Tonight, I was sitting in my favorite chair doing some blogging with my lovely bride working on her computer. 8:00pm came around and she wanted to watch "Hell's Kitchen."
I absolutely HATE reality shows. I think most of them are staged and the people who are on them should be out in the real world living life, not putting on a show on television for the masses
As I sat working on the computer, I listened to the show. The chef, Gordon Ramsey ,is a maniac. He is in their faces; he is demanding; he doesn't take any crap. He demands the best in a winner-take-all competition.
I WAS amazed at how he treats them. Most of them take it, but some do not.
This is how people who want to be a success should be treated. If they can get through Hell's Kitchen, they WILL be a success as a chef. He treats them the way he does because he wants to weed out the weak and push the ones who truly want to succeed.
If we could only get on our students like he does. Well, maybe not so hard, but IN THEIR FACES when they need it.
Think about it. Which teachers do you remember and think had a positive influence on your life? The HARD ASSED one or the EASY PUSHOVERS?
"If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you." - Louis D. Brandeis
6 comments:
My math teacher and 5th grade teachers both absolutely scared my silent. What math concepts I still retain, I credit that lady for and the fact that I eventually taught, I credit my 5th grade teacher.
After awhile in their classes, they no longer mortified me, but I always knew that the expectation was there and I had better perform.
My hubby is into Hells Kitchen; my objection to it is Ramsay's continual dropping of the "f-bomb." I find that type of language ineffective after you hear it in every other sentence. But that is another topic for another time.
Best,
nun
I don't do reality shows. But my three year old son loves Emeril's show...
Most of my best teachers had two things in common.
1. They had consistent standards that were high.
2. They genuinely wanted you to succeed.
nunoftheabove: I agree. He uses the f-bomb way too much. As in any effective motivation technique, if it is overused, it is very ineffective.
The Vegas Art Guy: 1) I do not watch food shows...makes me too hungery and my diabetes cannot take it. 2) These are the traits that I work from in MY classes. I am known as hard, but fair.
Ramsay -- whom I don't like much, by the way -- is giving them excellent preparation. Restaurant work is far more pressure than they're under on his show. I agree with you on most reality shows. There are a few that really are reality shows. When an episode is dedicated to the fishermen who were killed during the filming, that's reality. And I couldn't live without Ultimate Fighter, though last season sucked pretty bad.
rightwingprof: Yes, he can be a BIG ASS, but I agree with you. He does prepare them for the real world. Too many of my fellow educators feel we should coddle, baby, and "make our stduents feel good about themselves" as part of their preparation life. All that does is make them weak and quitters.
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