October Sky

How about I believe in the unlucky ones? If I don't I'd probably go crazy.(Laura Dern, October Sky) This could arguably be the most important line in the entire movie, in my opinion. This teacher recognizes the potential in every student, not only the ones with visible ability. This, I would hope, would be the goal of every teacher. Teachers have the greatest gift in the world - - the ability to help shape …

…discover themselves. A teacher should be prepared to recognize hidden potential; it is in almost every student. This is a difficult task, especially if the student also brings great adversity, however, it is not impossible; Dern's character realized this. Every teacher will have a student in his or her classroom with hidden ability; despite the student's possibility for greatness, the great teacher will be measured by her ability to see the potential inside that student.