With Great Powers Comes Great Responsibility

To be an educator is not only to be a person who teaches somebody something

they do not know, and it is not any profession either. It is one of those professions that
requires the individuals to perform more carefully any action as what they are dealing
with is the most vulnerable, subtle and valuable faculty of a person - the mind. Thus,
this occupation consists of several professional and ethical duties or roles to play such
as to be a model to learn from, a leader who inspires and accompanies, a transmitter and
shaper not only of knowledge but also of ideas and ethics. To be an educator gives us
power, and how to deal with it and how to use it is our ethical concern. Thus, The
Wave film shows us Reiner, an excellent teacher who drowned in his power, and
whose right wrings will be exposed in the following document.
Reiner did several things in the right way, reaching, motivating and encouraging
his students. His class went from being mandatory and boring to an exciting, lively and
impressive class. He was creative enough to engineer a project that could make his
students realize that an autocracy could happen again; and he did it in an admirable
way; just that he failed to set limits and accept that it would become a very dangerous
one. As an educator, Reiner never restrained the students from independent action in
the pursuit of learning. This might have completely positive, but it became a nonmonitored action. That is, through the movie it can be observed plenty of reasons for
which Reiner should have inhibited his students from going further; for instance, when
the blogged for the class was created or when they started segregating other students
who were not part of the Wave group. Reiner did not exclude any of his students
unfairly, but he did fail to realize that students did.
It is worth mentioning that the way Reiner engaged his students in the class and
awoke their interest was creative, appealing, ingenious and somehow prolific. However,
He allowed a misconduct that evidently was putting students at risk. Whether he was
too naive or too indulgent or lenient with himself for having taken for granted that his
students would do the right thing, he failed to protect his students welfare and let them
get out of control. Now, if we think about the motives that Reiner might have for
allowing the students to become so involved in the activity, his personality will give us
the answer. Reiner is a natural leader, persuasive and competitive; he knows what he

can do and he does it with intellect and enthusiasm, so his pride and self-esteem are
really high. Hence, the fact that he could influence students behavior and way of
thinking made him feel that power that somehow corrupted his ethical professionalism.
The Wave gave each individual a sense of camaraderie and unity; a roof that
joined them all together, not only the class but also several students in the whole school.
Initially, this seems to be an excellent path for the project, but it turns the other way
when a boy, with very low self-esteem and no family support or love, gets obsessed
with a social group that accepted him and a leader who means everything to him. This
character is Tim, who became a very committed member of the wave as through it he
could find some friends and a refuge; and this is therefore, what affected more
negatively the project. That is, this very insecure and mentally unstable boy devotes
everything from him to what seems to purport his source of happiness and security but it
ends up being a sham, a derision and a sudden death for Tim. Reiner had the chance to
meet some of Tims vulnerability, but he continued the project without considering the
harm it could subsequently cause Tim. Reiner did not accept and protect what was at
stake.
As can be seen, The Wave turns around the profession of being an educator and
all the responsibilities, risks and duties that are attached to it as this profession entails
much more than the eye meets. To be an educator provides us with the power to
influence our students minds, but also and more importantly, it gives us a call which is
that we must be aware that we use such power the right way as for never do wrong to
our students. Finally, I would like to conclude this by citing very simple but very true
quote:
With great powers comes great responsibility
Stan Lee.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Gansel, D. (Director). (1988). The Wave (Drama film). Germany: Rat Pack
Filmproduktion.

J. David Rubiano F.