The Career Cycle of Teachers: A Review of Mr. Holland’s Opus

In the 1995 conduct Mr. Hollands Opus, we watch as the protagonist Glen Holland goes from a near novice to a distinguished teacher. Although the film ends at his (forced) retirement, judging by his past closeness I would bet he will continue, in the teacher emeritus tradition, to mentor students and teachers and mayhap as an advocate for arts education (Steffy & Wolfe, 16). There are two specific incidents I wish to compare to illustrate the occupational group development of Glen Holland.One is in the development of a senior recapitulation that he devotes much of his time to during the later part of his life, and the other is his ratiocination to co-ordinated methods into his teaching and conducting that offer ways for the deaf community to envision music. These two incidents follow directly on the heels of each other, proving that the process of reflection, renewal, and result (17) which Steffy and Wolfe discuss in their article on the career cycle of teachers is a co nstant, and constantly changing, process.During the years previous, we are able to see many career-altering moments for Glen Holland, from knowledge his wife is pregnant to teaching a young man to bob up the rhythm (Herek). It is during his final decade of teaching when he helps to create and make believe a senior revue in place of the senior play. His involvement in the school revue shows he has a broad entice across departments within the school.Compared to his initial lack of involvement, to the extent that he would literally run to his car as soon as the bell rang at the end of the day, the amount of time and energy he puts into a non-academic act shows his progression as a well-rounded teacher. At the same time, he has chosen to put energy into teaching that should perhaps be pass into his family life, and particularly his deaf son, who he has never learned to communicate with properly. next this production, in which he encourages a young woman to follow her gift to New York instead of working at her familys restaurant, he has a revelation ab erupt his family and son. His son, Coltrane, confronts him rough his thinking that Cole, as a deaf person, cant appreciate music.This spurred Glen to learn ways he could incorporate new methods (specifically using lights to play movements during a concert) into his teaching and performing. In an interrogate with Frank McCourt on PBS, he said that his turning point in teaching led him to discover that he was the big learner out of this teaching experience (Only). This experience seemed to light a new tell apart of teaching in him, perhaps because, like Frank McCourt talks about, he has rediscovered his own love of learning.These two points in Glens career picture the unique career development process of teachers. As Pam Grossman points out in her article about the business of teaching and the challenges facing it, there has been a flood of under-qualified teachers into schools (par. 2). However, as Mr. Hol land proves, it is not just knowledge of methods that makes one a great teacher, but an intimate and profound knowledge of the subject matter. archaean in the movie, he tells a young woman who cant seem to learn the clarinet that Playing music is supposed to be fun. Its about heart, its about feelings, moving people, and something beautiful, and its not about notes on a page. I can teach you notes on a page, I cant teach you that other stuff (Herek). On the contrary, his skill appears to be in teaching merely that how to love music instead of merely playing notes on a page. Throughout his career development, he shows that it is this love of his subject matter have with his love of teaching itself that has touched so many young lives. pedagogy may not always lead to monetary riches, but in Mr. Hollands life it has led to a multitude of personal and overlord riches.ReferencesGrossman, P. (2003, January/February). Teaching From A Nation at Risk to a professionat risk? Harvard Educ ation Letter. Retrieved April 14, 2008Herek, S. (Director). (1995). Mr. Hollands Opus DVD. Hollywood Buena thought HomeEntertainment/Hollywood Pictures.Only a Teacher oppugn with Frank McCourt. (2003). Retrieved April 18, 2008, fromhttp//www.pbs.org/onlyateacher/index.html.Steffy, B. & Wolfe, M. (2001, fall). A life cycle model for career teachers. Kappa Delta PiRecord, 38(1), 16-19.