The greatness of teachers

by | Monday, October 13, 2008

I discovered Hulu TV a few weeks ago and have been using it to catch up on previous episodes of The Daily Show. I decided today, as I was working on a presentation to watch Crawford. It is a documentary about “a small town thrust into big politics when George W. Bush moves in next door. Gritty, authentic and often funny.”

This post, however, is not about the documentary (watch it yourself and form your own opinion) but rather about one person in the documentary – the school teacher.

Misti Turbeville a history and debate teacher stands out as a wonderful example of what a great teacher can (and should be).

An online review on CinemaBlend says it best

To me though, the real story here isn’t the broader tale of how the town is changed by Bush, but the smaller story inside it of a quiet, dedicated High School teacher named Misti Turbeville who tries desperately to make a difference. She makes it her job to teach her students not how to think, but simply to think. She’s the kind of amazing teacher everyone needs to have at least once in their life, a lifeline to kids who are stuck at Bush ground zero. She’s a hero, not because she tries to present the opposing view, but because she simply tries to get her students to think of themselves. Misti fights to get her kids to use their brains, even when a lot of the time it seems like the place she lives in is filled with people who would rather they not.

This is true courage and I am proud to be a member of a profession that has people like Misti Burbeville representing it. She is an inspiration to us all.

Topics related to this post: Art | Film | Personal | Politics | Religion | Stories | Video

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