Who is Alfred Pennyworth? Here’s your background knowledge builder:

How could a comic butler and perceived underling possibly be the model of a Master Teacher?

He steps in when Bruce’s parents are gone.

As teachers we’re tasked with acting en loco parentis. Parents trust us to keep their kids safe and to guide them. Sometimes we might be the only adult role model a kid has.

It’s not all about him.

Alfred commits himself totally to Master Bruce. He devotes his life to protecting him even if it’s from himself. A Master Teacher devotes him/herself entirely to his/her students.

He lets Bruce find his own path.

Alfred never forces Bruce into doing anything. He shares his opinion, but the choice is always Bruce’s. A Master Teacher doesn’t try to control. A MT lets a student make his/her own decisions and mistakes.

He guides Bruce’s thinking by asking provocative questions.

Alfred, in his vast experience, shares stories and asks questions to guide Bruce/Batman’s thinking on a matter. A MT is a facilitator of learning not a giver of knowledge.

He doesn’t have to know everything. That’s Batman’s job.

Alfred knows a lot and has had some incredible life experiences, but he leaves it up to Bruce/Batman to master the skills and find the information he needs to solve a case or find a criminal. A MT recognizes that his/her students have their own skill sets and areas in which they excel and allows them to shine in those areas even if they are not the areas in which the teacher is strong. A MT is also cool with learning from his/her students.