AJC.com > Blogs > Get Schooled > Archives > 2005 > August > 05 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USCool Vs. Old School
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I visit a lot of schools, and over the years I have observed cool teachers, you know, the ones who dress in the latest styles, keep up with pop culture and enjoy popularity among their students. I also see teachers who are what I would call old school, not remotely interested in whose music their students are listening to and not vying for Most Popular Teacher.
There seem to be pros and cons to each. Cool teachers may have trouble drawing the line between authority figure and pal. Old-school teachers may find their students tuning them out.
A TV show last night involving some women with Atlanta connections - the R & B group TLC - featured an old-school teacher. The women of TLC headed to Florida to surprise a high school student with an invitation to audition to record a song with them. On the way to the school, one of the group’s members, T-Boz, remarked that she got kicked out of four DeKalb schools before being expelled from the district altogether.
Once they got to the school, the women barged into the student’s music class. Her teacher waved them away. The teacher’s gesture was met with indifference and later eye-rolling as the women of TLC were not going to wait for the end of a music class for their big surprise. I felt a little sorry for the old-school teacher. She deserved more respect than she got, but I think old-school teachers are often appreciated more in retrospect.
Teachers, are you cool or old school (or neither, not trying to lump everyone into two camps)? Of the teachers who made the best impression on you, were they cool or old school?
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Mr. W
August 5, 2005 12:13 PM | Link to this
As an APS teacher, I am a balanced both. I do not like the p** poor music of today overall, as it generally is illogical and simply beyond my comprehension, but I do have a bond with my students that they strengthen. They know I am there for them, ask me for advice, and even look to me for various support levels, but my sons/daughters and students know where the line is. I am not tryin to be the most popular, just the most effective and life changing. Also, I can careless about the fashion/style of today, but I try to ensample knowing who I am and being who I am in front of them, so they will do the same in their own lives.
By Rob ADonis
August 5, 2005 12:37 PM | Link to this
I have been teaching for 6 years. I think I am a “COOL” teacher. I listen to some of the popular music of today and I wear “Tommy Hilfiger” Baggy Jeans. I I’m into the “20’s” on my truck.
However, I find it offensive that people assume that if kids identify with you(or God fobid they enjoy your class) that you are automatically trying to be cool.
Just because kids enjoy my class does not mean that I am not teaching. I am a likable guy with a very outgoing personality and an understanding for the youth of today. Kids identify with me because they are smarter than you think. They know a phony when they see one. Unlike many, I REALLY care about the kids I teach.
The fact that i am viewed as COOL is a natural by-product of me - and not indicitive of my teaching…
ROB ADONIS
By NotMyProblem
August 5, 2005 01:42 PM | Link to this
Sounds like Rob needs to get over himself quite a bit. Rob, you may be a good teacher, but from your posting I would be afraid that your over-inflated ego would get in the way of you being as effective as you profess to be. Try to concentrate more on the kids and less on how fantastic you are.
By Mellllll2
August 5, 2005 02:24 PM | Link to this
That’s not a very nice thing to say about Rob. I don’t see where he went on and on about himself. He just mentioned a couple of his traits.
Don’t listen to him Rob. It’s nice that you care about the kids that you teach. That’s what it’s all about. A lot of teachers say that, but they really on care about “some” of the kids they teach.
By David
August 5, 2005 03:01 PM | Link to this
When I was in high school the “cool” teachers were the greatest to me. Two years later in college I was mature enough to realize it was the “old-school teachers” that taught me more and advanced my education. The “cool” teachers didn’t seem to require the same effort from me…….my vote “go old-school”.
By Whitey
August 5, 2005 03:13 PM | Link to this
Hey Rob - why does “20’s” have a possessive apostrophe on it? And your understanding isn’t for the youth - it is of the youth. What are ya - a PE teacher? Skip your writing classes? Mr. W has it more on track. He’s not a “phony”. Probably wears straight leg Levis. And probably a teacher that informs and fosters rather than making the kids just feel good. My $.02 worth.
By HS and College Grad
August 5, 2005 03:27 PM | Link to this
Hey where are the teachers that teach real stuff like personal finance and health. The skills that really count and helps to develop a student to really surivive in this world. I need a teacher with connections. You see this city opperates on who you know not what you know. I would like to see more teachers with the “SOCIAL skills” because communication is important. It even vital because you want to communicate to your students so they can understand. That means make the knowledge relates to their everyday and soon to be future lives. so that means Teachers today have to be able to adapt to a changing society. Because if you don’t adpat you will be left behind and it does not matter what you know or don’t know. Communnications is the key. If you don’t believe so then look on most job descriptions.
Peace
By Teacher, Too
August 5, 2005 03:29 PM | Link to this
I am “old school”. My students and I get along really well, for the most part, but boundaries and high expectations go a long way to establishing our relationship. They know that misbehavior is not tolerated, and that I will get to know them and their parents. I will always advocated for my students, but in return,I expect their very best efforts. Kids resist the hard work and complain about it, but I am always astonished at how far above my expectations they will go.
And, when my students move to high school,many of them e-mail me or stop by to thank me for making them work. Sometimes, students will e-mail me their essays and ask me to critique it for them. More work for me, but I take that as the highest compliment because that tells me they value my opinion.
So, “old-school” it is for me. It’s a style that fits my professional and personal belief system.
By Mellllll2
August 5, 2005 04:06 PM | Link to this
Back to the question at hand. I agree with HS & College Grad. It’s about communication. It doesn’t really matter if you are old school or cool. It matters how you communicate to the kids you are teaching. How much respect you require. I’ve seen both types of teachers be successful, and I’ve seen both types of teachers not be so successful. Not all teachers have the gift of communication.
I didn’t see that show but when T-Boz made her remark about being expelled from school was she intelligent enough to communicate to the kids watching that maybe if she would have taken it more serious she could have learned something and could have managed her own finances better then she did? Maybe she wouldn’t have ended up filing for bankruptcy and wouldn’t have let personal managers rip her off? Or did she just think it was “coolâ€? that she was kicked out of school?
By Laura
August 5, 2005 04:09 PM | Link to this
Reference from HS and College Grad
surivive….opperates…..it even vital….make the knowledge relates…. adpat…..communnications
I’m sure the “old-school teachers” could have helped you with your written skills.
By Patti
August 8, 2005 09:21 AM | Link to this
Melllll2,
Sadly, no, T-Boz did not offer any reflections on her education experience in DeKalb County. She and “Chilli,” who said she was not a troublemaker in school, laughed about it. Later, the pair eliminated the high school student from the competition, because she had a few months left of until her graduation. They didn’t seem interested in her schoolwork though. They didn’t want her to miss her prom!
By HS and College Grad
August 8, 2005 02:03 PM | Link to this
Well what time are you avaliblle (intentional) beckause I’s what luvs fours youz to helps me. Since your the grammer patrol gosh. I mean man u must don’t have any other skills but this to really get p** when u see one misspelled word or two. maybe a person was typing fast and there was a typo. Man so maybe Laura you can send me your email and you can do better job than my teachers did. :P Oh yeah how is you SOCIAL life going.
P.S. I don’t care if you found all kinds of subject verb agreements, mispells, punctiual mistakes, or gender biased language and I can keep going. But my point is that If you read my comment you know what I was talking about. Maybe your to focused on ppl’s mistakes, Thats why maybe your life is the way it is. I understand you have nothing better else to do but be a bored depressing editor.
By HS and College Grad
August 8, 2005 02:09 PM | Link to this
To Laura: Maybe you can do a better job than my teachers did. I want to see you type up alot of documents and see if you want make typos. Also last time I checked this was about giving opinions. Grammatically correct or not. If I understood what they were saying its cool. Everyone makes mistakes, even college grads. Now staying on point I believe I do. However If you wasn’t so much of a Grammer NAZI you could have realized the point. Its a opinion post not a term paper. Its people like you why there are so many depressed people in the world. Get off yourself. I would like to see if you Math scores are up to par not to mention your Social Life.
By Lee
August 11, 2005 10:08 AM | Link to this
Old School / New School. It doesn’t matter. Thinking back to my school days, the teachers who made the biggest impression on me had two common traits: