Star Wars is about Teachers
A while back, StarWars.com ran a quiz called WHICH STAR WARS CHARACTER SHOULD BE YOUR TEACHER? The quiz paired me with Tobias Beckett, a character from Solo. It did get me thinking about teachers in Star Wars.
Let’s face it, every Jedi/Sith is a teacher. In fact, in the saga, the master/apprentice relationship is more important than the parent/child. Well, this is mainly due to the fact that they separate children from their parents. However, it certain cultures this is actually the norm.
Being a teacher is a difficult profession. There is no product or bottom line. You are dealing with actual lives. This is true in the real world and in fictional universes. No teacher is perfect, even ones who have Force abilities.
Teachers in Star Wars
Yoda: Yoda never really tells you the objective of the lesson. He is more of the discovery learning type of teacher. He has a well-planned lesson but the pupil is responsible for figuring it out. This is great for the motivated, patient student, but the learner who needs lots of redirection could have a problem.
Obi-Wan: Obi is an involved teacher. He will do the lesson with the student but not do it for the student. He trusts the student has a team member. This is great, but sometimes students need more discipline.
Palpatine: He is that professor that doesn’t care about his students at all, only his career. They do the research and he takes the credit. He forgets who you are as soon as the semester is over unless other academics start to notice you. Then he destroys you and your career.
Ashoka: From what we have seen, she is the motivated new teacher. She technically didn’t have a padawan yet, but she has led a group on a field trip. She’s resourceful and knows how to think on her feet, which makes up for her lack of planning.
Luke: His pupils turned on him. Was it a really bad class, or did he lack management skills? Or was it the fact that he never had a mentor stay around long enough? Plus, he only learned in a home-school environment so do a whole class/school was beyond his education.
Kanan: He is the kind of teacher that takes every piece of criticism as a way to actually get better. He doesn’t discard it, even if it comes from a student. He examines how he can become better. He talks to a mentor in order to improve. Every year, he gets better at it.
Qui-Gon Jin: He is the rebel teacher that plays fast and loose with the rules. He doesn’t do anything to get fired, but if he agrees with the administration he will do it his own way. The students love him so they don’t snitch.
Tobias Beckett: He is all about his objectives, not so much the class. If they learn something fine, but at the end of the day, did he do what he wanted to do.
Need More Info
Regardless of the quiz results, I don’t think I’m Beckett. I’m more of an Obi-wan. For me, it’s about the student feeling ownership of their lesson. However, sometimes I need to remind them to “control their insolence.”
However, I really think I’m trying to be more like Kanan each year.
Now all of my thoughts are based on the movies and TV series. I plan on finding more time to read the books and comics we have stacked on the shelves. I’m not sure how Qui-Gon will change after Master and Apprentice.
When I do, I might have to do a revised version of this post.
Let’s Talk
What do you think? What kind of teacher do the Jedi and the Sith remind you of? Are there any I am missing? How does this apply to sequel trilogy? Don’t worry about spoiling the books, let’s talk about it in the comments!
Also, if you like this post check out the rest of our Star Wars content!
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