A frustrated composer (Richard Dreyfus) finds fulfillment as a high school music teacher.
At first, the story is not about teaching the students, but learning to teach. This is really about the growth of Holland and not such students as Lang. For anyone to learn, they must first care about what they are learning. So one can explain things clearly and get nowhere unless they present it in a context that sparks interest. (Indeed, one can imagine how many things they were "taught" and forgot until it finally became relevant to them.)
And later we get the deaf angle. It seems a little forced and almost exploitative. But it does draw that interesting connection to Beethoven, who himself was deaf. How can one of the greatest composers of all time make music he was not able to hear?
At first, the story is not about teaching the students, but learning to teach. This is really about the growth of Holland and not such students as Lang. For anyone to learn, they must first care about what they are learning. So one can explain things clearly and get nowhere unless they present it in a context that sparks interest. (Indeed, one can imagine how many things they were "taught" and forgot until it finally became relevant to them.)
And later we get the deaf angle. It seems a little forced and almost exploitative. But it does draw that interesting connection to Beethoven, who himself was deaf. How can one of the greatest composers of all time make music he was not able to hear?