EdCircuit Staff 
Table of Contents
Few films capture the soul of teaching like Dead Poets Society. It’s a story about courage, voice, rebellion—and the radical act of caring deeply about poetry and people. But what if John Keating had a classroom in 2025? Would he still leap onto desks and tear pages from textbooks? Or would he launch a Google Classroom, host podcast-style lectures, and remix Whitman using ChatGPT?
“Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.”
Let’s seize the moment—and reimagine one of cinema’s greatest educators in today’s tech-rich, remote-ready, AI-enhanced classroom.
The Power of a Teacher: Then and Now
John Keating’s teaching style wasn’t about standards or state tests. It was about awakening. He wanted his students to live deliberately, to think independently, and to find their voice through verse.
Today’s educators face an entirely new classroom landscape. They toggle between hybrid schedules, mobile apps, and asynchronous modules. But like Keating, the best teachers still aim to inspire rather than instruct. They spark curiosity through Edpuzzle videos, lead discussions on Flip, and coach students into TED-style presentations using Canva and podcast mics.
The heart of teaching hasn’t changed. It’s just streaming now.
“Poetry, Beauty, Romance, Love… and Bandwidth”
“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute,” Keating said. “We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race.”
Imagine him today. He’d probably have a YouTube channel where he breaks down Shakespeare with passion, or a TikTok series on poetic devices featuring jump cuts and animated captions. He might post daily writing prompts on Instagram, record poetry podcasts on Spotify, or even host live jam sessions on Discord.
He’d still say, “Rip out the introduction”—but now he’d post that as a carousel slide on Canva.
Welton Academy vs. Zoom Academy
Welton Academy prized tradition, discipline, and conformity. It had “Four Pillars“: Tradition, Honor, Discipline, Excellence. But in 2025, conformity looks different. It shows up as algorithm-driven learning, rigid LMS expectations, and students crushed by the weight of college admissions rubrics.
Where Welton asked for obedience, today’s schools often ask for data.
Still, many educators are flipping the script. They’re using AI as a co-teacher, letting students explore poetry by generating alternate endings with tools like ChatGPT. They ask: What would Whitman say if he had a X account? Could a robot write a love poem?
AI isn’t the villain—it’s a prompt. A mirror. A challenger.
Where Are They Now? A Character Reboot
Todd Anderson (the shy student with quiet brilliance):
In 2025, Todd finds his voice in online discussion forums. He becomes a breakout star in his class, Flipgrid journal, builds a Substack of poetry reflections, and eventually starts a podcast titled Whispers into Verse.
Neil Perry (the dreamer trapped by expectations):
Today, Neil secretly edits short films on CapCut and uploads them to a private YouTube channel. He books roles in student film projects using Backstage, attends virtual acting classes, and eventually livestreams his performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream to thousands.
Let’s be honest—Neil would’ve crushed it on TikTok.
Charlie Dalton / “Nuwanda” (the provocateur):
Charlie runs a viral meme page satirizing standardized testing. He also moderates a Discord channel for student creators, pushes boundaries through digital art collages, and sneaks 3D-printed “carpe diem” coins into vending machines around campus.
Mr. Nolan (the headmaster):
Now he’s all about data dashboards. He mandates Proctorio for testing, checks LMS analytics nightly, and still doesn’t understand why a student needs to feel something to analyze a poem. He starts a blog on “metrics-based learning” that no one reads—except Keating, who comments anonymously.
The New Dead Poets Society
Would the Dead Poets Society still meet in a candlelit cave?
Probably not. But they’d meet.
In 2025, the Society is a hybrid club. It hosts poetry slams over Zoom, maintains a collaborative Notion board for sharing favorite verses, and produces a Spotify playlist called Verses That Matter. They run a shared Google Drive of favorite works and a Discord thread for 3 a.m. inspiration dumps.
The feeling remains the same: a sacred space for expression, rebellion, and meaning.
Why the Film Still Speaks
“Words and ideas can change the world.”
It’s one of Keating’s most iconic lines—and it hits harder today, when those words are retweeted, remixed, AI-generated, and algorithmically boosted.
But even in the age of instant answers and infinite content, the role of the teacher is more important than ever. We don’t need less Keating. We need more—teachers who help students feel, question, rebel, and belong.
Final Bell
To educators of today: Don’t fear the future. Channel Keating. Use every tool—AI, video, memes, music, Canva, Discord, chatbots—to help students find their verse.
And to students: Stand on your metaphorical desk. Create. Reflect. Make noise. Be heard.
The classroom may be different, but the call remains:
“O Captain, my Captain.”
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