To Show or Not to Show a Film
Monday, September 21, 2009 at 1:38PM [Marcy Webb] Share Article Email Article Permalink in Curriculum 4 Comments 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. From, "Teachers Get Flack For Showing Flicks."
Last Friday morning was a particularly low point in my day. Apparently, a teacher - a department colleague, as a matter of fact - forgot to arrange for a sub and leave a lesson plan prior to going off on an overnight retreat on last Thursday. Which left twelve grade 8 French 1 students in the lurch.
As I was available - READ: No class to teach - I was asked to sub. Since there was no sub plan, I decided to allow the students to have a study hall. This, apparently, didn't square with my supervisor, who believed that a film should be shown. However, I am not as knowledgeable about the French department's collection of films as I am with the the Spanish department's. I also don't believe in showing a film, "just because." To the contrary: I show films as a meaningful component of the Spanish curriculum, and at points in a given unit which make logical sense in what the students are learning.
The most appropriate film I was able to locate is a travelogue about France. The content is quite good, save for the fact that it is about 20 years out of date.
Clearly, my supervisor and I have different philosophies re: when to show films. For her, they are a filler in the absence of a more suitable alternative. For me, they are teaching tools. Not that a film shown as a filler cannot in and of itself teach, but, for me, films when used in this manner seem to lack substance, and are detached from a larger schema.
I'd rather that the students wrote a skit related to whatever it is they are doing at the time, versus having seen a film.
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Reader Comments (4)
Hi Marcy
How interesting to read that teachers who don't have a class to teach at a certain time are called in on the spot to sub elsewhere, too. This happens at our school quite a lot. However, what is different here, is that the absent teacher would be called wherever there are and asked to give/email a lesson plan. Mind you, this is particularly irritating (and unfair, if you ask me) if you are home sick! Another difference is that if there is no plan available, we, as subs, would be free to do as we please. No supervisor would interfere as in your school.
Anyway, as for showing films. I totally agree with you. Just showing a film to pass the time doesn't have a lot of educational value to my mind either. What purpose does a filler like that serve, other than just to keep the students in the classroom?
Hi, Sinikka.
Thank you for reading and for commenting. You articulated my thoughts exactly!
Yes; there was major interference on the part of the supervisor, aka division head. And, I can recall as vividly as if it were yesterday, doubled over in pain, suffering from what I later learned was a gall bladder attack, emailing a lesson plan. It is utterly ridiculous.
What messages re: leadership do the aforementioned send?
As for films, I've worked hard over the course of the last several years to refine my own philosophy on the subject, and to select and show films which line up with my curriculum. However, many at my place of employ share a mindset similar to that of my supervisor. Which is most unfortunate.
I am in TOTAL agreement. Films ARE teaching tools. For history, there are often filled with primary source material that help to clarify points or help student visual a period in history. . . . Thanks for this post!
Hi, Miss Teacha,
You make some very good points re: the educational value of films. I often find that students are being made aware of a particular issue for the first time, which is really inspiring.