Zack Durham
Classification
3 March 2015 Just as there are multiple variants of dog breeds, there are numerous diverse types of teachers, considering how they teach and there approach to teaching. Over the 12 years I have gone to school, I have learned teachers generally fall into three categories. These three categories of teachers are loud teachers, laid back, happy teachers, and pushover teachers. A great classification for each of these types of teachers is dog breeds, a loud teacher would is comparable to a Pit bull, a laid back teacher a Labrador retriever, and a pushover teacher a Chihuahua.
Of all the dog breeds, Pit bulls are one of the meanest, known for their aggressive nature, and brutality. Mr. Ridenour is similar to a Pit bull because he is loud, intense, and intimidating. He is always looking for slackers, and looking for one hundred percent effort at all times. If someone is intentionally misusing the weights, or doing an exercise they are not permitted to do he will put a stop to it. The Power of Words in Wartime by Robin Tolmach Lakoff describes dehumanizing the enemy in order to be able to kill them, “The language of war is intended to bring about the change, and not only for soldiers in the field. In wartime, language must be created to enable combatants and noncombatants alike to see the other side as killable, to overcome the innate questions over the taking of human life”(Lakoff 363), which is similar to his teaching style. Mr. Ridenour clearly defines the relationship, and calls all students either by their last name or a nickname, which in turn dehumanizes the students. This allows him to push his students as hard as necessary similar to a drill sergeant. He demands respect from his students along with keeping the class well disciplined. He expects effort out of his students and is not afraid to voice his concerns. For example, some students were just stranding around talking, and playing on their phones so, Mr. Ridenour followed them around for weeks making sure they lifted weights to their full potential, not afraid to yell at them to work harder. The students may not have liked the extra attention from Mr. Ridenour but they are better for it now. The loudness, and intensity Mr. Ridenour has benefits his students, even though his students may not see it.
Labrador retriever’s are known for their fun, loving personalities, always ready to play. A more relaxed type of teacher’s Mr. Brenneman and Mr. Colsh are comparable to a Labrador retriever. Mr. Brenneman is a laid back teacher and makes the dull subject of calculus as fun as possible. For example he jokes around with students, converses with students about an app called Clash of Clans, or even just playing music while we are doing our work to lighten the mood. Although most times his calculus class is an easygoing environment, the students still know what is expected. Also, Mr. Brenneman is a firm believer in having each student work with someone new every few days. This gives the student a chance to form a relationship with others they would not have considered working with, if not forced. The lack of integration occurring in the “Black Table” is still There is still prominent today just in a different form. Everyone has their social group and they shy away from people they don’t know. Similarly to an observation Lawrence Otis Graham made when he was growing up “at least two tables of athletes, an Italian table, a Jewish girls’ table, a Jewish boys table, a table of kids who were into heavy metal music and smoking pot, a table of middle-class Irish kids”(Graham 346). He went on to say “no one even acknowledged the segregated nature of those other tables” (Graham 346). Mr. Brenneman is attempting to eliminate this issue simply by having every student work with each other a couple times a semester. Mr. Colsh’s laid back teaching style makes his class more enjoyable for the students. He takes the somewhat boring class of psychology and makes it as
