The Housekeeper and the Professor

Consider the role of the educator in Ogawa’s novel. Which characters serve as educators to others at various points in the novel? Is the Professor a “good” teacher? Why or why not? How does the Professor’s style of teaching compare to the educator you chose in your Personal Connection Prompt?

Teaching Suggestion: Teaching and learning happen in both direct and subtle ways in the novel, and students might discuss briefly in pairs or small groups the various ways in which the role of the educator or archetypal mentor appears. For example, over the course of the novel, the Housekeeper listens attentively to the Professor as he engages in didactic discussions with both her and Root. She realizes her interest in mathematics does not end with her employment at the Professor’s house; in fact, he has awakened a love for learning by providing a new lens for her to view her world. This prompt invites students to connect their earlier responses on traits that mark a “good” teacher with what they have learned about the Professor and other characters in the novel. Additionally, students can review the themes of The Poetry of Mathematics and Philosophies of Education and make connections as they address the prompt.