1st Day of Class: The Dead Poet's Society

The following are a few scenes from "Dead Poets Society." I edited the scenes together and posted them on YouTube. This video captures well part of my teaching philosophy. I usually show and discuss this video the first week of class.




Quotes to Discuss on the First Day of Class:

"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may" - Mr. Keating

"Carpe...Carpe diem...Seize the day...Make your lives extraordinary." -- Mr. Keating

"Rip it out... It is not the Bible. You're not going to go to hell for this." -- Mr. Keating

"In my class you will learn to think for yourselves again. You will learn to savor words and language. No matter what anybody tells you words and ideas can change the world." -- Mr. Keating

"Why do I stand up here... I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way...Just when you think you know something you have to look at it in another way even though it may seem silly or wrong you must try. Now when you read don't just consider what the author thinks, consider what you think. You must strive to find your own voice because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said most men lead lives of quiet desperation. Don't be rescind to that. Breakout." -- Mr. Keating

"I don't mind that your poem had a simple theme. Sometimes some of the most beautiful poetry can be about simple things like a cat, or a flower or rain. You see poetry can come from anything with the stuff of revelation in it. Just don't let your poems be ordinary." -- Mr. Keating


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Note 1: This collection of clips begins with the first day of class and then on to subsequent student-teacher interactions throughout a semester.

Note 2: These clips are edited together in such a way to highlight questions about pedagogy, but not spoil the film, if you have not seen it. I'd strongly encourage you to watch the full film. There is much more in the film.


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