Classroom Magic #8: What Freddy from School of Rock Teaches Us About Student Motivation

Freddy Jones in School of Rock

School of Rock is a comedy. Jack Black is hilarious as an elementary school teacher. But hidden in the fun are fabulous lessons for teachers.

One of my favorites is a scene that includes this shot of a focused Freddy Jones.

Freddy was that difficult kid with an attitude. Early in the movie, when Black asks him what he likes to do, he says, "I don't know. Burn things?"

But when he's introduced to rock 'n' roll drumming, Freddy changes. He's found something he wants to study.

Before we can find our raison d'être (reason for being), we must first find a raison d'apprendre (reason for learning). Once kids have that, once they're motivated to learn, they can learn practically anything.

But it has to start with something. For Freddy, it was percussion. For the other characters in this intense learning montage, it's something else—dance, guitar, set design, costume design, keyboard, and business.

With your students, what is it? Ask them. If you have to, probe them.

Have them identify something they want to learn. Then, as Jack Black did in the movie, help them find a reason to learn it.

Take a close look at the photo of Freddy. Note the intense curiosity. That's the look we all want to see on our students' faces.

Unfortunately, we don't see it as often as we'd like.

So, after 2003 (when School of Rock came out), I kept a blown-up photo of Freddy hanging on the back wall of my classroom. When my students weren't into my lesson, I'd glance at Freddy.

He gave me hope.

Tragic note: Kevin Clark, who played Freddy, died in 2021. He was hit by a car while riding his bike in Chicago, where he was teaching drums at a real-life School of Rock. He was only 32.

He'd been drumming since age three and, despite having no acting experience, was cast in School of Rock at 12. It was his only acting job.