The+Prime+of+Miss+Jean+Brodie+Essay

As a progressive teacher Miss Jean Brodie believes that teaching should be the “leading out” of the knowledge that students already know because the word education comes from the roots ‘ex’, out, and ‘duco’ to lead. Brodie also shows a clear opposition of a standardized curriculum. I disagree with Brodie’s method of teaching. People are not born all knowing. If this was so then there would be no need for anyone to go to school or be taught in general. We would just instantly know how to read, write, add, and subtract. Today our school systems are becoming more competitive with grades and achievements. If students do not keep up with the set curriculum they will miss out on many opportunities that other well prepared students experience. If Brodie’s methods of teaching were used by more teachers, students would be ill prepared and experience less educational opportunities. ‘Molding’ students’ minds can be looked at many different ways. The true definition of the ‘molding’ process lies within the teacher. Teachers may think have more power of their students’ minds then most people think. Miss Jean Brodie misused her power to mold the minds of the Brodie Set. She had planned to live life through those students which she selected to be the “crème de la crème”. Brodie had a set plan for each other the girls that she intended to make them carry out one way or another. Although some of the girls were on board for living the lives Miss Jean Brodie had planned out for them others we set on rebelling. One of the girls in the Brodie Set betrayed Brodie because it was what she thought was right. This girl was Sandy, Sandy had felt that Brodie had first betrayed her by saying she would never be the “crème de la crème”. When taking a closer look at the story of Miss Jean Brodie you see that very little of her premonitions had come true. A specific example was how she planned to have Rose and Mr. Lloyd become lovers, when in reality it was Sandy and Mr. Lloyd that had become lovers. This was something that Brodie had never found out. Miss Jean Brodie was very optimistic on her ability to see her students’ talent and the trust she had in them, in the end this was the cause of her demise. After reading about Esquith, Codell, and Kozol it is apparent that they all favor a trait of Miss Jean Brodie. Both Esquith and Codell value making a deep connection into their students’ lives. Although these teachers do not invade in their students’ lives to the extent that Brodie does. When Codell housed her student due to issues at home she did not make a habit of taking her students home. Brodie on the other had made it a point to invite the Brodie Set, not only to her home, but on other private field trips over the years. Like Esquith, Brodie took interest in the arts showing her students the classics. Brodie however was more interested in art, poetry, and music while Esquith favored plays and other forums of literature such as Shakespeare. Although both Brodie and Kozol want to “help” there students, they both have different views on how to do so. I believe that Kozol is the least like Brodie out of all the teachers that have been encountered this year. In conclusion Miss Jean Brodie had both her own views and style of teaching. This is the main reason why the headmistress and other teacher looked down upon her. I do not believe that Brodie was appropriate or correct in her methods and agree that she should have lost her job. As to the true meaning of education, education cannot possibly be the “leading out” of knowledge that is already known. To believe this one must also thing that mankind is all knowing, which most certainly isn’t true. If this were true then when a teacher would teach all her students would know exactly what she was talking about because they knew the information prior to it being “lead out”, thus proving multiple flaws in Miss Jean Brodie’s methods.