I am responding directly to the way Professor Beach treats the Eden Prairie School Board member in his first chapter, “Goals for Media Literacy Instruction.” As an Eden Prairie graduate myself, I feel that I have 1.) Perhaps some pride at stake here that makes me empathize with this board member, and 2.) An inside view that might show how this issue is more complicated than Mr. Beach makes it sound.
The board member is quoted, “To me, showing movies is a pretty low skill-level. I would rather that teachers use the skills they have to get students involved in reading and discussing topics… If we’re showing a lot of videos in the classroom, then I view that as a problem. We do get parents calling us, saying, ‘Why are they showing Schindler’s list? Why are we showing Pippi Longstocking?”
Beach spends the chapter essentially disproving the idea that multiple medias should not be a part of the classroom. And although I agree with him in all aspects, I am not so sure that this school board member is really the evil we are battling. This school board member MAY have, IN CONTEXT, had a valid point.
I think that what the board member may be speaking to is when technology takes the place of learning in a classroom. And that is a problem. And it does happen. Even in the best of school districts such as Eden Prairie. Maybe as students we have all felt it… when the teacher needs a day off to catch-up on grading and pops in a video and hands out a worksheet just for peace of mind rather than building upon class material or enhancing understanding. The point to be made here is not that videos and other technology have no place in the classroom, but that they are often the scapegoat for what is actually some instructor-slacking.
And if this is the scenario/context that we are dealing with, “showing movies” IS a “pretty low skill level” and I don’t think that Beach would disagree with that. The question is whether teachers can offer a good explanation for the parent who calls to ask, “Why are you showing Schindler’s list?” If that teacher can rattle off something like the following, I don’t think anyone would have a problem…
“Schindler’s List is one of the greatest works of art and film created in our time, and we are analyzing it in bits, connecting it with several units of class material. Connected to our persuasive letters, we are using the film as a source of for identifying Ethos and Pathos. In literature circles, we are reading, “The Book Thief,” a holocaust story told from the perspective of an Anti-Nazi German family. We use Schindler’s list to compare the influence of perspective, and clarify the meaning of certain literary elements such as symbolism and implied metaphor. We are using the film, together with the novel and several shorter non-fiction texts to study genocide in other times and places in history. We will culminate in a written and visual performance that the students use to persuade readers and viewers for a certain social action, using what they have learned about persuasion and literature and visual representation.”
Ya know what I’m sayin?!” We can and should be using film AND music AND blogs and all kinds of different media that keeps students thinking, creating, and gaining knowledge in our world… but it has got to have purpose… or else, well, there isn’t any.
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I hear you! There is tons of potential for students to develop critical thinking, writing, and interpersonal skills, in response to watching a movie (or working with other forms of technology)! It is really up to the teacher to foster the development of these skills through presenting students with meaningful learning expereinces.
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