Uncategorized | Math, Teaching, and Teaching Math

Gosh I really enjoyed The Book of Boba Fett (TBoBF). Like The Mandalorian, the series harkens back to and evokes the same feeling for me as the the original Star Wars trilogy. It’s that typical Good vs. Evil, though in TBoBF, the line between good and evil is less clear. It’s more of every creature for itself.

As a teacher, I tend to notice and reflect on scenes that have some sort of mentor / mentee aspect. There is a short scene in episode 3 of TBoBF where Boba Fett is approached by a water merchant who is concerned because a gang of youth (whom he derogatorily calls urchins) is stealing his water and he wants Boba Fett to do something about it. Boba Fett is used to doing his own thing (independent contractor — bounty hunter) and is not used to this leadership gig at all. It reminded me of when a college student becomes a teacher. All of a sudden, it’s not about you as a student putting in more and more work to get a better result — A teacher can put in many hours and still their students don’t perform well. Still they complain. Still parents and administrators tell the teacher what they think is wrong and how to fix the problem. Being a teacher is about managing a lot of different people and situations — and the main preparation we have for it is being a student which is completely different.

In the following scene, Boba Fett comes down from his palace (formally Jabba the Hutt’s abode) and walks the streets of Mos Espa with partner, Fennec Shand, and a few goons. He seeks out the gang of youth and quickly learns their side of the story. The water broker is price gouging and this, coupled with the fact that there are no jobs, forces the youth to steal for their survival. Boba Fett’s decision making on how to solve the problem is swift and sure. He pays the water monger a fair price for the stolen water (500 instead of 1300 — take it or leave it) and he tells the youth that since there are no jobs in Mos Espa, they will work for him. His confidence is astounding, especially since the viewer knows he is a leadership noob. He is faking it ’till he makes it, just like many teachers out there. In addition, like many teachers, he is careful to learn both sides of the story before enacting a plan.