The Myth of the Super Teacher: A Must-See Talk By Roxanna Elden

Over the years Hollywood has done a nice job of showing us what super teachers look like. Consider movies like Dead Poet’s Society, The Mona Lisa Smile, Sister Act and the list goes on and on. The teachers we find here all have something in common: They’re miracle workers, freedom fighters and martyrs who not only shake up the system, but manage to pluck the heart strings of every student they encounter—and by gosh, they’ll do it even if it costs them their sanity, health and job!

These films may inspire, but nearly all of them demand the suspension of disbelief, especially for those of us who know what it’s like to stand in front of a classroom. This is precisely what author, educator and lecturer Roxanna Elden talks about in this fascinating TED-Style talk at the Education Writers Association conference.

This video will especially resonate with first-year teachers, but veterans will enjoy chuckling and nodding their heads in agreement with what Elden has to say.