The Importance of Teachers During the American Revolution, in the Basketball Career of Michael Jordan, and in the Novel, the Blind Side by Michael Oher

When left alone and allowed to do things their own way, people do not accomplish as much as they would if they had intelligent mentors. Individuals need teachers to guide them in the correct paths to success. This was demonstrated in the American Revolution when Marquis De Lafayette’s training greatly improved the colonial troop’s fighting abilities. Also, Michael Jordan would not have been successful without the wise teachings of his coach, Phil Jackson. Finally, in Michael Lewis’s non-fiction novel, “The Blind Side,” Michael Oher was struggling until he received assistance from the generous Leigh Anne.

First, during the American Revolution colonial troops and local militias needed training from Marquis De Lafayette. The troops and militias accomplished nothing when they were left alone to fight without proper training. Instead, they lost in many battles such as the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Once Marquis De Lafayette assisted the Continental Army’s troops, vast improvement in fighting capabilities was evident. The troops’ newly trained skills were demonstrated at the Battle of Saratoga and the Battle of Yorktown when the newly trained troops emerged victorious against the superior British Military. Had troops been left alone, they would not have developed the skills necessary to defeat the British in the revolutionary war.

Additionally, Michael Jordan’s career would not have been successful without the training from his intelligent coach, Phil Jackson. During the initial years in Jordan’s professional career, he proved to be an outstanding athlete. He led the National Basketball Association (NBA) in scoring multiple times, was voted Rookie of the Year, and was elected to several all-star teams. However, Jordan was unable to win NBA championships. His dilemma was reversed when Phil Jackson became the coach of the Chicago Bulls in 1989. Jackson changed Jordan from a scoring driven player to a team player. Phil Jackson was able to change Jordan, and Jackson eventually coached the Chicago Bulls through six NBA Championships. When Jordan was left alone with unskilled coaches he was not as successful as he was with the professional assistance of the legendary Phil Jackson.

Furthermore, in Michael Lewis’s non-fiction novel, “The Blind Side,” Michael Oher was not accomplishing anything until he was adopted by and cared for by Leigh Anne. Before being adopted, Oher was depressed, constantly homeless, and had not motivation to do anything. However, once Leigh Anne began taking care of him, Oher began to accomplish great feats. He went from failing school to eventually graduation high school. She also motivated him to follow his dreams of playing football, which led to Oher receiving a scholarship to play football at the University of Mississippi. Motivation from Leigh Anne and his great football skills eventually led the Baltimore Ravens to select Michael Oher in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. As seen in the outcome of the novel, the struggling Michael Oher would not have accomplished anything without the leadership, guidance, and nurture from Leigh Anne.

In conclusion, people do not accomplish things when left alone and allowed to do whatever they want. This was exemplified during the American Revolution when accomplishments only came after the training from Marquis De Lafayette. Also, when Michael Jordan was left alone he only focused on scoring, and only changed through the diligent coaching of Phil Jackson. Likewise, in Michael Lewis’s novel “The Blind Side,” Michael Oher had no success until Leigh Anne “entered” his life. Since many examples illustrate that people need others to accomplish difficult goals, it is evident that individuals need mentors to achieve magnificent tasks.