goverment education advising and give talks to parents.
I agree with OP, the video is inspiring and very heart warming and it is great to see pupils so engaged.

But also agree with OP on the fact this isn't neccesarily the way to be an outstanding teacher. I think schools need all sorts of personalities as teachers, my DCs best teachers have ranged from the caring ever so positive teacher to the super strict but fair where my DS thrived on routine and knowing what to expect to the one who taught through being a performer, similar to the video, a big booming voice and lots of visual props.
I think all teachers need to be adaptable to their specific children, if every single lesson was like the one on the video- fireworks, expolsiions, big showy voice then its no longer as engaging and learning points can be missed. Children need engaging lessons and times where a teacher whips out a few tricks but also times of calm and an approachable teacher who they can communicate with and know what to expect from.

I, too, worry about the recent promotion (mostly from USA) of this idea teachers need to be highly inspirational show men and women. A culture of not respecting a teacher because they aren't making something OTT exciting is causing huge negative attitudes. Yes some concepts need to be presented in an innovative and inspiring way, but there are just as good teachers who are more calm, sensitive and engaging through over means. Not every child suits a loud, over powering teacher. We need a few who act that way, but not a school full of them.

If you google the school it appears to be quite a naice school. He talks about some of the disadvantaged kids but the catchment, history of the school, uniform and percentages of minorities etc indicate that it's predominantly a mc school with well behaved kids.

I teach in a school like that and it's easy to do fun stuff then be serious when needed . I have also taught in an incredibly tough environment where students had so little self control that they couldn't cope with going from one mood to another, so a hyped up lesson couldn't then calm down to do the focus on the theory that is needed.

He does look like he puts a lot of effort into his work, and he's genuinely caring. I would like to add that among the hundreds of colleagues I've known in teaching over the years, I would describe the vast majority of them in the same way. It is great that he is being recognized, but let's remember that most teachers have the same dedication as well.

I found it to be less about his teaching, more about his life and, specifically, disabled son. Quite moving hearing him talk about it.