1Why did Mr. Holland say he got his teaching degree?
Answer: So he could compose in his free time.
As it turned out, Mr. Holland rarely had free time. This is true of all teachers. You don't go into teaching for the money or the free time you'll have!
5What did Mr. Holland do over the summer instead of composing when he and his wife decided it was time to buy a house?
Answer: taught driver's education
...or as Mr. Holland called it the year that Mrs. Jacobs retired, the Clyde Crashcup School of Driver's Ed! Does anyone really drive like that during the behind-the-wheel portion of Driver's Ed?
John Coltraine was a jazz musician...I've never heard his music, but apparently it is something that grows on you...such as when Iris tells Glen she is pregnant.
11What was the name of the very first student Mr. Holland had tutoring
sessions with before the school day started?
Answer: Gertrude Lang
Gertrude wanted to be good at something. She had a sister going to college on a ballet scholarship, a brother going to Notre Dame on a football scholarship, a mother who does beautiful water color paintings, and a father who sings for a living. 30 years later did she ever find her place in life - the governor of the state!
In the scene when Coltrane (or Cole, as they call him) is being born, Mr. Holland is in a car teaching driver's education to some students. He speeds the car to the hospital, doing things with a car that a driver's ed. teacher would not want to teach his students.
Iris finds out that Cole is deaf when they are at a parade in which Mr. Holland is leading the marching band. A fire truck sounds its horn very loudly, and everyone winces, except for Cole, who remained asleep in his stroller.
16When the principal of the school leaves, what does she give Mr. Holland?
Answer: A compass
Earlier, when she noticed that Mr. Holland didn't seem like he wanted to be there, she had said that a teacher should be able to give direction to a student's life, so she gave Mr. Holland a compass as a meaningful gift before she left.
17What was the name of the first class Mr. Holland taught?
Answer: Music Appreciation
Those kids didn't seems to appreciate anything. Did Mr. Holland ever change their minds! Years later, former students would tell them how fun and interesting the classes had been.
20What was the name of the girl who starred in Mr. Holland's musical?
Answer: Rowena
Mr. Holland encouraged Rowena to do whatever she wanted after she graduated, so Rowena decided not to work in the restaurant that her family owned, but instead to go New York and sing there.
21What kind of car was Glen driving when he pulled into the school parking lot the first day he taught?
Answer: a Corvair
...and at the end of the movie, 30 years later, the car was still around. Cole had it and Glen couldn't have it back-"it's a classic" I assume Glen got another car...hopefully before the "tires fell off".
22What was the name of the girl who could not play clarinet very well until Mr. Holland told her to "play the sunset?"
Answer: Gertrude
Mr. Holland asked Gertrude which attribute of herself she was proudest of. Gertrude said that it was her hair, because her father always said that it reminded him of the sunset, so Mr. Holland told her to "play the sunset."
In the movie, Gertrude went on to become the governor of Oregon.
23When Glen came to school to gather his possessions out of his class room for the last time, what did the football coach say he had a load of in the spin cycle?
Answer: jock straps
Of course the real reason he was there would become apparent later on.
24What was the name of the boy who Mr. Holland threatened to suspend after he complained about having to write a paper as punishment?
Answer: Michael
Michael Stadler (I think that's how you spell the last name) thought that he knew everything there was to know about music. He said that he didn't have to put any effort into the class because he knew the material, so Mr. Holland told him to prove it by writing the paper.
There are 33 questions on this topic. Last updated Oct 31 2024.
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