Thoughts on Television & Film (Part I)

Television and film are compelling in the sense that they both posses the ability to transport you to another world. If the film is done correctly, it has the ability to bring forth many emotions that captivate your attention and make you feel a series of strong emotions stemming from the unfolding story line. For example, over winter break I saw Skyfall in theaters. This latest Bond action movie captured my attention as I found my palms sweating and my heart beating faster at certain points. While watching I couldn't stop my mind from racing as the next scene unfolded on the big screen. After the movie I was certain that the filmmaker and all parties involved had done an excellent job in the creation of this movie. How can I relate the art of film making to the art of teaching?

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After studying the course readings for this module, several thoughts came to mind as I sat down to write my first entry. First, I considered the feedback on my most recent blogs. Initially, I had difficulty thinking of how to apply my craft to the work of filmmakers. I first read over the article that focused on film making and research, and this brought to light some key points. As teachers, we are driven by data and statistics. We must find ways to make sense of this information as we strive to teach learning objectives to our students. A big part of teaching is doing the research to prepare for lessons, but how can we make deeper connections with our students as we find where they fall short in their learning? Using graphs to analyze and plot test score data could make this experience more compelling for students. This activity could serve as a visual for their progress and a reminder of where they need to be with a clear goal of that vision in mind. 

As I carefully studied the other articles for this module, another parallel became clear to me. The "Film-Maker as Storyteller" piece explains that "story telling is about emotion". Teaching is also about emotion. In order for a teacher to make an experience more compelling, he or she must present the lesson in a way that makes students really feel and connect with the material. How can I do this in my language arts classroom? Offering contrasting viewpoints in our rich discussions may be one way. In a discussion of his work, Walter Murch states that "My job as an editor is to gently prod the attention of the audience to look at various parts of the frame,". Continuing on he explains, "And I do that by manipulating, by how and where I cut and what succession of images I work with." This technique can be compared to my lessons that are formed in a specific way. I take time editing lessons and cutting out the less than desirable parts before students even get a chance to experience them. As I teach I take different approaches as I modify my presentation. If I see that students are not comprehending I adjust the lens of my lesson in order to present a clearer view for my audience. 

In all, I consider these thoughts to be my "imaginative bridges". My understanding of these articles is personal to me. I chose select ideas in my teaching to explore in relation to these pieces. My next goal is to take part in our Facebook discussion on film. More to come next week!