Dead Poet's Society - Notes 10-29-13

New England Small Boys Prep School - Welton

First Scene:  2 young boys getting picture taken.  At Graduation ceremony with banners marching into room.  Looks like a church service.  "The Light of Knowledge" given to boys sharing the candle.  Speaker:  What are the four pillars? Discipline, patience, excellence.   Introduction of new teacher (Robin Williams).

After ceremony:  Everyone greeting at door.  Families saying goodbye to the boys.

Roommates .  Boys in hallway going to rooms, In room:  Boys coming in teasing about summer school:  Going over 4 principles.  Smoking, Introductin...Todd Anderson, ...Silverstreak....welcome to ...knock, knoci  "Father I thought you'd gone" Father, "you're taking too many extra curricular activities", son, "wouldn't be fair"...getting balled out from father..."don't speak to me that way in front of others" "you know how much this means to your mother", "Yes, sir", pondering in outside of room, upset.  "Don't tell me how to talk to my father", "What are you going to do" I'm dropping what I have to" "Latin", "Join us Todd".

Boys going down to class:
 Chemistry.  Teacher..."due to tomorrow"
Latin: Teacher - route memorization
Trigonometry: Teacher, going over rules "will be penalized"
Mr. Keeting (Robin Williams) comes in whisteling around the room, leaves "Well, come on", all go out into hall as he whistles.  Recites a poem "Oh captain, my captain", "who knows where that comes from" ; INtroduces self, calls on Mr. Piss "Unfortunate name" to read from book, seize the day while ye may...Asks students what its about.  Gives an illustration of poem.

Illustration:  Cruiz past old students pictures:  "Listen to them, what are they whispering from the grave" "seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary".  They all go out discussing the class.  "Spooky", "Weird".

Shower room:  Boys discussing studying, plans.  "Come to study group"

In the room, student writing "seize the day", crumples paper and throws it away. 
Knox Silverspoon and principle driving in car to go dinner at Danberries home.

Study hall:  boys discussing, Knox sharing about meeting such a beautiful girl at dinner.  Can't forget her, can't think aboaut trig...Teacher, "All right boys, 5 minutes"...

Mr. Keeting's classroom:  "Understanding Poetry"....reading about poem & objection/importance.
Mr. Keeting writes on board, like a formula. Discribe poetry.  "Rip out entire page in book", "tear out entire introduction", "I want Mr. Princhard out of here, I want nothing left of it".  Everyone rips out pages, Mr Galister comes in "Whats going on here" Mr. Keeting comes back with garbage can.  Throwing papers away.  "In my class you will learn to think for yourself, words will change the world".  Taking a different teaching method other than the book. 

"We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race, and the human race is full of passion" "life exists, power of the play goes on and you may contribute a verse" "What will your verse be"?

Dinner Scene:  Teachers at table, discussing Mr. Keetings class.  Telling Mr. Keeting his way is wrong.  Mr. Keeting developing "free thinkers"

Boys table, senior annual, "Dead poets society".

Next day in school ground asking Mr. Keeting about dead poets society.  "What was it" "Dead poets were dedictated of sucking marrow out of life"  "Let poetry work its magic, let it drip like honey"
Walks away whisteling.  Boys discussing going to cave tonight.  "Be careful, can't get caught."  "Whos in" ...all decide to go to cave,

In study hall, discussing how to get there, "don't read, come and listen" , in bathroom all getting ready for bed, boys getting flashlights and ready to go to cave.  Taking poetry book with them, sneaking out, dark, dog barking.  Dark out. Spooky, misty, foggy.  Running through woods.  Found cave, starting fire, smoke everywhere.  Forget fire.  "Reconvene dead poets society" Reading from book, going to "marked pages" reading exerpts.  Putting in food in pile.  Reading more exerpts.  Telling spooky stories.  Memorized poem:  shows picture of naked lady, read made up poem.  Next: Tennyson, "Come my friends to seak, to find, not to yield" .  Acting all silly, rapping poem, leave to their rapping poem, sneak back to school. 

Next day:  exhausted in class, Mr. Keeting...asking students.  "Wiliam Shakespear" , giving illustrations of different actors, John Wayne, ...then reads a poem.  funny description in different
"constantly look at things in a different way" (standing on desk)  "must try to look at things in a different way" boys all get up on desk and look around.  "break out" "dare to strike out and find new ground", for essays "compose your own poem deliver on Monday". 

Different scenes:  rowing on lake.  Competition.  Boys getting radion going, sword fighting.  Dancing on roof. 
in room, roommate "wants to act" trying out for Midsummers night dream.  Talks about asking father to get permission.  Doesn't want to ask father, wants to enjoy idea for awhile. Neal running around room, chasing each other.  Acting crazy.  (Neal's father has heavy hand on him.)

Mr. Keeting taking boys out to soccor field: Gave each one a paper with a part of poem on it.  Music starts up as boys read papers, kicking balls.

Neal all excited "I got the part".  Roommate "how are going to do this", Neal forges permission letters to be accepted into play.  Obviously not going to ask father. 

Classroom:  students reading own poem.  Boys laugh at each other. "don't let your poems be ordinary" Todd Anderson "you're up" Worst fear, embarrassing, . Mr. Keeting writing on board. 
Making Todd go up front and  "YAWP".  he's shy. Mr. Keeting doing demonstrations with Todd, ends up getting a poem and making a discovery of self "can do it".

Playing soccer and put Mr. Keeting up carrying him.  Boys in cave, smoking.  talking about smoking pipes.   Neal brings in a lamp, "god of the cave".  Saxaphone...lets start this meeting. "gotta be more"
Knox"I can't take it no more" I'm gonna call her.  Has crush on Kris Danberry girl, trying to call her, all scared.  Calls her, gets asked to party on Friday night.  Going to party. Point is "She was thinking about me" "only met her once and she was thinking about me" "she is going to be mine"...

Poety class illustration:  Strolling in circle, getting the beat, in a cadence. "everyone started out with their own pace" "BEliefs unique" "find the one less traveled by".  Find your own walk, walking around being silly, going against the stream.  . 

Weekend, Todd sitting out, his birthday.  Same gift from parents as last year.  "Desk set" Neal cheering him up "desk set wants to fly" They throw it off the roof.  "oh well I wouldn't worry, you'll get another one next year". 

In dead poets cave, Charles brings a couple of girls. 

Mr. Keeting using many live examples which is a way that Mr. Escalante used.

 

Similarities/differences between Mr. Escalante and Mr. MacFarland, how or how not?

 

Similarities:

Quizzing students on a regular basis.  Giving them plenty of work.  Mr. MacFarland brought a prep school curriculum to the school; Mr. Escalante brought the calculus to his school.  They both walked around the room and asked questions to get the students thinking.

Mr. MacFarland  “slowly and carefully built up our knowledge of Western intellectual history-with facts, with connections, with speculations.”

Mr. Escalante would work the problems using some similar methods, connections and speculations, like the apple demonstration, where he cut part of the apple out and asked what was left? 

MacFarland's barbs were literary. “If Jim Fitzsimmons, hung over and irritable, tried to smart-ass him, he'd rejoin with a flourish that would spark the indomitable Skip Madison - who'd lost his front teeth in a hapless tackle - to flick his tongue through the gap and opine, "good chop," drawing out the single "0" in stinging indictment.”  “The notorious Voc. Ed. crowd settled down as well when MacFarland took the podium.”

Mr. Escalantes took control of his classroom from the first day, by rearranging the seating, speaking on the kids level, having a reply to every student’s smart-alecky remark.

Mr. MacFarland tapped Mike Rose’s oId interest in reading and creating stories giving him a way to feel special by using mind.

Mr. Escalantes tapped into the students minds and made them feel like they could do it.  His attitude was, “Students will arise to the level of expectations”.

Differences:

Mr. Escalante lived in a home, had a family, he was neat and tidy, had come to the college with

Mr. MacFarland  was single, lived in an apartment which was cluttered with cigarette butts all over.  He was also a “tobacco-stained intellectual”.  He seems like a frumpy, disheveled teacher.

Part 2 Stand and Deliver - My Reactions

I feel the stress that it takes to study for a test like that.  I can't relate to Mr. Escalante, but I can relate to the students.  I've already shared in my first essay about learning and growing through the process of taxes.  I also had to study and take the test for IRS called "Registered Tax Return Preparer".  This test was a 3 hour test, 120 questions and was a required test if I wanted to be rehired for the next tax season.  I had started studying before the end of the tax season - 2012, which was around April.  I planned on taking my test in August.  The first couple of months I studied randomly, there were vacations and other things that kept me busy after the tax season.  Then as time progressed I really started pushing in July for the test in August.  I studied everyday, a couple hours per day.  Then took the practice test through the company I was working for.  I knew if I passed that test I would pass the IRS test.  I had to take the practice test 3 times before I got a passing grade, I knew I was ready.  The morning of the test I had to catch the ferry from Kingston to Edmonds and go to a testing office, where that's all they do is  testing.  All a new experience for me.  I got there by 9 a.m., signed in, started my test.  I worked hard at getting all the answers finished and was done by the 3 hour time.  (You got immediate results if you passed or not).  So I went out of the room, extremely exhausted and emotionally drained.  I waited as the testers checked me out and gave me my results.  I was so tense about it.  As they got the results and put their "seal" on it, I realized that I had actually passed!!  It was such a relief, when I got out to my car I burst into tears.  There was so much pressure released.  But another accomplishment.

I can feel their anticipation and pressure as they prepare for this exam, plus all the pressure of not letting down Mr. Escalantes, and taking the test and passing.  But then the crash of being accused of "cheating".  What a blow after all that work.  I found myself very upset with the testing board and not believing the students.  But to give the students credit for retaking and passing the test.  It was a great ending. 

Group 1 Discussion - Thursday 10-24-13

Group 1 Discussion from 10-24-13.  Classroom scene:  Bad teaching. Students all get the same answer, Mr. Escalantes wrong.

The students were in the process of learning calculus from Mr. Escalantes and had been studying very hard:  there on Saturday s and staying late at night, plus summer school.  Everyone was burnt out and angry.  Mr. Escalantes is pointing at a problem on the overhead projector and asking, “What are the limits on the first quadrant bounded by the curve, anybody?” Several students answer and come up with the same answer. As each one answers, Mr. Escalantes replys, “Wrong Lupe”, “What’s wrong with you”,  Each student is coming up with the same answer which is making Mr. Escalantes more angry he then says,* “You should know this. Now, no way.  What’s wrong with you? This is review! You’re acting like a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn’t there.  What’s wrong with you guys?  I don’t believe it. You’re giving me a shot from the back! No way, No way!”  Mr. Escalantes then storms out of the room.  Pancho  states, “Kemo finally blew a head gasket.”  The students are correct and Mr. Escalantes is wrong.  The pressure is great for all the students and him.  He later goes to his ESL class where he has a heart attack.  But rally’s after being in the hospital and gets back with the students working towards the calculus test.  

*quotes taken from website: www.qedcat.com/moviemath/stand_and_deliver.html

Stand & Deliver Notes 10.24.13

Field Trip:  Class going to  a computer math class.

Teacher Break Room:  Mr. Escalantes, "I want to teach calculas", objections "we haven't taught that" summer classrooms are for remedial courses"  "Take advanced placement test" "You really think you can make it fly" "teach calculas"  "thinking about those kids, will shatter what self confidence they have"; objections "no one can teach it or learn it"

Swimming pool;, complaints from students...too hot, "think cool, think cool, think cool"...cool, cool,.....

Teacher complaining walking down hall, Mr. Escalantes chasing trouble makers, tossing stuff over balcony......3 of them, get away.   Looking at them, ask student "ok" "sre" "yes sure"...

Preparing for calculas...."step by step"  passing out contracts,  for  complaints about when & how. 

Kid talking to mom about calculas and where and why...don't have to depend on some guy rest of life, getting ahead. 

Students returning signed contracts.     Student wanting to work and make more than a teacher.  Mr. Escalantes takes car out with student, grinding gears, running it hard.  Stop.  "All you see is the turn and not the road ahead" (Mr. Escalantes)

Students showing up for calculas class early, needing to be let in.  Saturday classes, Mr. Escalantes....

Calculas class, watching students outside Claudia....looking out daydreaming, Claudia leaving early "don't appreciate you using my life as entertainment" Mr. Escalantes follows her, Claudia, "I hate my life, discouraged "in class all day" .  Jo with grandma as clinic....she is sick.  Jo making appeal for grandmother to be seen.  "take a number"

Classroom:  equation on board, student working, hits...."been with you guys 2 years, I can't do it"  "how can we laugh, you're breaking out hearts"  "have to work through Christmas break" Mr. Escalantes upset with Jo....not understanding, when grandmothers dying.  Jo gets mad, walks out.   Mr. Escalantes does project on board.

Home:  Family upset that Mr. Escalantes not home all the time, "don't teach this holiday", "no, no teaching"  "see, his son has problems with math" Jo brought grandmother to house,

Classroom:  Asking formula, "this is review"  getting mad at students ....each student had same answer.

Mr. Escalangtes teaching ESL, has a health problem, walks out of classroom....having heart attach, falls down stairs......  Classroom, students trying to work without Mr. Escalantes.  Burn out....he was asking for trouble, fight in the class room, principles break lup "settle down angel"  Report "mr. escalantes mild heart ache, will be fine."  introduce substitute...never taught calculus before, is amusic teacher.  Students open book...frustrated. 

Hospital scene:  Wife, Son...."no job related activity for amonth" ....Formula on paper from hospital, gives to nurse, then he shows up in class the next day.  "Shouldn't you be in hospital" "I should be with you"...Practicing all year, encourageing them, "piece of cake, upside down, open your eyes"  reviewing/practicing for test. 

Test:  instructions; opening test; starting to work; time....everyone in seats spread out.....reward ...going to beach....after test, enjoying day....

Students waiting and getting test results:  Opening, reading, PASS!!  "announcing passing of test, 18 took, 18 passed"  student announcement:  "present plague to teacher"....clapping....students proud and love teacher.....very emotional.....

Phone call.....students upset, questioning of test, board doubts grades are invalid....Mr. Escalantes....educational testing service checking validity of sucre system.  Students questioning relationship problems.....All acting out....discouraged, pulled over by copes; get a ticket....fight between friends. Angel walking. 

Classroom:  board examiners in room, questioning students, "anyone, anything to say?"...asking for truth, "nothing happened"  THEY THINK THEY CHEATED, TRYING TO GET TRUTH OUT OF THEM...Angel says "ok" "we're busted, just admint it"...."got the test ahead of time"  making a joke....

Bottom line:  Kids worked hard and weren't believed....

Mr. Escalantes:  someone put a letter of resignation in his brief case; someone wants him out of the school so the problem will go away.  Leaves, someone steals car, he walks home, .....Discussion with wife; discouraged, "made a mistake in teaching them calculas" wife, "they learned" "what kills me, they lost confidence in the system"  "those kids love you"  students fixed up car.

Mr. Escalantes goes to education board, to make an appeal....to board.  Introductions.  Asking "why you think my students cheated" "Mr E....sorry you drove out here", "I know my kids"  "students"inocent until proven guilty" "retest" "I want to see test" "not out to get any body" "conspiracy" Mr. Esc...."prejudice against racism"

kids calling in to retake test.  getting ready, reviewing in one day.  Harder test, step by step by defence...no pencils no erasers, no opportunity to call you cheaters.  "you are the tru dreamers, you will accomplish great things, you will prove you are the champs"

Mr. E cooking with students in kitchen.  ...one wanting to go home...argue with Mr E.

Boyfriend/girlfriend kissing and making up, "admitting wrong"...

Test day again:  going into classroom spread out..prepared.  Mr. E, tense, waiting for time to pass.  Working deligently to get correct answers

Mr. E in office waiting for results....worried...wanting to go over test again because of misunderstanding, call mr rameris....All got 4 or 5's....."want original's ....pas

Mr. Escalantes made a differesce, 1982-1987 many students passed the test.  Happy , proud....

Stand & Deliver notes 10.22.13

1st day of teaching:  Stand and Deliver, Jaimie Escalonte - Teacher

Edward James Olmos - Actor

Driving through down town in volkswagon, light blue.  High School James a Garfield High; School office - Jaime, being ignored, Compter teacher, no computers; Teaching Math instead.  Trying to get everyone find a seat; getting class in order; discussion - back & forth with students;  Barely getting started, bell rings, looking dismayed.....everyone in halls, teachers trying to get order.."back to class", getting class back in order, premature bell.  End of day, find radio stolen from car; Jo (neighbor) friendly banter, discussion..."wanna teach"

Next day in classroom:  illustration....Jaime with cook outfit on, asking students "whatcha you got" apple, asking shy student "wch you got"  25% (apple with 1.4 cut out) .  Book chapter 2, pg 26...percentages 22%, 75%, 100%. 2 students late for class.."you gotta slip?"  stand in back until another desk.  Read math  dialog with late student......asking what he knows...times tables, "finger man"?  looking stratight at student doing math with fingers...looking straight in eye....student bullies coming back at end of class...like gang showing him "who's boss"...warning.

Jaime and fellow teacher walking after school, other teacher leaves...group of kids, Jamie talking with "johnny"  not johnny man.....sees fight on outside of fence , everyone gathering around, teacher grabs  student

Back in class...name  Frank Garcia, late students again...tough kids, "one man gang"..."this is my domain" .....teaching algebra , teaching concepts negatives -2+2 =  "fill the hole" = 0
Neither greeks nor romans had concept of 0, mayos had concept of ....repeating negative x negative = a positive....several times,,,  Why?

Teacher meeting...review recommmendations for accreditation...lack resources to implement changes.  Remainder of year before get accreditation. 
Jaimie - "Students will arise to the level of expectations"...need

Back in class room, quiz, no free rides, 2 strikes against you,  "math a great equalizer", asking gunes
New student comes in, smart elec student leaves class; new student taking quiz. 

Walking in hall, smart elec (Jo) in hall confessing a problem.....asking for extra books - library (3), taking home, doesn't want gang to know he's learning/liking class.

Students outside, having lunch discussing school accreditation....girl goes with kid in car, jealous girl.

Classroom:  quiz, discussion, bantering, students commenting....10 minutes.  Stands by girl "whats the matter", "not taking quiz" "don't do homework, don't get a ticket to the show" .....student in small chair up front.  Asking "what's the matter with you", walking around classroom, talking...do it anyway...sits back down. Getting students to like class, to participate, study....then she's

Student at home, taking care of mother...speaking Spanish....going out..meeting up with friends in car.  Girl at home packing up fathers lunch, kiss.  Taking care of brothers/sisters...go, go...to bed...running after children.  Mom gets home late, doing homework, dad go to work, mom on couch....showing her home life of taking care of family.

Boys in car driving around city all night, doing pranks,....Jo.

Back in class, green light red light...Jo late to class from being out all night.  "your the man, you know"  (not wanting to go to principle) acting out giving illustration of "Christ on cross"  got to stay in class even though late, bad news, ....Shy girl..."speaks up, todays my last day"....had to go work at home in restraint.

Jamie going to shy girls  - Anna - papas restrauant, ask dad/owner to sit at table,  making an appeal for Anna to come back to school.  Talks about going to medical school, papa..no, everyone works here, papa mad...banter between Jamie and papa....

Classroom:  students clapping...."look at board"...read, problem....principle, come in to watch class.  Students discussing problem, Anna back in class...solves problem.  Illustration...

Group 1 – Scenes picked out from 10-22-13 class

As our group was discussing the different scenes from Stand and Deliver, there were several we liked but decided on the following two scenes.

 The Restaurant Scene:  This scene starts out in the restaurant, but was picked up from the previous classroom scene where Anna announces, “today’s my last day”.  This is not good.  Mr. Escalante sees in Anna, great potential and if she doesn’t come back, that would be a waste.  (That’s what it feels like he is thinking).  So he is sitting in the restaurant, which is Anna’s parent’s Mexican eatery, and meets Anna’s papa and asks him to sit down.  As they are sitting and getting acquainted Mr. Escalante asks if he would allow Anna to come back to school explaining, “she wants to go to school, to college and  has talked about medical school”, papa replys, “our family has run this business, it’s good enough for us, I do dishes, what’s wrong with that”, Mr. Escalante explains, “he started out washing dishes”.  Mr. Escalante was not putting down the fact that the family runs a business, but Anna had other visions and would like to further her education.  Papa seemed all offended with the idea that Anna wanted something “better”, but you could also tell he loved his daughter and had a special place in his heart.  The next day at school, Anna came in with a big happy smile.  Mr. Escalante was pleased.  

 

Teachers meeting:  The teachers were gathered discussing the accreditation for the school.  The principle and vice principle were very concerned about getting more funding for the school.  The teachers were discussing back and forth, one says “I’m not coming back, I’m going….” Another asks, “What do they pay”, (he is the one that didn’t seem to care about what he was teaching or what the students were learning – but how much “effort” he would have to put out).  Everyone is going back and forth.  Mr. Escalante makes it clear he is interested in the students, what they are learning, he states, “Students will arise to the level of expectation”.  They all look at him like “now that’s a new thought, maybe our students could learn more”.  It is apparent that this school is for the “ghetto kids”, poor backgrounds, rough family lives.  Not many would succeed or could succeed.  Mr. Escalante obviously thinks differently from the way he is thinking and the way he is teaching.