When Comfort Level Gets in the Way

Sheldon Kahn mentioned in an interview with Gabriella Oldham that he tries to break out of the stereotypical molds that are set in place for editing certain types of scenes. But, even though he was very clear that he tries to do things differently and has a different attitude about each film, I couldn't help but notice that most of his editing has been done on Ivan Reitman films. Furthermore, most of those films kind of feel the same to me. Well, I was thinking all weekend about how comfort level or long-standing ideas can make for uninteresting, unchallenging and homogenous results. I've seen all of the films that Khan has edited that star Arnold Schwarzenegger and they mostly all have the same feel. 

Every year, my teaching partner and I try to change our lesson plans in order to meet the needs of the students that we currently have. Also, we try to ensure that we are not only making things interesting for the students, but that we are also challenging and engaging the students. We have a colleague (in my same grade level) who has been doing the same thing for five years now, regardless of the age level, maturity level, and ability level of her students. She refuses to try new things, and she rarely challenges her students. If they are not challenged with something new, then what is the point? 

This idea seems to be true of editing films and teaching. If we do not try something different, then won't all of the results be the same? All of the movies will be so similar that people will stop going to see them. Why pay for the same movie over and over? And for all students to be treated the same is a disastrous concept - no two students are alike and to assume that they are all the same will only result in unmotivated and unchallenged learners.