EDU 115-01
The Reel World: The Depiction of Schools on Film
2 hours undergraduate credit
Instructor
Paul Thomas
Office
Hipp Hall 101 F (Thomas)
Phone
294.3386 (Thomas)
E-mail
paul.thomas@furman.edu
Class Room
HH 102
Time
9 am-12 pm (per below)
Support
Vision Statement
The Teacher Education Program at Furman University prepares educators who are scholars and leaders.
Mission of the Program
Furman University prepares teachers and administrators to be scholars and leaders who use effective pedagogy, reflect critically on the practice of teaching, promote human dignity, and exemplify ethical and democratic principles in their practice. Furman is committed to a program of teacher education that calls for collaborative, interdependent efforts throughout the academic learning community.
The teacher education program is anchored in the university’s commitment to the liberal arts—encompassing the humanities, fine arts, mathematics, and social and natural sciences as the essential foundation for developing intellectually competent educators. Furthermore, candidates develop professional content knowledge, pedagogical skills, and dispositions through:
• Mastery of subject matter
• Understanding of philosophical, historical, and sociological foundations of education
• Understanding of human development and its implications for learning
• Understanding of social/cultural relationships
• Understanding the interrelationship of curriculum, instruction, and assessment
• Practice of critical inquiry and reflection on teaching and learning
• Opportunities for leadership development
• Opportunities to study and practice effective communication
• Collaboration with peers and others
Course Description
Do documentaries about schools create or reflect the reality they seek to depict? This course will investigate documentary films as social and political texts in order to identify historical and contemporary views on schools and the purpose(s) of education. The May X will examine primarily films addressing poverty, class, race, and privilege as they intersect with the purposes and realities of public education in the U.S.
Required Reading
Hope Against Hope: Three Schools, One City, and the Struggle to Educate America's Children, Sarah Carr
[alternative]
Schedule
We will meet 9 am until 12 pm (or longer if needed depending on the film) on dates listed below.
Date/ Session
|
Focus
|
Session 1 (5/13/15)
|
Introduction: Film, documentaries, education (educational debate), critical perspective, Introduction to Book Club, choices
Crenshaw Press on Crenshaw |
Session 2 (5/14/15)
|
Corridor of Shame / Book Club
|
Session 3 (5/15/15)
|
Heart of Stone
|
Session 4 (5/19/15)
|
Flock of Dodos
|
Session 5 (5/20/15)
|
Little Rock Central: 50 Years Later
LRC doc 9-10:45 Derek Black, USC Law professor 11-12 Education Law Prof Blog |
Session 6 (5/21/15)
|
Hard Times at Douglass High
|
Session 7 (5/26/15)
|
Clearcut
|
Session 8 (5/27/15)
|
Prom Night in Mississippi
|
Session 9 (5/28/15)
|
Grain of Sand
|
Session 10 (6/1/15)
| |
Session 11 (6/2/15)
|
Final Book Club/ Workshop essay
|
Session 11 (6/3/15)
|
Group presentations/ debrief
|
Assignments
(1) After each film session, submit a reflection (which should be emailed to the professors within 24 hours of viewing each film).
TBD
(2) Choose, read, and share book (see above) throughout May X.
(3) Consider and choose one or two key misconceptions presented to the public about public education (through the media, through documentaries or films), and then write a 750-1250 word commentary to be published on this blog at the end of the course.
(3) Consider and choose one or two key misconceptions presented to the public about public education (through the media, through documentaries or films), and then write a 750-1250 word commentary to be published on this blog at the end of the course.
Identify the misconception, the source(s) of the misconception, and then clarify the topic(s) for the general readership. You should include hyperlinks and citations (proper format per style sheet chosen) and submit a clean draft by the last day of class.
Please submit the work in multiple drafts throughout the course.
(4) In groups of TBD, create a set of interview questions and select at least three people to interview about their impressions, beliefs, and understandings related to school, teaching, and learning. Using the Flip cameras (available through the Education Department), film and create a mini-documentary about schools based on your questions. The film should not exceed 15 minutes.
