What I Learned About Learning in "Dead Poets Society"

The film, Dead Poets Society is perpetuating two competing theories about how to educate; memorization and obedience versus students thinking for themselves. This is a representation of past education consisting of teacher-centred learning, in comparison to the present and future education that praises student-centred learning. The former is traditional education where teachers lecture information to be memorized by students, and the latter is constructivist education where learners construct their own understanding through the tools taught to them by the teachers.

The “Welton Way” is the traditional education, where older, authoritative figures lecture information they deem important to the students. The students are to internalize the teacher’s knowledge without challenge, question, or free thinking. Subjects such as mathematics, science, or anything that leads to jobs as medicine, law, and engineering, are given more importance than the language arts. In this way, education simply becomes a way for students to go to a good college and get a good job. Mr. Nolan a representative figure on the “Welton Way” explains, "Tradition, John. Discipline. Prepare them for college, and the rest will take care of itself." This is shown at the beginning of the movie when Neil’s father orders him to drop the school paper, as it does not benefit his future endeavours in medicine.

This way thrives on conformity. The “Keating Way” is the constructivist education focused on developing a higher level of thinking as well as thinking independently. The focus of learning is centred around student passions, and not what society, or in this case, what the school wants students to do. Mr. Keating wants the students to “un-learn” their previous ways of learning, and be free to think and learn in a way that allows them to develop their passions. Mr. Keating states, "I always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for yourself.” A modern example of this concept is using “UnLearn Posters” as a resource in the classroom. This elicits critical thinking practices from students, identifying and eliminating discriminatory practices often perpetuated by society. Students learn to break down linear and stereotypical ways of thinking as taught to them by society, and instead think freely and critically. This is similar to what Mr. Keating is training his students to do, and thrives on nonconformity.

Ultimately, the film showcases how traditional education does not empower students, and alternatively constructivist education empowers students to think critically, and advocate for themselves and their passions, as productive citizens within society.

Firstly, a notable example of Keating’s way of learning is the first time he teaches the students about understanding poetry. He has one of the students read J. Evans Pritchett PhD’s theory of evaluating poetry, “to fully understand poetry must be fluent with parts … deterring the poem’s greatness.” Essentially this is calculating the area of the poem to measure its greatness; graphing the success of the poem. Mr. Keating calls this traditional way of learning poetry, “excrement” and asks the boys to rip out the pages of the introduction: “be gone J. Evans Pritchett PHd.” Keating compares education to war, “[education] is a war and the casualties could be your hearts and souls.” Keating is bringing attention to how education could kill the boys' passions and creative thinking. Mr. Keating wants the students to, “learn to savour words and language” explaining to the boys that “words can save the world.” He is showcasing the importance of language arts as a subject. A famous quote often referred to from the film is:

"We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for."

Mr. Keating is asking the boys to look past a career as a measure of success and happiness, and look for their true passions in life. The Ontario Curriculum: Grades 11 and 12, states that teachers are to give students "opportunities to choose what they read and what they write about, they are more likely to discover and pursue their own interests.” (p. 5). Where the “Welton Way” is viewing the boys as passive, inferior, students, Mr. Keating views them as members of society with voices and passions.

The goals of having the students think for themselves and develop their passions, is exemplary teaching, as prior to his teachings the students were petrified to think for themselves, challenge the status quo, or disobey authority figures in the slightest. Mr. Keating tells the boys that, “even if you think you know something, you must look at it in another way.” This is directly related to how in today’s education, teachers are asking students to develop different perspectives. The Ontario Curriculum: Grades 11 and 12, writes that “By reading a wide range of materials and being challenged by what they read, students become receptive to new and widely varying ideas and perspectives, and develop their ability to think independently and critically. (p. 5). Additionally, Mr. Keating tells them “You must strive to learn your own voice,” and asks them to compose a poem of their own; an original work. This is mirrored in the modern classroom through inquiry-based learning, inferencing, and asking deep questions that allow students to become reflective, critical, and independent learners (p. 5).

The Ontario Curriculum: Grades 11 and 12, also writes, “In implementing this curriculum, teachers will help students to see that language skills are lifelong learning skills that will enable them to better understand themselves and others, unlock their potential as human beings, find fulfilling careers, and become responsible world citizens," (p. 5). Mirroring this concept, in Mr. Keating’s class, the boys’ develop many reputable skills that will help them in their future careers and lives in general. The boys learn to find joy in life, be productive members of the “Dead Poets Society” club, and question the status quo. More specifically, Neil takes on leadership qualities within the “Dead Poets Society” club. The boys collaborate, debate, and develop their communication skills. The boys represent today's students, who are encouraged to take risks, challenge themselves, and collaborate with others.

Furthermore, The “Dead Poets Society” club that the boys revive from the past, is proof that Keating’s methods and constructivist methods are effective. The students are spending time reading poetry and verse, creating their own compositions to share with one another, and performing and listening to music. This is all student-directed and without instruction from a teacher. By “sneaking out” at night, the boys are rebelling against the traditional way of learning. Their increased happiness, heightened critical thinking skills, and creative thinking development, are proof that the goals of Keating’s constructivist education are crucial to learning. Mr. Keating tells the boys to not write ordinary poems, but rather creative and original compositions. He is teaching his students to reach higher and think more freely. He constantly questions his student “Why? Why? Why?”. This is a beneficial way to get students to think higher, deeper, and learn to ask more questions themselves, within their learning, inquiry, and critical thinking. These are also attributes present in today’s education. Language development is central to students’ intellectual, social, cultural, and emotional growth and must be seen as a key component of the curriculum (p. 3). When students learn to use language they empower themselves to think critically and grow by doing so.

To conclude these ideas, there is one final example of how constructivist education benefits students as showcased with one of the main character's, Neil. He is a representation of how Keating’s methods are truly successful. Through Keating’s inspiring teachings, Neil decides he is going to be an actor, a career highly disapproved of by his father. He tried to audition previously, and his father prohibited him from doing so. In Neil’s newly developed mindset he claims, “for the first time in my whole life, I know what I want to do. For the first time I am going to do it, whether my father wants me to or not. Carpe Diem.” This scene is powerful and shows Neil’s passions developing as he rebels against his father’s strict rules, a representation of education’s rules about what students should learn. The boys have been calm, subdued, and dismissive their whole life, and they are now learning to be passionate, strong, and excitable in the construction of their own learning experiences; a parallel to the past traditional education and today's constructivist education.

Works Cited: 

Dead Poetss Society. Directed by: Peter Weir, performances by Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, and Ethan Hawke. Touchstone Pictures, 1989.

Government of Ontario, Ministry of Education. The Ontario Curriculum: Grades 11 and 12. Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2007. http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/english1112currb.pdf

UnLearn. “unlearn. Poster Pack 1 - Set of 24,” 2019. https://unlearn.com/products/unlearn-poster-pack-set-of-24