LEARNING ABOUT TEACHERS THROUGH FILMArticle byAngela Raimo, Roberta Devlin-Scherer, and Debra Zinicola

Hook

Close your eyes.

Summary of the Article

Purpose: To show dominant teacher themes in film, discuss the implications of these themes for teacher education, and identify how teachers should be portrayed in future films.

Teachers in media can affect how real teachers are viewed. Media needs to move beyond stereotypes to show teachers in realistic settings, meaningfully impacting students.

Types of Teachers Teacher Theme Description

Guardian of Culture and Liberator Benevolent, sympathetic, dedicated (sometimes too dedicated)

Iconoclast and Subverter Destroys conventions, has radical opinions, manipulative

Alien-Culture Bearer Novice, naïve, emotionally unprepared, lacking experience. After difficulties, is transformed by the students, and forms warm, significant relationships with students

Agent of Change Aggressive, goal-oriented, tenacious, seeks change in the system, establishes mutual trust and respect with students

Learner Initially disconnected from teaching and the students, but learns how to teach and care for their students

Compassionate Mentor Caring, helps students achieve success through established curriculum, or by creating an appropriate curriculum

Weak Teacher Incompetent, impotent, unconcerned, having contempt for students, amoral (often got into teaching for the summers off)

Group Activity 5 groups of 6 On the front of the sheet is all the info

you will need to answer the questions on the sheet. For each clip identify the teacher theme. Fill out the Lasswell’s Communication

Model And answer the remaining question

(Which are a mix from the article and our own).

Clip 1 – Welcome Back, Mr. Kotter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLCadqX3Z34 Start at 4:30mins

Clip 2 - The Breakfast Club http://www.youtube.co

m/watch?v=bTeYncx1xmI

Clip 3 – Dangerous Minds http://www.youtube.co

m/watch?v=gA-5nLQCmW8

Clip 4 - Freedom Writers http://www.youtube.co

m/watch?v=G0rXUr-msX0

• Different medias - Movies vs. TV

Conclusion