Share something about the film you watched that you hope to discuss in class. Reply to the comments that name your film so that all of the comments for each film are grouped together. Try to include something from what we have discussed so far in this course (e.g, purposes of school, individualism, opportunity, class and race, teacher and/or student agency, the limits of the art form, etc.).
The film I watched was "To Sir, With Love" directed by James Clavell. The film is about a teacher named Mr. Thackeray who has to, you guessed it, teach a class full of troubled students. While the synopsis isn’t that new, it definitely has a unique feel to it. An important point of interest is that it takes place in the 60’s, where social norms, music, and fashion were changing. One of the more interesting aspects is when Mr. Thackeray changes his approach to teaching; he decides to shift from teaching them things like math, to teaching them about life. He lets them ask about various topics like social norms, love, rebellion, etc. The film even touches on the subject race, which was an especially important subject since this took place in the 60’s. While the film discusses important social topics for the time, a few of the social standards it discusses can be considered dated, especially how it views gender roles.
ReplyDeleteChristine Jacob:
DeleteI thought the different interpretations in the film of what the purpose of school is was interesting. In Thackeray’s mind, the purpose of school is for everyone to learn about the world, life, proper behavior, and moral values; In fellow teacher Weston’s mind (and perhaps in the principal’s mind too), the purpose of school is learning, which is only for good students or those who actually “have potential”. In Thackeray’s students' eyes at the beginning of the film, school didn’t have a purpose and was just for wasting time; they don’t consider it to have importance because they believe (and have been constantly told) that they don’t have any prospects.
I’d especially like to talk about how the story handled the possibility of a student being infatuated with a teacher; I wish the story had Thackeray address it head on and make clear boundaries because although nothing really happened, it made me feel unnecessarily uncomfortable at certain moments because of anticipation from dread. Additionally, the way he rebuked the girls in his class during the pad incident was questionable; it felt like a drastic measure, but maybe I’m not comprehending how gross that situation would actually be.
The film I watched was "Freedom Writers". It's about Erin Gruwell, a new teacher, who takes a job at Woodrow Wilson High School in California. The school recently had transfer students from different racial and class backgrounds, leading to tensions and violence among the students. Gruwell emphasizes the importance of individualism, encouraging her student to express their experiences and voices through journaling. The students start to see education as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. As they write about their own experiences with violence, racism, and loss. This shows agency that comes from self-awareness and the realization that they can shape their own futures. The film also goes into the agency of both students and teachers, as Gruwell fights the school administration demonstrating the struggles teachers face within unfair educational structures.
ReplyDeleteThe film I watched was “Freedom Writers”. I didn’t fully understand what it would be about and if I would like it but the storyline was fascinating. I thought that the teacher-to-student relationship was going to be like any movie but it ended up taking a slightly different turn. I feel like she truly made a difference in the kids' home lives and didn’t just focus on trying to reach out to them with just their grades. I think that her genuinely gaining their perspective on their lives with what they go through and taking a step further to reach out to the head of the county was what made her a stronger character. This movie also portrays multiple racial stories and how there would be all these different interactions between each race because of their community and the gang activity happening. The teacher also sacrificed her home life and her marriage because of how dedicated she was to her students which I think emphasizes the quote “it’s a calling, not a job” about becoming a teacher. Overall, I loved this movie and I definitely felt connected to it.
DeleteThe movie I watched was Dangerous Minds, which was about a new teacher in a class of kids who aren't the best students (similar to Welcome Back, Kotter). The film showed a lot how race and class changes your ability to focus on schooling. Most of the students were from bad neighborhoods and had to keep up a reputation of being tough to avoid being a target, one worked a lot and was pregnant. The movie also directly talks about choice (somewhat the agency of the students and teacher) when the teacher tells the students they can go, and that they are all making the choice to get on the bus and come to school instead of selling drugs.
ReplyDeleteJay Lyons ^
DeleteI watched the film stand and deliver and some things I found interesting about this movie is that they were very real about the topics in the movie. Even going as far as to have one character point out that the only way to get test scores up was to raise the social class of the school. I found this interesting because most films wouldn’t be so blunt about topics like this I feel like they always dance around it in sines ways. I also enjoyed that the female characters actually had parts in this movie apart from other shows that came out around this time like Welcome Back, Kotter. The female characters were well rounded and had there own plot lines which I enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteWhen watching the movie, “Lean on me,” I immediately noticed the contrast between the predominantly white school, where Joe Clark faces resistance from administration, and the Black school, depicted almost like a "jungle," with chaos erupting in the opening scene. The movie had a core theme which was utilitarian individualism, as mentioned by Bulman. Clark's tough-love approach (via operant conditioning) suggests that if students take ownership of their lives, they can overcome their environment. Overall, the film made me raise questions about how much power a single person like Clark can have in transforming a failing system.
ReplyDeleteThe movie film that I had watched was freedom writers which was about a new teacher named Erin Gruwell coming to a school in California in a whole new different environment teaching students from all kinds of race learning through their own struggles everyday through life such as gang violence, racism, and loss of family members or freinds and telling her she doesn't know what its like to go through those things. to which their teacher sees education as a way out for them to be successful inline rather than throwing their own life away. which she ends up having them writing about their own experience throughout their entire life of what they have seen so far.
ReplyDeleteAubrey:
ReplyDeleteThe film I watched was ‘Stand and Deliver’ 1988. The setting takes place at Garfield High School in Los Angeles. The school is full of Latino students who come from working-class families; some in gangs, some in the workforce, or some that take care of the family. Regardless, the students have an education below their grade level. They’re teacher, Escalante, whom they call Kemo, does not wish a path of failure upon them. Despite the other teachers who are unqualified and do not have faith in the students, Jaime put them before himself. He sets his standards for the class involving the humor and tricks of the teens into his math lessons. Students are prompted to engage in class or to not show up at all. This is an example of agency seen in Jaime throughout the entire film. A few students that are focused on are Angel, Anita, and Lupe who each have certain responsibilities that keep them from class at times. Angel is part of a gang-that disconnects from school-but is also the sole caretaker of his ill abuelita. Anita is a top student and is pressured to drop out of school by her father in order to work at her family restaurant. Lupe is the guardian of her younger siblings while her parents are at work. Her mother doesn’t care as much for Lupe’s intelligence when she believes a man can take care of everything. The students' situations are examples of individualism and limitations. To save the accreditation of the school, Jaime pushed his students to study for the AP Calculus Exam. Due to their backgrounds and race, many believed that Escalante’s class cheated on the exam. This movie showed that with hard work, barriers of the students’ limitations can be overcome.
watched the movie school of rock. The movie takes place in a private school named Horace green preparatory school. The main character Jack black portrays himself as a rock loving enthusiast who wants to start a band. He is unable to find any crew mates and decides to work as a sub at the school. He finds passion in teaching the students about Rock N Roll and makes a band out of the students. The movie was good and shows the way that finding your passion instead of following others will lead you into a job you enjoy. Its about "fighting the man", as Jack says in the movie. It allows the students to escape their overbearing parents and find some enjoyment. In class we talked Students had agency in old films where they could decide whether or not they would comply with the teachers, in this film its the opposite. The students are just slaves to the school and are incapable of doing what they enjoy. Jack wants to show them that there are things in life that they need to fight for.
ReplyDeleteThe film that I watched was "stand and deliver". I truly thought it was a great movie, and was even happier to find out that it was a true story at the end. The film revolved highly around class and race. The underfunded school seen in the film was primarily hispanic and located in Los Angeles, CA. The story revolves around a new teacher coming into the school and pushing a group of kids to reach for higher. Unfortunately, even the administrators at the school and the departmental faculty do not believe that the kids could ever achieve greater things like learning calculus.
ReplyDeleteAfter the students learn calculus, they all enroll to take the AP Calculus Exam. After they all do very well and earn high scores, they are accused of cheating. This part of the story is especially when race takes a big role. If the same scores were coming from a more affluent school, the students would have never been questioned. In order to prove the administration wrong, the students all take the test again with even lest time to prepare, and do just as well.
The movie I watched was Stand and Deliver. This movie addressed multiple topics such as gang related behavior, gender roles, how teachers view their students, the importance of education, and underfunding in public schools. While an underfunded school is on the brink of losing their accreditation a majority of its teachers express an unmotivated attitude towards keeping the school afloat. I was surprised at how the teachers talked about the students they taught, they were saying how they can't teach these kids because they are incapable of learning. I thought this was very interesting and this film is a complete contradiction of this statement. I think this movie shows the importance of attitude and motivation, both from the teachers and students side. Agency is shown in this film on both ends as Mr. Escalante is able to create time outside of school to help his students, and the students could choose weather or not they wanted to commit to attending.
ReplyDeleteThe movie I watched was Lean on me (1989). I enjoyed the movie very much, the story was of a man who was sent to a chaotic school and turned it upside down in the best way possible. He became what all the students needed both academically and emotionally; he supported all students no matter what their issue was and I believe that is the entire purpose of school. He did have some bumps along the way with a few teachers but in the end he made it right using his agency and stuck it to an unjust, classist, and oppressive system.
ReplyDeleteLean On Me is an inspiring film based off a failing school in New Jersey that is given a chance for success under the new leadership of principal Joe Clark. Principal Clark adds rigor and discipline to the foundation of the school allowing it to prosper with more educated students. In relation to this class, the movie shows a form of an individualistic structure as the principal amongst the teachers fight to show students their worth/ value on an individual level. Instead of falling victim to the system, principal clark works to help his students understand how much more there is to life.
DeleteRachel Wolburg:
ReplyDeleteI chose the movie Freedom Writers. The movie follows a brand-new teacher, Erin Gruwell, whose first placement was at a school that was currently undergoing an integration program. She learns quickly about the racial tensions among her students and about the gang war happening around her involving her students. As the movie goes on, she tries to connect with her students and understand their background and their lives. She encourages them to write in journals about their experiences and lives. By doing this, she’s encouraging individualism. Gruwell also demonstrates respect for her students, and with her efforts to connect with them as people and show that she cares about them and their education, they start to gain respect for her. With this respect, the students start to pay attention to her in class and slowly learn to care about their education and see its importance. Another aspect this movie goes into is the lack of support for the teachers in the classroom. Agency is shown when we watch Gruwell going against the district and trying to secure funding for her students. She may be the educator of these students, but she still has people above her, which makes it difficult for her to secure what she needs for her students. If the people above her don’t see the point in supporting the students under her charge, then she is not given the resources and support she needs to enrich the learning of her students. Still, she does what she can to support her students and provide them with resources. Almost like the first episode of Abbott Elementary when Janine has to use her own resources to get what her students need because those above her won't help. I think the most interesting thing about this movie is that it was based on a true story. I haven’t done research into the differences between the real story and this movie but I’d love to see what the original story really it.
The movie I watched was "Lean on ME". The examination of individualism and community in "Lean on Me" caught my attention in particular. The movie shows Joe Clark, a principal, trying to turn around a failing school while highlighting the value of both individual accountability and group effort in education. Clark's unconventional approaches upend the established quo and draw attention to the conflict between institutional restraints and teacher autonomy.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in talking about the movie's treatment of the relationship between race and class in schools. It serves as an example of the more general social problems that affect educational possibilities and the resiliency of students who must overcome them. I would be interested in knowing what other people think about how Clark's strategy aligns with or deviates from our conversations regarding the goals of education and the role that educators play in advocating for their students.
The movie I watched was stand and deliver. From initial research from trying to pick a movie I saw this one was a true story and immediately decided to watch it. The movie itself focused on the relationship between the teacher and his students, and the problems/conflicts they faced throughout their time in and out of the classroom. Something I noticed immediately in the film was that the teacher was not swayed easily by the students teasing, and was teasing them back, at some points a bit too much but generally keeping his relationship with them a friendly and supportive one. I really enjoyed this, as it felt more natural than teachers feeling weaker and growing over time. The movie also revolved around race, which was especially apparent towards the end as the students were investigated for alleged cheating due to the amount of passing scores and similar mistakes.
ReplyDeleteThe movie I watched was Freedom Writers. When I initially read reviews before watching the movie, the ratings praised how the movie was different from other school movies, saying it does not follow the same path or cliches. However, I found it to be more similar than I was expecting--in my opinion, it's to be expected that there are similarities because it's the same genre, I guess the reviews had me thinking Freedom Writers would be in a league of its own. Something I wouldn't mind touching on in class is how the movie still pushes the "white savior" trope in class and what the effects of that trope are.
ReplyDeleteI watched the film "Dangerous minds". This movie was very similar to types of media we discussed in class and especially Welcome back Kotter. The teacher Ms. Johnson enters the class as a new teacher to a class of students that have a bad reputation. Like in Welcome back Kotter, when Ms. Johnson entered the class the students were loud and had no interest in actually learning, which means the students had all the agency initially. Over the movie she connects with the students and even visits some students parents to tell them there have been doing good in her class. She forms a bond with most of the students but one student's mother takes her son out of class. She does not agree with Mrs. Johnsons teaching and tells Mrs. Johnson that she cant relate to the kids because she doesnt know what its like to live in these neighborhoods, which is a theme we have discussed throughout the semester. In the end she gets most of her students to stay in school and graduate high school and lets the students be proud of their own individualism and strengths.
ReplyDeleteThe movie i watched was lean on me. In Lean on Me, the portrayal of Eastside High is highly exaggerated, making it seem like the school is in complete chaos. Additionally, the film's portrayal of Principal Joe Clark suggests that one person can single-handedly turn around an entire school, which feels unrealistic. While Clark’s strict, no-nonsense approach can be seen as an example of individualism in action, the film overlooks the fact that real, sustainable change requires collaboration and more resources than just one authoritative figure.
ReplyDeleteThe movie I watched was 'Lean on Me'. Through Individualism, Clark incorporates individualism through his unusual methods and strong personality. He prioritizes his vision for the school and is willing to challenge authority to implement change, showcasing how one person's determination can impact a community. Through race, the film addressed racial tensions within the school and the community. Clark’s efforts to unite a racially diverse student body and solve systemic problems highlight the challenges of addressing race in education. The film emphasizes the importance of understanding and overcoming these barriers to create an inclusive environment. Through class, The film illustrates the challenges faced by students and families that are poor, as the school serves mostly a low-income population. Class inequality is reflected in the education system's lack of assistance and resources.
ReplyDeleteThe film i watch is lean on me purposes of school the importance of Community involvement The film shows how the whole community needs to be involved in order to create a supportive learning environment The importance of taking responsibility while the Black school is portrayed as a "jungle," with mayhem erupting in the opening scene, and Joe Clark encounters opposition from the administration.
ReplyDeleteThe film I watched was called "Freedom Writers," a movie about a teacher who reaches out to her students at Woodrow WIlson High School in Long Beach, CA through literature. A point in the movie that i thought showed individualism is when the kids in the class took turns verbally accosting the teacher Erin Gruwell.
ReplyDeleteThe film I watched was *Freedom Writers*. It tells the story of Erin Gruwell, a new teacher at Woodrow Wilson High School in California. The school has students from different races and backgrounds, which has created tension and violence. Gruwell encourages her students to express themselves by writing in journals. As they share their experiences with violence, racism, and loss, they start to see education as a chance for growth rather than a hurdle. This helps them realize they can take control of their own futures. The film also shows the struggles of both students and teachers, as Gruwell fights against the school administration, highlighting the challenges teachers face in an unfair system.
ReplyDeleteThe movie I watched was Lean On Me, I personally don't like older films, let alone these type of films because I tend to not be attentive. However, this film was genuinely interesting and inspiring. The movie shows the principle Joe Clark trying to turn around a failing and chaotic school for the better. Clark was truly what the students needed both educationally and emotionally, considering how things were. He always supported all his students which is crucial for school. Moreover, I also loved how one of the movies themes was individualism; which is important for school and the students growth.
ReplyDeleteRachel Wolburg
ReplyDeleteI myself, am not a documentary person. Nature documentaries are often too dark, and other than that, there are not many appealing ones. The last documentary I watched was a social experiment. Now, I like those types, but even then, I don’t watch many of them. What we talked about in class didn’t change my view on them very much, either. Perhaps it's because I already know how “staged” documentaries can be. Even non-staged ones usually have a certain angle at which they are trying to get. Take the nature documentaries there about animals, and yet these producers figure out how to give these animals a whole story plot. Seriously, they have an exposition, climax, and resolution, and by the end of it you are mourning the loss of some animal. I probably like social experiment documentaries more because they are an experiment, and there's no real angle to be shown at least in the ones I’ve seen.