Books and Films which Inspire Teachers
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What books or films would inspire teachers to have high expectations of their students, especially young adults, so that they would give 100% each day to their teaching?
This question was posed on December 13, 2006 on the AALPD/NIFL Professional Development discussion list, and also on the NIFL Poverty, Race and Women discussion list. The original message and replies are posted below, preceded by a summary of the recommended films, TV videos, and books:
Films
Stand and Deliver (1988)
"Plot Outline: A dedicated teacher inspires his dropout prone students to learn calculus to build up their self-esteem and do so well that they are accused of cheating" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094027/
Dangerous Minds (1995)
"Plot Outline: An ex-marine teacher struggles to connect with her students in an inner city schools." http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112792/
Educating Rita (1983)
"A young wife decides to complete her education and take her exams. She meets a professor who teaches her to value her own insights while still being able to beat the exams. The change in her status causes friction between her and her husband." http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085478/
My Fair Lady (1964)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058385/
Green Card (1990)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099699/
Moscow on the Hudson (1984)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087747/
Pretty Woman (1990)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100405/
The Corn is Green (1945)
Plot Summary: Schoolteacher Lilly Moffat is dismayed by conditions in a Welsh mining town. She sets up a school to teach fundamental education to the villagers... http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037614/
Coach Carter (2005)
This is a moving very modern (this took place in the late 1990's) story where Samuel L. Jackson plays a sporting goods store owner who takes on the challenge of coaching a high school basketball team in a poor shool in Richmond, CA, where the students are plagued by violence, drugs, and a school system that assumes they will not graduate or amount to much. He ends up benching the whole team after he learns they are underperforming academically. Even though he is hired as a coach, not a teacher, his focus on academics and the change in his students' attitudes is inspiring.
Take the Lead (2006)
A new movie with Antonio Banderas playing a ballroom dance instructor who volunteers to monitor detention hall at an inner New York City high school, and ends up changing the life of the kids, their self esteem, and their outlook on life after taking on the challenge of teaching them ballroom dancing.
Lean On Me (1989)
Morgan Freeman plays Joe Clark, an inner city Patterson, New Jersey, high school principal who takles the issue of drugs and students' expectations in an underperforming school and succeeds in spite of having parents, teachers, and politicians against him. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097722/
Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)
Richard Dreyfuss played a composer taking a job as a music teacher at a high school and facing the challenge of teaching music to teenagers who are not interested. He of course ends up learning as much about himself as teaching his students and inpiring them with his passion for music.
To Sir With Love (late 1960's)
Sidney Poitier plays a black teacher in a white slum of London facing kids who distrust him because of his color at a time when he could not find any other job. Slowly through unconventional methods (including throwing away the books) he turns the lives of the kids around. In the process, they learn to call him "Sir."
Dead Poets Society (mid to late 1980's)
With Robin Williams playing an English teacher at a prep school who attempts to teach appreciation for literature to completely uninterested students. As students learn to challenge assumptions and behavior expectations they and their teacher run into a very conservative 1950's New England establishment.
The Emperor's Club (2002)
Kevin Kline plays a classics teacher at a prep school who 25 years after teaching his first group of well off New Englanders has an opportunity to see how profoundly he has affected the lives of the majority of his students. He learns, then, that he has had an impact even though he failed to change the one student he had wanted to turn around early on.
Good Will Hunting (1997)
"Matt Damon plays Will Hunting, a boy genius who was severely abused as a child and has been in trouble with the law ever since. When Will finally agrees to get counseling to keep himself out of jail and with his girlfriend (Minnie Driver), he meets Sean, the therapist (Robin Williams) who will change his life. Good Will Hunting tells the poignant story of Will and Sean's coming to terms with the blows life has dealt them and with the questions that lie in the future." http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119217/plotsummary
The Karate Kid (1984)
"A handyman/martial arts master agrees to teach a bullied boy karate and shows him that there is more to the martial art than fighting" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087538/
Good Morning Vietnam (1987)
Robin Williams does a very funny English language teaching scene.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093105/
Conrack (1974)
"A young, white teacher is assigned to an isolated island off the coast of South Carolina populated mostly by poor black families. He finds that the basically illiterate, neglected children there know so little of the world outside their island that they have virtually developed their own language ("Conrack" is their way of saying his name, Conroy) and, in fact, don't have much interest in learning about anything outside the island. He has to find a way to get through to these kids and teach them what they need to know and also to keep on the good side of the school superintendent, who doesn't want him there." http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071358/plotsummary
The Water is Wide (2006)
"The Water is Wide is based on Pat Conroy's book of the same title. It recounts a year he spent teaching African-American children on a remote barrier island off the South Carolina coast in the late 1960s. Mr. Conroy was young, naive, idealistic, and controversial. There are people still living in the South Carolina Lowcountry who regret the outcome of the Civil War and the emancipation of slaves, who will tell you that this work is fictional and unfair to the school superintendent and the black teacher. From my own experience working in Georgia schools during the same period, I know that Conroy's observations are right on target." http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0444706/
Rennaisance Man (1994)
"Danny DeVito plays an advertising man who is slowly sliding downhill. When he is fired from his job in Detroit, he signs up for unemployment. One day they find him a job; Teaching thinking skills to Army recruits. He arrives on base to find that there is no structure set up for the class. He begins by having them write and summarize books and magazines they are reading. When one of them asks him to describe what he is reading, he gives a National Enquirer's view of _Hamlet_, (Incest, murder, intrigue.) They ask to read it with him and the structure of the class is born; They will read _Hamlet_ and critically analize it." http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110971/
Stanley and Iris (1990)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100680/
Finding Forrester (2000)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181536/
The History Boys (2006)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0464049/
Freedom Writers
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0463998/
Teacher Movie
http://www.teachermovie.com/This short (free) movie is a story about making a difference. It is apparently based on a true story
TV series
CBS series Numb3rs
http://www.cbs.com/primetime/numb3rs/
The Ron Clark Story
A true story, starring Matthew Perry as an idealistic teacher from a rural upbringing who goes to New York City where he turns around a group of challenging students. Ron Clark's Essential 55 Rules for the Classroom has been a best seller. Ron Clark's school will be opening in South Atlanta in 2007. For more information: http://www.ronclarkacademy.com/ron_clark_academy/
The Wire
Books
Marva Collins' Way
This is about teaching younger students, but the approach and dialogue always improve my mindset.
Follow My Leader
by James Garfield"Eleven-year-old Jimmy Carter doesn't know what to do with himself when he is blinded by a firecracker in a freak accident. The usually energetic boy, who loved playing baseball, and going camping is quickly taken out of commission, and left to live the rest of his life in the dark. All alone. But that notion is quickly swept out of Jimmy's head when he begins working with Miss Thompson, a therapist who opens up a whole new world for Jimmy, one where he can walk by using a cane, and read by using the method of braille. But when Jimmy is given the chance to have his very own guide dog, he's ecstatic. He quickly packs up his belongings, and heads to the School for the Blind where he will learn to get around without his cane, cut food by himself, and, best of all, get his very own guide dog! But getting used to working with Leader - his dog - isn't as easy as Jimmy originally thought it would be. In fact, sometimes it can even be a bit complicated at times. But Jimmy knows that if he wants to make it in this cruel world he'll have to try as hard as he can to make things work with his eyes, Leader." http://www.amazon.com/Follow-Leader-James-B-Garfield/dp/0140364854
Reading Don't Fix No Chevys: Literacy in the Lives of Young Men
by Michael Smith and Jeffrey Wilhelm (Heinemann Pub)Describes "why boys reject much of school literacy and how progressive curricula and instruction might help them engage with literacy and all learning in more productive ways."
Thinking Points
by George LakoffThe Fred Factor
by Mark SanbornThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
by Mark HaddonSix Million Paper Clips
by Peter W. Schroeder and Dagmar Schroeder-Hildebrand http://www.marionschools.org/holocaust/sixmillion.htmTeach Like Your Hair's on Fire: The Methods and Madness Inside Room 56
by Rafe Esquith http://www.powells.com/biblio?isbn=9780670038152
Transcript of the original question and the replies:
From: djrosen1@comcast.net
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 682] A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 13, 2006 6:28:15 PM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
Cc: womenliteracy@nifl.gov
Colleagues,
I was asked today for a recommendation of a movie or book (such as "Stand and Deliver") which would inspire teachers to have high expectations for their young adult students, to give each day 100% to their teaching. What would you recommend?
David J. Rosen
djrosen@comcast.net
From: wbquinones@adelphia.net
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 684] Re: A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 13, 2006 8:22:23 PM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
Two come to mind -- "Dangerous Minds," which is more for high school age, and "Educating Rita" which is maybe for older folks. Both are really inspiring.
Wendy
From: djrosen@comcast.net
Subject: Re: [ProfessionalDevelopment 684] Re: A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 13, 2006 9:00:07 PM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
Hi Wendy and others,
Just to clarify, the book is to inspire the _teachers_ of classes of challenging young adults.
David J. Rosen
From: JLNAJCherian@aol.com
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 686] Re: A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 13, 2006 10:38:52 PM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
Hi, I agree, Educating Rita & Stand and Deliver. I use the musical "My Fair Lady" in my grammar workshops through the Texas GREAT center. How about "Green Card" or "Moscow on the Hudson" humorous love stories of immigration.
Lauri Cherian
From: craig@refinancequiz.com
Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 113] Re: (no subject)
Date: December 13, 2006 11:22:48 PM EST
To: povertyracewomen@nifl.gov
I would have to recommend "Good Will Hunting".
Craig
From: daviauk@billings.k12.mt.us
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 688] Re: A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 14, 2006 7:50:44 AM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
As a math teacher, I love the CBS series Numb3rs. CBS and Texas Instruments have teamed up to present 3-4 lesson plans for every episode of Numb3rs. Very engaging.
Kathie Daviau
Billings Adult Education Center
Billings, Montana
From: marie.cora@hotspurpartners.com
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 690] Re: A book or movie to inspireteachers
Date: December 14, 2006 8:03:36 AM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
Hi everyone,
How timely! Last night I saw The Ron Clark Story, starring Matthew Perry as an idealistic teacher from a rural upbringing who goes to New York City where he turns around a group of challenging students. It's a true story. Ron Clark's Essential 55 Rules for the Classroom has been a best seller. This fall, evidently a Ron Clark school was opened someplace in the south I believe. (Anyone know more about this?)
I know you asked about a book David - perhaps this 2006 made for TV movie was a book - I'm not sure. But I am going to go and get 55 Rules.
Marie Cora
From: donnaedp@cox.net
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 689] Re: A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 14, 2006 8:03:28 AM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
I love, love love, Educating Rita. I have used clips of it in training
teachers. A motivated adult student can learn no matter what his/her
academic background may be or where they come from. It also speaks to the
metamorphose of adults learners into independent learners.
I have also used the clip from Pretty Woman where Julia Roberts goes shopping and the fancy shop women don't think she belongs in such a fancy shop because she doesn't look the part. She later comes back with Richard Geer's credit card, dressed to the nines and lots of shopping bags from the competive stores. She tells them that they "made a big mistake". The message here is to not stereotype. Keep an open mind and believe everyone has the capacity to learn and go as far as they want if they have persistence.
Happy Holidays to All,
Donna Chambers
From: mcnutt@utk.edu
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 694] Re: A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 14, 2006 9:18:20 AM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
I like Follow My Leader, by James Garfield. I've always found the approach at the school for the blind to be wonderful. They focus on independence and personal responsibility.
Bill McNutt
UT Center for Literacy Studies
From: pmcnama2@twcny.rr.com
Subject: Fw: [ProfessionalDevelopment 682] A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 14, 2006 9:52:40 AM EST
To: djrosen@comcast.net
Fellow Instructors,
A very good movie for teachers and instructors is "The Mr. Clark Story". This aired recently on TNT. iIt is very touching movie and well worth watching.
Pat McNamara-GED Instructor for Jeff- Lewis BOCES in NYS pmcnama2@twcny.rr.com
From: bfortini@mmhs.u102.k12.me.us
Subject: Re: [ProfessionalDevelopment 682] A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 14, 2006 10:13:07 AM EST
To: djrosen1@comcast.net
Hello David and all,
I don't know how inspirational this movie would be for teachers regarding young adult students, but the movie "The Corn is Green" is one that I've often wished I could "screen" with adult literacy teachers. I'll paste the blurb from the Web search I did below, but what stuck with me most about the movie, in addition to the teacher's passion and dedication, was the fact that her class contained all ages of students, and all were learning to read. It sometimes is run on Turner Classic Movies channel.
Bonnie
Plot Summary: Schoolteacher Lilly Moffat is dismayed by conditions in a Welsh mining town. She sets up a school to teach fundamental education to the villagers...
From: fs_dos@yahoo.com
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 696] Re: A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 14, 2006 12:28:01 PM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
....I would like to share some titles from my list of movies to inpire teachers working with young adults.
Here are some that I like:
Coach Carter (2005) This is a moving very modern (this took place in the late 1990's) story where Samuel L. Jackson plays a sporting goods store owner who takes on the challenge of coaching a high school basketball team in a poor shool in Richmond, CA, where the students are plagued by violence, drugs, and a school system that assumes they will not graduate or amount to much. He ends up benching the whole team after he learns they are underperforming academically. Even though he is hired as a coach, not a teacher, his focus on academics and the change in his students' attitudes is inspiring.
Take the Lead (2006) A new movie with Antonio Banderas playing a ballroom dance instructor who volunteers to monitor detention hall at an inner New York City high school, and ends up changing the life of the kids, their self esteem, and their outlook on life after taking on the challenge of teaching them ballroom dancing.
Lean On Me (1989 or 90) Morgan Freeman plays Joe Clark, an inner city Patterson, New Jersey, high school principal who takles the issue of drugs and students' expectations in an underperforming school and succeeds in spite of having parents, teachers, and politicians against him.
Mr. Holland's Opus (1995) Richard Dreyfuss played a composer taking a job as a music teacher at a high school and facing the challenge of teaching music to teenagers who are not interested. He of course ends up learning as much about himself as teaching his students and inpiring them with his passion for music.
To Sir With Love (late 1960's) Sidney Poitier plays a black teacher in a white slum of London facing kids who distrust him because of his color at a time when he could not find any other job. Slowly through unconventional methods (including throwing away the books) he turns the lives of the kids around. In the process, they learn to call him "Sir."
And then there are two movies with similar theme where the students are not challenged. These are rich privileged kids also being changed by the passion of a teacher:
Dead Poets Society (mid to late 1980's) With Robin Williams playing an English teacher at a prep school who attempts to teach appreciation for literature to completely uninterested students. As students learn to challenge assumptions and behavior expectations they and their teacher run into a very conservative 1950's New England establishment.
The Emperor's Club (2002) Kevin Kline plays a classics teacher at a prep school who 25 years after teaching his first group of well off New Englanders has an opportunity to see how profoundly he has affected the lives of the majority of his students. He learns, then, that he has had an impact even though he failed to change the one student he had wanted to turn around early on.
I understand the first five movies to be based on real characters while the last two may not.
I hope this list helps. At least you will see some great performances by some very good actors.
Have a great holiday.
federico
From: djrosen@comcast.net
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 697] Re: A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 14, 2006 2:56:42 PM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
Hi Marie and others,
Thanks. I am looking for books _and_ movies. Stories of inspiring teachers of young adults.
All the best,
David
David J. Rosen
djrosen@comcast.net
From: djrosen@comcast.net
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 698] Re: A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 14, 2006 3:01:44 PM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
Andrea and others,
By "challenging" young adults I meant, school dropouts, returning to an alternative education program who have relative little time (for example one year) and who may be reading or doing math at an upper elementary school level, who may be skeptical about what education can do for them but who are willing to give it a second try. Also, because they are still young, they may bring with them some adolescent street behavior not appropriate to the learning environment. So films or books about inspiring high school teaching might fit the bill, too.
Any suggestions?
David
David J. Rosen
djrosen@comcast.net
From: kathy.knall@sinclair.edu
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 699] Re: A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 14, 2006 3:16:28 PM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
Reply-To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
Hello,
I assist in planning, producing and delivering professional development resources (and events) for ABE instructors in Ohio. The book "Reading Don't Fix No Chevys: Literacy in the Lives of Young Men" by Michael Smith and Jeffrey Wilhelm (Heinemann Pub)describes "why boys reject much of school literacy and how progressive curricula and instruction might help them engage with literacy and all learning in more productive ways."
The authors carried out some creative research methods and held extended interviews with forty-nine young men in middle and high school to reach their thoughtful conclusions. Even though these are not "adult" students, I felt a strong parallel to many of our younger ABE students.
Kathy Knall
Researcher/trainer
SW ABLE Resource Center
444 W. Third St. 12-201
Dayton, OH 45402
937-512-5364
From: laurie_sheridan@worlded.org
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 700] Re: A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 14, 2006 3:45:04 PM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
This is a TV show, not a book or film, but it's worth checking out.
I have recently been watching the current season of "The Wire," a fictional but grittily real series about inner-city life in Baltimore, including in the schools, on the streets, in police headquarters, and in city politics. The interplay among the characters and their constant butting of their heads against an intractable bureaucracy is deeply compelling though often quite bleak, and I can't think of a better portrayal of the lives and backgrounds of some of our learners. It principally follows a group of young African-American boys as they thread their way among unsupportive school system, police who sometimes abuse and sometimes nurture them, harsh family situations, and the pull of the street, gangs, and extreme violence. It's riveting, and the kids who are in their early to late teens are brilliantly acted. "The Wire," a bad name for a good show, refers to a wiretap the police use to try to trap the most brutal gangleaders, who are constantly luring the young students into the world of the street, murder and deals gone bad.
The scenes in the current season focus on the classroom and a new teacher (and former cop) who works with others in the school to find ways to reach, retain and educate the most at-risk among the youth. You get a close look at the barriers to his doing this, to the kids' learning and continuing in school at all--and their constant pressure to fall back into "the life" on the street in gangs and dealing.
It's on HBO, so you have to have cable, on Thursday nights, at least in Boston. You can also get it from Netflicks or from the video store. Previous years are nearly as rewarding, but this year focuses on the classroom so it's especially good. For any of you who saw "Boys of Baraka" this year--this is like a continuation, and in a very similar setting with similar characters, and it's even better.
Laurie Sheridan
From: andreawilder@comcast.net
Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 114] Re: (no subject)
Date: December 14, 2006 7:39:24 AM EST
To: povertyracewomen@nifl.gov
Try "The Karate Kid." Both inspirational and practical. If you haven't seen it, go get it and watch.
Andrea
From: daniel.paul@aiu3.net
Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 115] Re: (no subject)
Date: December 14, 2006 9:35:49 AM EST
To: povertyracewomen@nifl.gov
Books to consider:
Thinking Points, by George Lakoff
The Fred Factor, by Mark Sanborn
(Does anyone give 100%?)
Dan Paul
AIU-Career Dynamics
Youth Workforce Development
475 East Waterfront Drive
Homestead, Pa 15120
412.394-5702
412.394-5835
From: EBrown@parkland.edu
Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 116] inspiring video
Date: December 14, 2006 8:52:52 AM EST
To: povertyracewomen@nifl.gov
I would recommend "Billy Hawkins with Dr. Mike Kneale" This is the
contact information I have:
Produced for the National special Children's Fund & Infinitec Southwest Communicorp, Inc. 160 North Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60606 800.367.9274.
It's really a 20 minute speech by Dr. Kneale that tells the story of one young man originally in the sp. ed. system. I use it for college students to show them anything is possible. I have also shown it to teacher groups.
Evelyn
Evelyn Brown
Academic Development Specialist
Parkland College
2400 West Bradley
Champaign, IL 61821
217.351.2587
ebrown@parkland.edu
From: cb.king@verizon.net
Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 117] Re: (no subject)
Date: December 14, 2006 10:18:15 AM EST
To: povertyracewomen@nifl.gov
There is also the "Good Morning Vietnam" movie where Robin Williams does a
very funny ESL scene. Also, Mr. (Somebody's) Opus." Was it "Holland,"??
"Can't remember the teacher's name. But I also loved Educating Rita.
And Jane Fonda and Robert Deniro did a wonderful "sleeper" about teaching an adult to read a few years back. Anyone remember the name of that one?
Catherine King
From: irrobert@swbell.net
Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 117] Re: (no subject)
Date: December 14, 2006 10:49:54 AM EST
To: povertyracewomen@nifl.gov
How about "Conrack" or "The Water is Wide", two movies about Pat Conroy's experience as a teacher on an isolated island off South Carolina. The story is touching and especially relevant for anyone in or going into the teaching field.
Robert
From: ejonline@comcast.net
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 702] Re: A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 15, 2006 12:29:26 AM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
I just want to second the shout-out to the Wire. I have watched the show from the first season, and I think it is the greatest show in the history of television. Hands-down.
What is so great about this season is that the portrayal of the school system takes the time to really work through the implications of many issues educators are grappling with. One on-going discussion involves whether or not pull-out programs targeted to help "at risk" youth constitutes tracking. Another on-going issue is making the material relevant to the students'. There are no quick and easy answers - the show is realistic in its complexity. Watching it makes me want to work harder.
There's plenty of graphic violence (physical, emotional and social) and language so, as they say, viewer discretion is advised.
Erik Jacobson
From: Barry.Burkett@Franklin.kyschools.us
Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 119] Re: (no subject)
Date: December 15, 2006 12:42:14 PM EST
To: povertyracewomen@nifl.gov
Rennaisance Man. Danny DaVito as a washed up exec has to teach a group fledgling, young, wannabe, soldiers and doesn't have a clue. He shows up, doesn't really want to teach, but because he reads Shakespeare the students get into it too. I think its a good all around movie.
From: angela_r25@yahoo.com
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 704] Re: A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 15, 2006 3:24:11 PM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
The Ron Clark story is inspirational. Wow, he has turns education on it head and really makes learning fun for his students. Matthew Perry does not have the energy that Ron has so make sure you get the DVD and watch the specials that Ron does after the movie.
I know that Mr. Clark teaches Middle school but I think we can have the same effect on Adults if we love what we do and find a way to connect like Mr Clark does.
http://www.ronclark.info/story/
Thanks,
Angela Childers
Literacy Council of Tyler
(903) 533-0330
From: djrosen@comcast.net
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 705] Re: A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 15, 2006 8:37:15 PM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
Colleagues,
Another book, one that my wife, who was for many years a public school art teacher, recommended, and I found very inspiring is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, by Mark Haddon.
"Every once in a while, a book comes along that opens up a completely new point of view to its readers. In The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Mark Haddon writes a story from the perspective of an autistic boy, which opens up an understanding of what life looks like through the eyes of this disability. But Chris, the protagonist, doesn't seem to feel that he has any disability at all. In fact with his photographic memory and advanced math skills, he looks at non- autistic people as having disabilities. Chris does display many of the symptoms of autism -- he doesn't like people touching him and when under stress he will collapse to the floor and make groaning noises. Chris has -- to him -- logical explanations for his behavior.
One night, fifteen-year-old Chris finds his neighbor's dog, Wellington, dead her front lawn with a garden fork sticking out of its side. Chris likes dogs and he likes mystery stories, so he decides that he will do detective work to solve the mystery of who killed the dog. One of Chris's teachers encourages Chris to write down the events, and the book represents the story of Chris's detective work told from his own perspective. Chris must balance his fear of strangers with his desire to interview people about the murder, and mainly he does overcome many of his fears to keep up with his investigation. Chris does solve the mystery of who killed Wellington, but he also uncovers a family skeleton in the closet that he has a hard time dealing with because of his autism.
Haddon uses a repetitive narrative style that evokes the speaking patterns of many person with autism, but the repetition doesn't distract from the story. Through Chris's viewpoint, we get a glimpse at the different mechanisms that might take place within an autistic mind. I think that the best fiction opens up our minds to a viewpoint that we otherwise would find foreign or complicated. In The Curious Incident, Haddon provides a view of autism in a engaging way that we want to read for the mystery and enjoy because we like Chris as a person -- something that we might not have understood if we bumped into him on the street and heard him bark like a dog. " http://www.i- reports.info/b/B200629.html
David J. Rosen
djrosen@comcast.net
From: LPinder@cyitc.org
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 712] Re: A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 18, 2006 7:25:44 PM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
As a product of Baltimore City public schools and a resident of Baltimore City, it saddens me to see the disarray of the Baltimore City Public School System. Although the problem of poorly functioning public schools is not just endemic to Baltimore and is prevalent in almost every inner-city across the nation, the problem seems to be of crisis proportion in Baltimore.
I am thankful for television shows like The WIRE that give realistic accounts of the horrors of the public school system and other “systems” that impede the educational process of hundreds of thousands of youth. In a city where more than 50% of ninth graders drop out of Baltimore City Public Schools and the drop-out rate for African American males is reported at 76%, it is a no-brainer as to why there is a growing need for effective professional development for educators (adult literacy in particular) in Baltimore and across the nation. Statistics show that the Baltimore City Public School Systems and other major public school systems are producing more drop-outs than graduates.
One major problem in Baltimore is that stakeholders would rather give up on the public school system than invest the time, money, and effort to make it better. Most middle class and upper class Black and White parents send their children to private, charter, or Catholic schools. These parents, not even the elected officials including the Maryland Governor elect with several school aged children, are willing to enroll their children in the Baltimore City Public School System.
As an educator who does not have children, I am often challenged by my peers on what I would do if I were in their situation. Most of my peers who live in Baltimore and other inner-cities around the country have enrolled their children in private or charter schools. I wonder what impact we – as concerned citizens - would have on the public school systems across this nation if we demanded our elected officials (the Mayor, the City Council President, the CEO of the Public School Board, the City Council Member, etc.) to send their children to public schools. I wonder what would happen if the majority of middle and upper class Black and White parents in Baltimore enrolled their children in Baltimore City Public Schools. I wonder what would happen if we as educators, parents, investors, citizens, elected officials, etc. stood in solidarity and demanded better public schools not just in Baltimore but across the nation.
I wonder how our government could spend billions of dollars to fight a war in IRAQ when the minds of hundreds of thousands of American children are casualties of ineffective, under-funded, and poorly managed public school systems. I wonder how many more episodes of The Wire and how many more movies like Dangerous Minds do we need before we “be the change that we want to see…”
Lynn Pinder
DC Children & Youth Investment Trust Corporation
1400 16th Street, NW Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036
www.cyitc.org
From: iris.broudy@SDH.state.ma.us
Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 121] Re: inspiring films
Date: December 18, 2006 8:41:51 AM EST
To: cb.king@verizon.net, povertyracewomen@nifl.gov
The Fonda/DeNiro movie was "Stanley and Iris" (1990) and yes, it's "Mr.
Holland's Opus."
Iris L. Broudy
ESOL Instructor/Programs Dept.
Hampden County Sheriff's Department
627 Randall Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
(413) 547-8000 ext. 2468
Fax: (413) 583-3099
iris.broudy@sdh.state.ma.us
From: BBoggs@umchousegr.org
Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 122] Re: inspiring films
Date: December 18, 2006 9:24:32 AM EST
To: povertyracewomen@nifl.gov
My favorite is "Finding Forrester". Although this is a story about a
high achieving young man and his mentor, it still encompasses many
issues about race, poverty and expectations.
Betsy Boggs
From: Pennington@centerforliteracy.org
Subject: Movies
Date: December 18, 2006 5:38:20 PM EST
To: djrosen1@comcast.net
[Posted here with the permission of the author]
Hi David,
My name is Nikki Pennington and I would like to share a list of movies that was shared with me. I hope this will help you. I will send the titles with at least 2 sites which should help you with a description of the movie if you are not familiar with it.
Have a great day,
Nikki Pennington
The first movie was used by Kelly Day and this is what she shared:
I recently used Akeelah and the Bee. Great on so many levels (character motivation, connection to own life, sequencing, making inferences, etc). But especially from a literacy aspect. It really helped open up the discussion, etc on word origins, prefixes, suffixes, roots, etc. Also great for discussion on ways that someone can create an environment and support system for their learning. Was great to watch with subtitles on so we could watch them spell out the words. Also great for practicing decoding using the words they used in the bees, as well as for using context clues for word meaning.
Websites to visit for a description of each movie
Akeelah and the Bee (2006)
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808718529/info
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0437800/
Coach Carter (2005)
http://www.coachcartermovie.com/home.html
http://imdb.com/title/tt0393162/
Dangerous Minds (1995)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112792/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dangerous_Minds
Dead Poets Society (1989)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0097165/
http://www.peterweircave.com/dps/
Educating Rita
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085478/
http://www.citizencaine.org/films/educating-rita.shtml
Freedom Writers (2007)
http://www.freedomwriters.com/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0463998/
Freak the Mighty (1998)
http://www.rodmanphilbrick.com/mighty.html
http://www.seacoastnh.com/film/mighty.html#hotlinks
Lean on Me (1989)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097722/
Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113862/
http://www.teachwithmovies.org/guides/mr-hollands-opus.html
Renaissance Man (1994)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110971/
http://www.answers.com/topic/polymath-1
Stand and Deliver (1988)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094027/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand_and_Deliver
Secondhand Lions (2003)
http://www.secondhandlions.com/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327137/
Take the Lead (2006)
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808718772/info
http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie.aspx?m=582051
The Emperor's Club (2002)
http://www.theemperorsclub.com/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0283530/
The Ron Clark Story (2005)
http://www.ronclark.info/story/ <http://www.ronclark.info/story/>
http://www.ronclark.info/Message_Forum/default.asp <http://www.ronclark.info/Message_Forum/default.asp>
To Sir With Love (1967)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0062376/ <http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0062376/>
http://www.jacquedee63.com/tosirwithlove.html <http://www.jacquedee63.com/tosirwithlove.html>
From: bonniesophia@adelphia.net
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 715] Re: A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 19, 2006 9:37:41 PM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
Hi, Lynn,
As a former resident of Baltimore I am dismayed by the situation you represent. I’m from Baltimore County originally, and my family still living in the area are also in the surrounding counties with their children, but I know the city system quite well. I had been under the impression, from a distance of many years, that the Cal Ripken literacy initiatives and the very good work coming out of the U of MD among other places in the state would have “saved” the public schools. I am saddened to know this is not the case. Certainly in my own community of Waterbury, CT, though a much smaller city, many of the problems are similar: high drop-out rates, low mastery test scores, parents sending their children to magnet schools, private or parochial schools if possible, and on scholarship. My present position teaching freshmen classes in basic writing/reading skills at a university that accepts many inner-city at-risk students bears out the sad preparation, both cognitively and on the basic skills levels, students are graduating from high school with. I welcome my position as a “last chance” for some of these kids, but my worry is that the gap may be too great, if, indeed, they become aware of it at all. Some do and do wonderfully; others do not. My best wishes for you and your practice in my native town.
Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D.,
Post University
From: laurie_sheridan@worlded.org
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 717] Re: A book or movie to inspire teachers
Date: December 20, 2006 3:49:24 PM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
I too hail from Baltimore--though I only lived there till I was 10 years old, I did my elementary school years there. In the '50's there was no kindergarten for anyone, and we had 60 kids in a class, then went to "split sessions"--half of us in the AM and half in the PM. We learned, but it was somewhat chaotic. I lived there right at the time that Brown vs. Board of Education was being decided, and then the schools were integrated --and after that point, as far as I can tell, were allowed to deteriorate even further. Like many other cities, Baltimore has been a predominantly African-American city since the post-World War II migration, and the city fathers apparently decided that meant the schools could be left to decay. I had hoped things had gotten much better in recent years. It sounds as though the City schools definitely have not, at least in the inner city, I'm sorry to say.
A lot of what I know is based on two sources: "The Wire" on Cable TV, which is fictional but apparently very true to life; and a documentary film one of my sons worked on recently, called "The Boys of Baraka," which follows a group of African-American middle school boys from very "at-risk" situations who are selected for and sent to a private, residential school in Kenya for two years. Both are filmed in Baltimore, and based on realistic classroom and community situations there. The classroom scenes are horrific, caring adults are few and hard-pressed to be able to help effectively, the kids' futures seem totally bleak, and the brutal suddenness with which their dreams are aborted is painful to watch, even in "just a movie."
The hardest part is watching how potential solutions, and programs targeting at-risk youth, are systematically undermined or become political pawns in some larger bureaucratic politics that serve special interests but not the majority of the youth or their families. All of the well-meaning adults are constantly frustrated by "the system" in their efforts to teach or nurture the kids, and by default the boys are left on their own to find ways to survive. Maybe because they're poor, and black, and have many other barriers--no one seems to care what becomes of them. It's amazing to me that some actually manage to survive anyway, despite all the odds.
We should be watching shows and films like these ourselves if only to understand the backgrounds, barriers and survival skills many of our learners have experienced and developed. They might also provide good substance for classroom discussions and "life skills" and goal setting activities. But, mainly, to respect our learners and where they come from.
I don't mean to imply that Baltimore is unique in this regard. I'm sure it's not the worst place in this country in which to grow up, but the recent film and TV coverage hopefully can highlight what's happening to a lot of "throwaway youth" there and elsewhere, who do know that "the system" has virtually no good future in mind for them, and try to cope as best they can. Today's Baltimore students in K-12 are tomorrow's ABE learners--if they are lucky enough to live that long and be otherwise in shape to participate in programs.
Laurie Sheridan
From: sjrhodes@tampabay.rr.com
Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 133] Re: PovertyRaceWomen Digest, Vol 2, Issue 14
Date: December 21, 2006 12:21:58 AM EST
To: povertyracewomen@nifl.gov
My suggestion is a classic from 1967, and one of my favorite inspirational films - To Sir, With Love - Here are a few reference sites that I googled:
Bio/Info on the movie and Sidney Poitier: http://www.thegoldenyears.org/poitier.html
Movie database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062376/
BTW, the video is available in several different languages...
Shirley Rhodes
From: mickiflips@hotmail.com
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 749] Freedom Writers
Date: January 15, 2007 1:52:27 PM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
Hi all,
I went to see Freedom Writers Sunday afternoon. I believe all teachers, and especially adult education teachers, should see this movie. In addition, I believe seeing this film would encourage adult ed. students to persevere with their education. Based on a true story, the teacher in the movie uses lessons from the Holocaust to ignite a desire for tolerance, change, and success in the lives of her students. (Students are from dysfunctional homes, various cultures, gangs, etc. in California)
As a former participant in the Holocaust training in Adult Ed., I was especially moved by the events in the story. Now, I want to read the actual publication (Freedom Writers).
Has anyone else seen the movie? What were your thoughts? It was one of the best movies I've seen in ages! And...based on true events.
Micki Jaggars
From: rberdan@csulb.edu
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 750] Re: Freedom Writers
Date: January 15, 2007 6:14:45 PM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
Several years ago Freedom Writers was the selected title
for the “Long Beach Reads One Book” project sponsored by
the Long Beach Public Library Foundation. In
collaboration with the project we developed a multimedia
e-book of selected diary entries which is still on line
at:
http://cetl.edtech.csulb.edu/freedom
The voiceover is from some of the students originally involved in the Freedom Writers project, who were at that time students on the CSULB campus. Now that the movie has come out, it may again be of interest.
Robert Berdan
Center for Educational Technology and Learning
California State University, Long Beach
From: DHohmann@hays489.k12.ks.us
Subject: [Assessment 581] Re: Books, Films and TV Videos that Inspire Teachers
Date: January 16, 2007 2:22:19 PM EST
To: assessment@nifl.gov
Lean On Me is an old movie that actually came out when I was in high
school I believe, but it was one that inspired me as a student and now
as an educator. It was wonderful to witness an entire community come
together to make a difference that brought great strides and success
into the lives of the student population. I thought it exemplified what
we all aspire to be and what it takes to be a successful learning
community.
Donna Hohmann
Middle School Counselor
From: fantine@ohio.edu
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 754] Re: Freedom Writers
Date: January 16, 2007 12:04:58 PM EST
To: professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov
PDers:
I also went to see this movie over the weekend - and yes, definitely an inspiring film for educators of all types. Freedom Writers reminded me of the Paper Clip Project (<http://www.marionschools.org/holocaust/>), a similar project started by middle school students in Whitwell Tennessee. As a professional in the field of professional development, I am always encouraged when I hear about teachers who inspire their students beyond what is considered in a "typical" classroom. We have proof that the learning that goes on by empowering students in the ways the teachers did in both these projects is so much more transformative and relevant than the "learning," if you can call it that, that goes on when students sit in their desks, flip through page after page in a workbook, and take a test to see how many additional worksheets they need to complete in order to "learn" what they don't know. It's difficult for me to understand why a majority of teachers (in K-12 and in adult education) don't challenge their students more in the ways expressed in Freedom Writers and in the Paper Clip Project ( I know there are many who do, but definitely not a majority). If it's the establishment that prevents this, then maybe we need an educational revolution.
To me, it's a "no-brainer" based on what we ALL know about learning - of course, students are going to be more engaged when the readings assigned for the class are relevant to the experiences of the students in the class; of course, students are going to be empowered when the assignments for class give them a voice; of course, students are going to perform exceptionally well when the expectations and the encouragements from the teacher model the expectations of exceptional performance; and of course, when students are respected, they will give respect, ...and the list goes on.
And yet, we see so little of this in most classrooms (and I include K-12, adult education and higher education) - WHY?! I know there isn't one answer to this: it's easier to do the norm, it takes more energy and more risk to do what the teachers did in the projects described above; fear of the unknown; pressures from the environments within which we work (the teacher in Freedom Writers definitely did not get the support from her leadership initially); it's difficult to "go against the establishment" when your job depends on maintaining the status quo (but this teacher knew what would empower these kids and was determined to provide what they needed) - and I'm sure it doesn't help that most of the teacher preparation programs in this country keep teachers "inside the box." As professional developers in adult education, what more could we do to inspire, prepare and support instructors to create the types of learning environments provided by projects like Freedom Writers and the Paper Clip Project? -and please don't say more time and more money, which are the two excuses we all use far too often to prevent change in our classrooms (it's easy to say, we don't have the money to do that, oh well...and let it go).
It would be my dream to get to a point in education when things that happen in our classrooms like in Freedom Writers and in the Paper Clip Project, aren't that big a deal and don't make national news - they're just a matter of practice....
Jeffrey A. Fantine
Director, Literacy Center
College of Education
Ohio University
340 McCracken Hall
Athens, OH 45701
800-753-1519
Fax: 740-593-2834
www.ohio.edu/literacy
