Melanie Mayes
EDUC 570
July 12, 2009
Grady
The Reinvented Horace Green Prep.
In viewing the movie School of Rock, two distinct models of education are represented
to the viewers. In this way, one is forced to look critically at traditional education settings and
how different styles and movements in education affect students, educators, parents, and
administrators.
Originally, or before the arrival of Mr. Schneebly, Horace Green Preparatory was a
school working from the philosophy of Essentialism. Firstly, the school was a preparatory
school so presumably, the knowledge taught was to help these elementary school students to
eventually move on to a prestigious college, getting there by acquiring a specific type of
knowledge. The job of the teacher was to be the dictator of the class and teach the essentials
while the students sat, listened, obeyed, and worked hard to achieve gold stars and avoid
demerits. As the viewer, we have to assume that this is what the class was like even though we
never are able to see the original teacher teach. This impression is gained by the attitudes of
the students at the beginning of the film, expectations governed by the school principal, and
perhaps even the experience of being in school that most members of the audience bring with
them to the film. However, this essentialist teaching is turned on its head when Mr. Schneebly
enters into the classroom.
In this new world of teaching, the essentials are thrown out the window replaced by a
more progressive philosophy. Dewey Finn’s character, the man impersonating Mr. Schneebly,
is perhaps named after the father of progressive education, John Dewey. In this philosophy,
what is taught is based on the students’ interests. In fact, Mr. Schneebly took notice of his
students’ skills with playing classical music and turned this activity and ability into a whole class
project.
Before this moment, Mr. Schneebly had no motivation to teach these children anything
but once he taught something he was passionate about, he became alive and his students,
though stunned by their teacher’s atypical behavior, were captivated by the man’s fanatical
love for rock ‘n’ roll. He began by getting the students involved in their new project in an
active, hands-on way. Teacher and student were now on the same side leaving the villains of
the school to be the principal and the overbearing parents who would not allow this type of
“worthless” instruction to occur had they known about it.
Mr. Schneebly not only plays the teacher in this film but also plays the role of a mentor
and counselor for his students. He is able to help some of his struggling students in the film to
realize their self-worth and improve their self-esteem. This is one of the many components that
make a great teacher. He is also willing to work with students to form compromises as he
places them in their respective band assignments. He learns the strengths of the students and
places them accordingly, but when a few students are disappointed with their assignment, he
works with them to find a more suitable position. Though Jack Black’s character seems at times
to be a dictator as he tells lies to his class to benefit himself, he has a moment at the end of the
movie where he values democracy as they vote to sing Zach’s song at the Battle of the Bands.
When the public views this film, they come in with certain ideas of education which are
probably affected by their own socioeconomic status. These students, whose parents pay
$15,000 a year for a private preparatory education, come from a wealthy background. Typically
these types of parents are more involved with their students’ education, ensuring that their
children are as successful, if not more, than their parents. Therefore, when one particular
student begins playing his guitar more than he does his homework, one father gets particularly
mad. In fact, he seemed to see no benefit whatsoever in his son learning about rock music. It is
somewhat easy to see why a parent would be furious when hearing that his child had been
learning about rock music for three weeks when he was supposed to have been learning the
three Rs; however, imagine the lessons that these students learned from this class project.
Not only did they acquire skills in music, they learned how to work together, they practice their
artistic skills, graphic design, technology art, and the ability to set and reach a goal collectively.
Without a doubt, something important was learned here and towards the end of the movie
even the principal and the enraged parents would agree to that.
The public may view this as a simple comedy but one cannot deny the amount of
passion that erupted from Mr. Schneebly when he began teaching something he loved with
little to no restrictions attached. Because he was passionate, the students were as well. Is a
teacher in our schools today possible of creating this type of energy from a class that is scripted
or follows a strict pacing guides and rigid standards? I doubt it, but look at what education
could be. Perhaps this, in itself is a solution to our current education problems. Not that we
should forget the essentials, but that we should allow teachers more autonomy, allow them to
teach what they are passionate about with limited restrictions. This is one solution but as with
all the others, it is riddled with problems that the masses could attack; however, what is
important here is that a solution is being provided and that is where one must start when
looking for the answer to the problems in public education.