Dead Poets Society and the Ontario Senior English Curriculum

Tony Janes
EDUC 9M20
Robert McLaughlin
June 23, 2009


Dead Poets Society and the Ontario Senior English Curriculum


The film Dead Poets Society is impressive in its portrayal of contrasting pedagogies and invites serious discussion of the Ontario Curriculum for Senior English. The film pits the overly structured approach of Welton Academy’s established educators against the more liberal teaching style of John Keating. On the surface, it appears as though we are to choose one teaching approach that works best; however, success is found through incorporating elements of both the conservative and liberal teaching approaches. This is evident in Ontario’s Senior English Curriculum 2007.

One of the principles underlying the English curriculum is that successful learners “make meaningful connections between themselves, what they encounter in texts, and the world around them”. In Dead Poets Society we see much prescribed, structured lessons and instructions evident during the science and trigonometry classes. The instruction of Latin relies on repetition and rote learning. As such, students are not engaged and making meaningful connections. In contrast, the students of John Keating are instantly drawn into the poetry lesson because he makes it meaningful and relevant to them. Keating’s bizarre introduction with a quote from Walt Whitman, his discussion and consideration of the photos of past students and his mantra of “Carpe Diem!” peaks the students’ curiosity and interest. The expectations in Ontario’s Senior English Curriculum are quite explicit that students are active, contributing members of their learning.

Another important principle underlying the English curriculum is that learners “understand that all texts advance a particular point of view that must be recognized, questioned, assessed and evaluated”. This principle is crucial to developing independent and critical thinkers. In the film, Dead Poets Society, the headmaster and teachers laud the success of the school’s academic achievements, citing the numbers who go on to complete university educations. Strict academic numbers appears to be the goal of Welton Academy and not the development of independent and critical thinkers. John Keating strives to instil in his students a passion and appreciation of poetry, and of learning in general. Keating invites his students to stand atop his desk and view a different perspective of the class. Although eccentric, this simple lesson is quite valuable in that students appreciate that there is more than one way to view a particular point. Students are free and welcome to express opinions and thoughts in the classroom, even when they go against the norm.

Though Keating’s approach is effective and valuable, it is by no means free of hypocrisy. Despite efforts to have students welcome, discuss and evaluate different viewpoints, Keating himself misses a teachable moment when he criticizes Pritchard’s essay “Understanding Poetry” and orders his class to rip the entire introduction from the textbook and throw the “excrement” in the garbage. Ontario’s Senior English Curriculum also states that “instructional strategies and resources that recognize and reflect the diversity in the classroom and that suit individual strengths and needs are therefore critical to student success.” It is important to note that students each have different learning styles, strengths and needs and we are to account for these differing styles, build on their strengths and guide them in times of need. Although climactic and successful in the film, Keating’s centering out and pushing of a quiet student to loudly deliver an original poem in front of the class does not take into consideration the student’s individual learning style, strengths or needs.

The Ontario Senior English Curriculum incorporates the differing pedagogies with the goal of developing thoughtful, successful world citizens. The expectations encourage educators to utilize a variety of approaches to keep students engaged and interested. Students are safe to offer different perspectives and offer alternative ways of thinking. Students’ learning styles, strengths and needs are carefully considered as the curriculum requires students to select some of the texts they read and to decide on the topic, purpose and audience for some of the works they produce. John Keating would be proud! The curriculum, however, does not devalue the traditional approaches nor write them off entirely. There are times when a prescribed, structured approach is necessary. Students have opportunities to choose materials and topics, yet much of the curriculum is prescribed. In addition, students are assessed and evaluated in a formulaic manner based on achievement of the prescribed curriculum expectations. This is very reminiscent of the teachers’ stern instructions on course expectations and evaluation early in the film Dead Poets Society. Success for both the learner and the teacher comes from a careful balance of both conservative and liberal teaching methodologies. In essence, we are both Headmaster and Keating to our students.