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Films for thought

Yes, the half term is inevitably coming to an end, but nothing is lost, worry not, there are still a few weekends and the summer holidays ahead to catch up folks!

I have collated a short list of 3 films I have recently watched that made me really think of my profession and my personal development as a teacher, especially in relation to teaching itself, emotional intelligence and wellbeing. So, here we are:

  1. Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy?: An Animated Conversation with Noam Chomsky by Michel Gondry

Why? One more time the linguist guru reminds us – teachers that teaching and “learning shouldn’t be like pouring water into a vessel. It should be like laying out the stream along which the student travels in his/her own way.” By encouraging students’ questions (Bloom’s Taxonomy may be handy here), we prevent our learners from becoming replicas of other people’s minds. This documentary looks at language learning from another perspective, at the same time encouraging us to question what we already know as educators.

What’s needed? “Willingness to be puzzled by simple things”.

  1. Persepolis by Christian Desmares

Why? Complicated things presented in a simple way to remind us that things are never black and white. It’s universal. Not only to learn about other cultures to be mindful of equality and diversity issues but also to be reminded that every student has a life to live outside the course we teach. Unfortunately, it is not always a happy one… Watching this movie will help us understand some of our students (or their parents) better.

What’s needed? Empathy.

  1. Midnight in Paris by Woody Allen

Why? We travel in time and switch off from today’s world when watching that film – great to contribute to our wellbeing! It shows that travelling and holidays are excellent for self-development and self-reflection. They are also great to get motivated and inspired when experiencing unusual things. Woody Allen teaches us that it is up to us to decide what makes us happy, so let’s just look for another opportunity to improve when away this summer.

What’s needed? Imagination and the willingness to “to inhabit two worlds”.

What films have inspired you? How have they influenced you as a teacher?

Enjoy! 🙂

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