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Film Flammed: Some Teachers Get Flak for Showing Flicks
Want to use movies in your classroom? Better watch your step.
by James Daly
To a generation of kids weaned on movies, using film in the classroom may seem like a natural educational tool for smart teachers. But the move to use cinema to teach a whole range of subjects -- history, sociology, perspective, and visual literacy quickly spring to mind -- may be a lot trickier than it seems. It can also get downright explosive.
Earlier this year, for instance, in a suburban Seattle high school, the film An Inconvenient Truth got even more inconvenient when parents complained that the school didn't present a balanced perspective about the film's warning of global warming. School district policy states that films presented must be accompanied by a "credible, legitimate opposing view."
The Federal Way Public School District, in Federal Way, Washington, imposed a temporary moratorium on the film; after two weeks of criticism in the local and national scenes, the school board still insisted that opposing views be considered.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Board of Education was sued in May after a substitute teacher showed the R-rated (and Oscar-winning) film Brokeback Mountain to an eighth-grade class. The lawsuit claims student Jessica Turner suffered psychological distress after viewing the movie at Ashburn Community Elementary School. The film, according to the lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court, was shown without permission from parents and guardians.
The twelve-year-old and her grandparents, Kenneth and LaVerne Richardson, seek more than $400,000 in damages. Turner's grandfather and guardian, Kenneth Richardson, explained, "It is very important to me that my children not be exposed to this."
Teachers have long known that community standards -- which vary widely around the country -- often dictate what they can (and can't) show in the classroom. Typically, parents are informed a few days before the showing of a film, allowing them a chance to have their child dismissed from the showing.
Still, controversies remain. Denise Harman, an instructor at the Dale Jackson Career Center, in Lewisville, Texas, recalls one teacher in her school getting an earful from a parent after showing The Graduate, director Mike Nichols's celebrated coming-of-age movie. "It's a great film for the students to watch and learn from, because it's got a wonderful script and great production," Harman says.
It also has a very brief showing of a woman's back after she undresses. "The teacher didn't realize that it would be controversial -- but they do now!" Harman says. Sometimes it's surprising where the line is drawn. The result, according to Harman: "We're more careful in what we show."
These concerns have some prominent filmmakers worried. "The one thing that each and every one of us uses every day is our creativity," says John Lasseter, an Academy Award-winning American animator and director of such films as Toy Story, A Bug's Life, and Cars. "Teaching film is not the issue; we're teaching creativity. We want to show kids how to imagine and create. We can use filmmaking to do that. We need to help kids nurture their creative side."
It's a particularly important issue to Lasseter, whose mother spent thirty-eight years as an art teacher at Bell Gardens Senior High School, in Los Angeles. "As a child, I saw the French film The Red Balloon in class. I still think about that afternoon to this day."
Francis Ford Coppola, another Oscar-winning director, whose work includes The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, has an idea: "Maybe we should trade the secretary of education position for a secretary of youth," he says. "We should be thinking not just about educating students, but about inspiring them."
Movies in the classroom
Submitted by Rene (not verified) on May 3, 2008 - 21:33.
Inglish is my second lenguage, so, you have to excuse me for my spelling.
I DO NOT AGREE with movies in the classrooms.
Have anybody seen the polls about how many hours kids wacht tv and go to movies this days?How do you think our ancestors learned back in the days where movies did not exist? All this coments I have read supporting movies in classrooms are garbage.
I take my kids to school to get educated by a competitive teacher NOT BY HOLLYWOOD. If I need to give my kids entertaiment, thats my job, not the teachers.
Thanks
The value of using media and film in the classroom
Submitted by Dr. Katherine Sogolow (not verified) on October 4, 2007 - 05:53.
Using film and various media, I have taught Theatre to students from Elementary age to College. When tied to instructional goals with supporting materials (source literature [books, articles, concepts]study guides, follow up projects etc.) using media (commercials, TV, and film --excerpts or full length) is an excellent way to teach almost anything from Language Arts to Science, to History, as well as the performing arts.
However, teachers need to learn how to teach effectively with these tools. Also, permission from parents (for students through 12th grade) MUST be obtained for student viewing: parents should be advised about the content and have the ability to voice their approval or disapproval (for example, if a parent does not wish a student to view a film such as "To Kill A Mockingbird", alternate activities in another class should be provided for that student on the day of the showing). Finally, material must be age-appropriate.
With effective integration of media and film into the classroom teaching environment, students can connect immediately to the learning concept, broaden their point of view, entertain new ideas and possibilities, see other cultures, hear other voices, gain inspiration and new approaches, become more thoughtful, resourceful, and tolerant human beings, and increase critical thinking and dialogue about myriad issues. Discovery of self and the world about us is a key benefit to such instruction.
It takes time to create substantive lesson plans that achieve these goals, and this is where training is helpful. There are many more resources available now than ever before for creating effective plans, and PLC's can help teachers work in groups to refine their teaching approaches and skills.
Often, just showing a clip is the best option to achieve the learning objective. However, it takes time for the teacher to view a complete film and make the critical choices to show certain clips. If the teacher cannot take the time to inform parents or make fundamental critical choices about targeted instruction, perhaps it is best not to use the proposed media.
films in class
Submitted by tom pasinski (not verified) on October 3, 2007 - 19:46.
I am a junior high teacher, and regularly use videos and movies to teach a particular topic. If the movie happens to have a rating higher than PG, and is still relevent to the topic, we must send home permission slips. Showing Brokeback Mountain and The Graduate, in my opinion, is ridiculous. What educational lesson is being taught with those movies that another, less adult, movie could not be substituted?
Movies and videos can be an important and useful tool to bring topics to life, but not if abused. And not if adult movies are shown without permission to students.
Thank you.
Substitutes with Spanish movies
Submitted by George Shimer (not verified) on October 3, 2007 - 11:25.
I teach high school Spanish. In the past, due to the lack of Spanish-speaking substitutes, I have shown different types of movies in Spanish and have assignments for the the students to do.
I am pleased that my administration is saying to cut out the movies and have the substitutes teach not just babysit. But what can they teach in Spanish. If I do give step by step instructions then I am killing myself to prepare a lesson in which they most likely will not be able to do anyway. As in today when they could not even find a sub for me my fellow collegues had to teach my class. Real fair for them to try to teach my subject. I am sure tomorrow I will have to either teach today's work and now we are behind or I will have to reteach what was messed up on.
I like my movie format when I am gone, due to the fact I can have the kids work on items that apply to what we are learning and I do not have to worry about the mess up that others do. Am I still behind, yes. But at least my students are continue to grow in what we are learning and use their Spanish.
Copyright?
Submitted by Chris (not verified) on September 27, 2007 - 10:10.
There's a line between "fair use" and copyright infringement as well - I'm hoping that these teachers showed excerpts from these films - appropriate in content or not.
Film Flammed article and some replies
Submitted by EB (not verified) on September 21, 2007 - 20:51.
Teachers should encourage discussion of different viewpoints and help students learn to research information to support those viewpoints. This article flippantly implies that two weeks of criticism of teachers showing "Inconvenient Truth" in the national press somehow proves that there are no legitimate opposing viewpoints or that anyone who doesn't believe Gore's Chicken Little predictions can be summarily dismissed. There are numerous articles from legitimate sources available on the Internet and quotes from respected scientists that argue against the purported "truths" highlighted in this movie.
Some films are not appropriate unless discussions of issues of morality are included. Objections about showing "The Graduate" clearly aren't just about showing a woman's back; the issue is the immorality of an extramarital affair. Just because the film is a classic doesn't mean it is appropriate for the classroom.
Abuse of Film in the Classroom
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on September 17, 2007 - 11:26.
I use film in the classroom so I'm not against it per se, but I know teachers who totally abuse the use of film in the classroom. It is a way for them to not teach, to grade papers, to sleep. I know of one teacher who averages three days a week showing films.
Sorry, but I'm not buying his rationale for showing this much film ("These are kids of the film generation. They won't read.")
I know an excuse when I hear one.
why not?
Submitted by David Phillips (not verified) on September 12, 2007 - 10:38.
So what, exactly is wrong with a "credible, legitimate opposing view?" If Mr. Gore's film can't stand up to opposition, then it's not much of an argument. As teachers, we dare not be threatened by students who want to think, school boards who require us to be politically balanced or parents who wish to question what we teach. If you are right, logical argument is no threat. If you are only biased, argument may threaten you, but only if you have a weak position.
I've been questioned before by parents and administrators, and I've welcomed their questions and even their objections every time. It makes me a better teacher.
Disney
Submitted by LW (not verified) on September 11, 2007 - 13:21.
As a parent and an elementary school teacher, I have seen many, many Disney movies in my day. Several of these creations tie in so well as reinforcers of concepts we are trying to teach. Finding Nemo, for example, contains so much enrichment when discussing ocean life, habitats and ocean zones. However, we have been warned at our school that Disney does not approve of our using their wonderful films to enrich our curriculum. Even to the point of major lawsuits that no one on an educator's budget could ever hope to fight. Does anyone else face this dilemma?
Movies in the Classroom.
Submitted by Matt Merrill (not verified) on September 11, 2007 - 11:04.
We have a responsibility to those we teach. Just what that responsibility is has a broad definition in the education community. I am a History teacher, a member of a group in our community that is particularly prone to showing movies in the name of education. As I see the issue, responsibility tends to be interpreted in two ways:
I've got the answers, or I've got the method.
In the "I've got the answer" category, you have teachers that believe they are the sage on the stage. Their beliefs, their data base, and their interpretation is the answer. They tend to use movies and stories and sources that back their answer, in a "see I told you so" fashion. In that case, the student is a mere juror, making rulings based on the perspective of the presenter.
When it comes to movies, in dealing with children so influenced by media, this is often the coup'd grace. It appeals to the idea "well, if it's on film, it must be true". In many of our eras it was the same of the written word. It is dangerous and limiting to put students in that position. First-time learning is an awesome thing, and if that learning is reinforced by the power of media, it is a hard bond to break. I think some of the great propagandist of our time know that secret. After all, Mussolini was an elementary school teacher.
"I have the answer" people normally have a high sense of responsibility to get the message out.
The other side is "I've got the method". In that, the teacher has the responsibility of showing students how to responsibly navigate our media rich society. Sifting through fact and fiction, identifying point of view, and creatively constructing their own conclusions are a few skills to be learned. Those skills are based on methods. It is a scary thing, I know, for content-driven people to comprehend. The idea of giving up content for the ability of the student to explore and learn, but the implications are great. Getting students to buy into taking control of their own learning is also challenging. This way tends to anticipate the fact that the student will be a life-long learner, and that eventually he or she will make his or her own choices on what to watch or read. In that case movies may be used in a very different way, if at all. As a historian I know that no movie is historically accurate, but many speak volumes about how a moment-in-time is interpreted by some in society. That can be very interesting in analyzing a group or society's values and bias.
I found it interesting in the article that a plea was made for creativity by the directors. I am sure they fear censorship. It is, however, a plea made in self-interest.
No art is created for art's sake. We all know these are rich and influential individuals who seek power, fame and reward. That should in itself give us pause to reflect on showing movies in class.
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