Thursday, October 14, 2010

Visual Literacy




According to Martin Scorcese, "we should make room for film in curriculum. What you are doing is training the eye and the heart of the student to look at film in a different way by asking questions and pointing to different ideas, different concepts. You're training them to think about a story that is told in visual terms in a different way, and to take it seriously.  It is so important, I think, because so much in today's society is communicated visually and even subliminally. Young people have to know that this way of communicating is a very, very powerful tool."

In an ideal educational setting where (a) there were no restrictions on what type of movie you could show students and (b) you are able to facilitate the discussions regarding the movie without constraints, which movie would you recommend that students must view BEFORE they graduate high school?  

Please consider any movie regardless of genre, violence or sexual content.  Why would you recommend that movie?

21 comments:

  1. I am lucky in that, at one point in time in my teaching history, I did have this ideal freedom of artistic expression in the classroom. That was in Australia. Today my school requires a lesson plan to be submitted for review and the dean makes the final decision on the “appropriateness” of the film. Thankfully, a staple film in my repertoire has made the cut and I am able to continue showing it to all of my “favorite” classes. That film is Dead Poets Society (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097165/). Although this film tackles some serious and potentially morose issues (including teen suicide), it does so in a classically beautiful way that, I would go so far as to say, transcends time, age, gender, and race.

    I typically show this film at the end of the school term (3 months). We start by discussing poetry and inspiration. I tie in Randy Pauche’s “Last Lecture” to further emphasize the idea of being inspired and sharing gratitude. After watching the film (in multiple parts, stopping for discussion and to analyze the subliminal), we discuss who truly is at fault for the dead (by suicide) of the main character. We end with a “7 word challenge” writing (If you don’t know what this is, I highly recommend checking it out).

    The reason I choose this film, above all others, as a “perfect world” prerequisite to graduation is that it weaves together the themes of passion and dedication, responsibility and accountability, “carpe diem” and the fragile nature of life. It’s too easy to drift through your education and even your life with a lackadaisical approach and this film, coupled with careful lesson planning, can remind and inspire students (and of course, their teachers) to seize every moment.

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  2. If I had no restraints on what movie I could show and I was able to generate multiple discussions about the movie without restraint, I would show "Life is Beautiful" or "Pan's Labyrinth". These two movies are two of many foreign movies I absolutely adore. [Disclaimer: Just because I picked two foreign films doesn't mean I think foreign films are superior to American films, especially classic American films. These two just happened to pop into my head when I read the blog.]

    I would show "Life is Beautiful" because it is a brilliant Italian film that weaves comedy, tragedy, and drama with serious issues such as the tragedy of the Holocaust, fascism, family values, familial love, and marital love. I could teach my students about fantasy, silence, riddles, innocence, bravery and coincidence. Also, we could have discussions about the Holocaust, if the film was a comedy or tragedy and why, Benigni's unique acting style, the unique relationship between Dora and Guido, the transformation of Dora, Guido's parenting style, the significance of riddles, and the "Schopenhauer Method"(the ability to make something happen through sheer will or force).

    I would show "Pan's Labyrinth" because it is a beautifully imaginative film about the grim realities of war, fantasy, the nature of evil, symbolism and violence. There is an abundance of rich symbolism in this film that can be dissected and discussed with the students. It is both frightfully disturbing and poignant at the same time.

    Both films have so much to offer students both visually and intellectually.

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  3. In a perfect world setting I would share the film, Pulp Fiction. Real meets real. The ability to watch the movie in segments and set context for each part is how I envision myself using the film as a learning tool. Scorcese is one of my favorites and I never knew how he thought as a filmmaker nor a director. Utilizing the tools provided through film itself is applicable to any film and could bring learning to life! Allowing students to transfer their thoughts through their natural ability to analyze film and its components I begin to wonder how we could ALL appreciate film while studying it under the scope Scorcese recommends. The teaching opportunities are endless. Wow!

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  4. As a teacher, I would love to explore the movie The Shawshank Redemption with my students. Not only is it one of my favorite movies, but the film carries unbelievable themes of hope, courage, death, scandal, and freedom. Every time I watch this movie, I pick up on a new idea or theme that I had never picked up on before. I think that through watching, analyzing, and discussing this film, students have the potential to unlock a lot of these themes in a social way. Through this film, students would have an awesome opportunity to learn about themselves by following and relating to the characters. This movie has had a large impact on my life, as its quote "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies" is a quote I live by. The possibilities in exploring this movie with students would be amazing, and the chance to do so is something I can only hope for.

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  5. I have been thinking about what movie I would show for a few days, and the one at the top of my list, like Julie, was also Shawshank Redemption. However, it just came to me that the movie I think all students should see by their high school graduation is Forest Gump. I love Forest Gump and have no idea how many times I have seen this movie- yet whenever it is on T.V. (which is often), I always watch at least for a little while. I think it would be great to discuss the themes of this movie with students of all ages. Some of the themes that come to mind are perseverance, hard-work, dedication, and friendship. I feel that this movie tells such a great story, which is another aspect of the movie that students could learn from. For example, what aspects of Forest Gump make is such a touching movie? Another reason why I chose this movie was that it takes place during a time that was very important in our country’s history. Students could gain different perspectives on the Vietnam War and different cultures during that time (hippies, college students, soldiers, etc.).
    And, of course, there are also the great quotes that could be dissected such as “stupid is as stupid does”, and “life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get”.

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  6. This is indeed a very difficult question to answer because I believe there are lots of movies that students have to watch before they graduate. Even choose only one representative from each type of movie from different cultures, there would be over one hundred movies.
    If I have the opportunity I will choose many different kinds of movies for students but if I have to choose one, science-fiction genre movies would be in my consideration because they make all kinds of prediction of the future and are always incorporated with the most advanced visual technology in the world.
    If I have to choose one representative from all those brilliant science-fiction movies, I will choose Avatar whose theme might be a little bit controversial in America but is absolutely the best choice. The aesthetic value of Avatar is high, we can discuss about what factors contribute to make this "visual feast". The answer would probably include character design, color choices, advanced 3D technology implementation, perspective of each scene and so on. Then we can move on to discuss how each factor works. Another reason why I choose this movie is its incorporation of "multiple themes". The respect for nature and every creature, no matter our enemy or "food", emphasis on spiritual communication and even its hint of American government are all good points for consideration and discussion. In addition, since this movie is very popular and profitable, students could also start to think about what makes a successful movie. The ultimate goal for choosing science-fiction genre movie is to activate students' brain to think about the future and reflect on our lives. However, in order to reach this destination there are lots of other types movies that students need to watch and books to read and works to be done. Avatar, in my opinion, will be a good start.

    October 18, 2010 1:56 PM

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  7. I think that every student should see Schindler's list before they graduate high school. I remember watching this movie when I was in 10th grade when we were learning about the Holocaust. Although we all knew what had happened during the Holocaust, it wasn't until watching this movie that I realized," Oh my gosh, this really happened?" Just recently I watched the movie, "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas". If I could, I would show this version of the events of the Holocaust to younger children just because the story is from the point of view of a young naive boy. I think that children would really be able to connect to this. However, the ending of this movie is extremely traumatic- so I couldn't show it to Kindergartners.
    I definitely agree that it is highly important to allow room for film in the classroom. Sometimes hearing about historic events may seem hard to connect to since it happened so long ago, however if you have a visual story to watch it sort of "paints a picture" making it easier for you to understand what really happened.

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  8. I sat back and thought about this question for a few hours because there are SOOOO many great movies out there. I reflected on the movies I was shown when I was in high school. In my English classes we saw the movie for almost every classic we read. Funnily enough though, the one movie that I'm so glad my HISTORY teacher made me watch was Gone with the Wind. I'd never had interest in this movie, assumed it was a classic romantic cheesy film. Of course it was, but it was also so much more. I loved the characters and their development through the movie. It also had so much history of the war. It would make for some very great discussions. Going along with what Martin Scorsese was talking about, just noticing the way the lighting in scenes is, or the music and how that influences the way you interpret what's happening. Even the small details such as scenery, costume designs, the language being used. I think anyone could appreicate this film for something other than being a romance.

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  9. This post is really giving me a hard time! I can remember seeing countless movies and thinking, wow if only students could see this; now as I sit and try to answer this post for the third time, I am still stuck. Like many have said, The Shawshank Redemption is an amazing movie with great educational value. The ideas of freedom, determination, injustice, and hope are themes all students should see and analyze. I actually showed a small segment of this film when I was teaching One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest to 12th graders, and the response to the 5 minute segment was incredible. The students asked insightful questions and were emotionally hooked on the theme I was presenting; I was sad I couldn’t show the entire thing. Come to think of it, some parts of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest are worth showing in class as well! That movie presents a lot of pressing issues about morals, ethics, mercy, self-identity, and the treatment of the mentally ill.

    Another movie that I think is great for the classroom is My Cousin Vinny (this is not just because I am Italian and from New York). I think the movie does a great job at highlighting the aspects of a faulty legal and court system; therefore, the movie could be used in any social studies classroom to discuss what was wrong and how the case would/should have been handled in real life. The movie would lead to some interesting conversations about miranda rights, the arraignment process, problem solving, and how to interpret evidence. The last I find most important because the movie encourages you to read between the lines to critically analyze the evidence and realize it is all based on faulty logic. It really encourages students to think critically about the information that is presented to them and not to accept information at face value; and as we know, this is a valuable lesson in today’s society.

    Finally, from my English teacher lens, I would want to show a few different versions of Macbeth. I have seen Macbeth portrayed in film in so many different ways, and I think it would really benefit students’ understanding to watch the different versions and analyze how they affect the overall story. Students can look at lighting, music, costumes, and the characters to determine what aspect of the play each movie wanted to stress. This type of activity would teach the students critical literacy, visual literacy, as well as, multiple perspectives.

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  10. There are tons of great movies that I want to choose, but finally I decide to pick the Japanese Anime Movie “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time”. I choose it not only because it is a very interesting and touching movie, but also because the main characters are all high school students, and it has a rich flavor of life. I believe the students would easily establish a connection to the experience and emotions with the girl in the movie: struggling between academic life and having fun, between the role of kid and adult, and the sense of melancholy and lost toward future. What would happen if she suddenly got the power to leap through time? The answer seems obvious: do whatever she want and fix everything didn’t go well! Yes, at first, everything just goes perfect, but gradually, things seem to go in a wrong direction. Not all the time lost can be back again, and not all the things can be fixed without a cost. Someone always have to take the responsibility for the things happened. As the sentence throughout the movie: “time waits for no man”, I want my students get the message before they graduate from high school: 1) cherish every second they live, because it is time that composes and records their lives and memories; and 2) think more before making a decision and take responsibility after making it, because they are growing into adulthood, not back to childhood anymore.

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  11. The movie that I would choose for my students might basically focus on the historical film if there is no restriction. Last year, I watched a Chinese historical film, which is titled "Bodyguard and Assassins." The background of this movie was based on the real revolution in early 20 century. Even if it is not a documentary film, the historical event are truly incorporated into this movie. Thus, my students will not feel bored when they watch this movie. Nowadays, not every student likes history. I hope my students can understand what they have right now was from the revolution. The most important point that I hope my students understand is that cherish the lives they have because you never know what is going to happen next. The other main point that I also hope my students can think about is that the relationship between you and family is very important. The last but not least, history is made from our ancestors' lives. Thus, we should have the basic knowledge of our history. Do not forget what they did for us.

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  13. The first film that comes to my mind when I read this question is “The Blind Side”. I found this film to be a film that had me fully inspired. It is simply about a family that is doing something great in a person's life whom would have never had the opportunity otherwise. It is so inspirational, very heartwarming and refreshing due to the fact that it was inspired by a true story, and great to see that there are in reality people in this world with heart to be compassionate to help others without a second thought.
    This young man was going nowhere in life due to the circumstances he faced. This family showed him love and a way he can make something out of his life. I think this story may leads others include me to take similar steps to make a better world.I know it affected my family; sometimes we didn’t value what we have until we loose it. This story affected my children to value what they have and to help others because they know that one simple proceed may change a person’s life.

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  14. This is a difficult question! Trying to select just one film is akin to trying to pick my top travel destination if I could go anywhere in the world...Movies afterall are like fabulous places, there are just so many good ones to choose from.

    I have always loved the movie "Out of Africa" and not just because of Robert Redford's good looks ;) The movie has incredible footage of Africa and the natural beauty of such a wild, pristine and untouched land is amazing to see on film. The importance of the environment and preserving our world's beauty is just one of the messages I have always taken away from the film even though that message is never explicity stated. From an educational standpoint, the film allows for the discussion of many topics: conservationism, cultures colliding, greed, woman's independence, slavery, white power and tradegy.

    Another reason I would choose this film is that the two main characters in "Out of Africa" are people of character and integrity. Many high school seniors are in the process of developing who they are and need to be reminded of what qualities really matter in a person. The film also shows the power of being able to tell a good story. Karen, one of the main characters, has a talent for telling fabulous stories on a whim. The idea of being able to craft a story on the spot, is an exercise in language and creativity. After discussing all the weighty themes of the film with my students, I would follow it up with an exercise in storytelling.

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  15. I would recommend that every student, before he or she graduates high school, see "The Five Obstructions". I think this is one of those rare, wonderful films that teaches attuned audiences a variety of lessons. There are four main points that I drew from the movie's plot and aesthetics: what connects us as individual persons is more meaningful than social group identifications, challenges are potential sources of creativity [the perfect human jumps and falls], a sense of mystery and wonder should be cultivated not cynically bashed as something to outgrow, and seeing is itself something to be celebrated as a force one activates. I first saw this film half-way through my undergraduate career and it was a transformative experience for me. With guidance, I can see a 'shared-reading' of "the Five Obstructions" being a powerful capstone for high school students.

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  16. I have a list of movies that I thought of to answer this question. It is definitely difficult to narrow it down. However, I chose the movie 'Pay It Forward'. The movie is based on an 11 year old boy whose teacher gives him, and his class an assignment to not only devise, but to put into action a plan to make the world a better place.
    The movie came out in the year 2000, and I was 12 years old at the time. I remember thinking that I wish my teacher would give our class an assignment like this one, and how I could devise a similar plan to change the world for the better. The movie follows a little boy who starts his plan by doing a favor for three people, and asking each of them to ‘pay it forward’. His thought is that if everyone pays it forward in their own way, there will be an endless amount of good deeds being performed each day.
    This movie would show students that if people took the time to do something nice for others the world would be a more beautiful, more loving place. What better lesson for students to learn than how their simple individual efforts could make such a wonderful, beautiful difference in our world.

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  17. If I could show any movie to students before they graduated from high school I would recommend they view Mean Girls or another movie about bullying. If you had asked me this question a month ago I would have suggested something else. But bullying is such a prevalent problem it needs to be addressed. Students could watch the movie and then discuss bullying in the context of the movie. For example, what is bullying, how was it shown in the movie, what did the characters do in reaction to the bullying? Hopefully by watching and talking about the movie and bullying students will feel there is hope and not like so many students in the last month take their own lives.

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  18. If I could show any film in my classroom I would show Y tu Mama Tambien. Although this film is filled with sex, it carries a very good message about the twists and turns that life has in store for youth. Many youth believe that their best friend now will be their best friend forever, that their relationships won’t change, but they’re in for a rude awakening. This movie shows the changes that go on in the lives of two best friends and how their life experiences change their friendship and their lives. I think it would be great to show to youth because it was at least somehow warn them or at least try to warn them of changes ahead.

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  19. I would recommend I am Sam for students to read. I believe that its a great introduction to special needs. I'm not sure who has seen it on here but Its about a mentally challenged man who get a homeless women pregnant. After having the baby leave him at the bus stop with a new born and never returns. He raise his child till about 5 or 6 and than CPS gets involved takes the child away. Now he has to fight to get his child back. Its a powerful movie and give high school student plenty of things to discuss and write about. LOVE this movie!!

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  20. OOps- I don't know what happened but I didn't post anything last week. Sorry. So, here's my late post.
    The movie I would recommend that high schoolers need to see, is rather a genre. I think they need to see classic movies. These movies are the beginning of visual literacy and more importantly showcase actors and actresses who were valued for completely different reasons. I think it can bring up dicussions about body types and personal values in familes, divorce, and issues relating alcoholism and abuse.
    I think these icons are hige parts of our society that if these high schoolers could learn about, they would have a cultural reference for their futures. Furthermore, many have been remade and they've most likely seen the new versions. It makes for a good English class comparison and it can be cross curricular into history. Plus, as a female, I think a lot of ladies can see what real romance needs to be. :)

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  21. If I was to choose a movie to be watched before students left high school it would be The Outsiders. While it certainly touches on serious issues, especially violence, I think the film has a great story that students can relate to. While I would hope that most students' lives do not contain the drama of the characters' lives, I think that students would be able to find at least one character that they could identify with. The struggles that the characters go through reflect life lessons and through these struggles they show core values like empathy.
    In my school community, gangs are something that are prevalent in the student's lives. Even if a community is free of gangs or school violence (which seems unlikely these days) the topics in the movie are still relevant.
    I would have students watch the movie after reading the book.

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