Readers' Survey 2006: Who, from the Past or Present, Would You Like to Teach Your Class for a Day?

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Martin Luther King Jr.

A daydreamer's paradise, but the great freedom fighter prevailed. And not a bad choice, we must say. Still, the contest was close: Leonardo da Vinci and Benjamin Franklin tied for second. Jesus and George Lucas were neck and neck in a respectable third-place finish.

Our Take

Napoleon Bonaparte

In this highly personal list of those who could inspire young minds, everyone had a place: astronauts, explorers, mothers, Bono. Our favorite, though, is the great tyrant Napoleon Bonaparte. An unusual choice, to be sure, but it also got us thinking about what his lesson plan might look like:

Napoleon's Lesson Plan (Wednesday, April 26)

• Conquer western Europe
• Find out about this Wellington person (Internet use -- OK)
• English lesson
• Flemish lesson
• Italian lesson
• Arabic lesson
• Lunch!
• STAR testing
• Assign term paper on enlightened despots
• Attack Moscow
• Clap erasers
• Dismissal
• (Make reservation at Elba)

Readers' Survey Home [1] > Worst old-school teaching tool that should be tossed [2]