Students always press for a movie day. Whenever a teacher,
and especially a sub, seem not to be sure of the lesson plan, it is always – movie,
let’s watch a movie…
It used to be the remedy for every space in instructions,
but in the past several years the district have put some limitations on it, and
schools became more critical of teachers who insert movies too often. Even
substitute teachers have to be very careful; it has to be under specific instructions
of the regular teacher. I, therefore, carry with me optional activities, in
case a teacher had not left a lesson plan.
It looks like the rules are loosening again, though, and I
recently encountered more and more instances where a movie was the educational plan.
Over the past school year I have seen many pictures in class, too often, unfortunately,
not the type I would consider a good choice for high school, let alone middle
school, students…
Regardless of choices, one thing never ceases to amaze me;
no matter what kind of a movie is being shown, students are not interested. As
soon as the movie starts students are turning to their preferred occupancy –
talking to a friend, styling their hair, putting on makeup, doing other work,
and most often getting on their phones.
Help me, someone, understand… if a movie is such a sought
after class activity, how come more than half the class doesn’t even watch it?
Why are they tuned out as soon as the screen in the front of them becomes alive
with pictures and words?
The teachers who do care prescribe some preventive measures.
There are teachers who ask students to write a summary of what they have seen,
others give a short quiz about the movie, or part of it, afterwards. One
teacher had left me desperate instructions about forbidding any cell phones and
turning off all the lights so students won’t be able to do anything else besides
watching the movie…
But students are smart, skilled and experienced, and would
do anything to defy the rules… so then, maybe, just maybe, teachers should be
the ones to follow the rules… and not show any movies…
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