Mr. Escalante and Mr. Keating (10/29)

           Mr. Keating and Mr. Escalante had different teaching styles and different situations with the classes they were teaching. Mr. Keating taught at a “higher class” prep school with rigid standards and Mr. Escalante taught at an inner city public school in a low income neighborhood with gang related problems and students who were less than motivated to learn. Both teachers started with an agenda to inspire their students, and both wanted to change the way their students thought. Mr. Keating was trying to take students who had previously been accustomed to a strict, regimented style of learning and open their minds to a more creative way to learn and think. Mr. Keating went to school at the same prep school that his students were attending and he knew how strict it was and wanted to make a difference. Mr. Escalante was basically handed a class of troubled teens and his goal was to take an academically unstructured class, and teach them a subject they never thought they would have the ability to learn. He wanted to change their mindsets from teens who saw no future in sight, to high achieving productive members of society. Mr. Keating had class expeditions outside of class as well as unique activities inside the classroom to motivate the students to participate. Mr. Escalante spent time with his students outside of class and showed a huge interest in their lives outside of class. Mr. Keating also took on a huge role in his students personal lives as well.