Ties between Hollywood and Teachers? (Vanity)

SpyGuy | 18 May 04 | SpyGuy

[SpyGuy]

Does Hollywood use schools and teachers to pimp movies to young children? I suspect that they do. We already know that companies provide schools with products and supplies in exchange for in-class advertising and promotion.

The following is a true story. (Although, in writing this, I have undoubtedly improved upon the grammar of the responses I received from the children.)

Yesterday, I was talking to a friend's third-grade daughter about her school curriculum. I asked her what she was studying this week.

"The Greeks," she said.

I asked further, "Why are you studying the Greeks and what are you learning about them?" I thought, perhaps, that she would tell me that her class was progressing through history and was currently learning about the classical period.

"I don't know. We're not really studying them. We're, like, just learning a few stories," she replied.

At that point, her fifth-grade sister walked into the room. So I asked the older girl what she was studying.

"The Greeks," came her answer.

I probed further. "What are you learning about the Greeks," I asked the older sister.

She carefully explained, "Well, I don't know. We're not really, you know, learning about them. We're just, like, talking about what they did and stuff."

Hmmm. I could see that the public school system (in this very expensive, upper-class suburban neighborhood) was doing a superb job of "educating" these youngsters. Perhaps if they could give me an example of the work they were doing in class, I could get a better idea of what they were learning. The younger sister volunteered an example:

"Well, our teacher divided us into groups of two kids each. And each group has to make a movie poster about a Greek story for Open House. My partner and I are making a movie poster about 'Jason and the Golden Fleece.' We have to write a the name of the story at the top of the poster, and then write little sayings around the picture to make the other kids want to see this movie."

Neither child could offer a reason as to why they were studying the Greeks this week. No logical progression though a syllabus. No tie-in to other class work. They simply had no idea why they were studying the Greeks (let alone, what they were being taught).

Was it just a coincidence that both girls--from two different age groups, in two different classes, with two different teachers--would be studying the Greeks the very same week? It was as if, out of the blue, both teachers decided that this week would be a great time to learn about the Greeks.

Oh, yeah. And the movie "Troy" opened last Friday.

[Dianna]

Both simply answered, "The Greeks." No more, no less. (Until I question further.)

And my children routinely tell me they do nothing at school. I don't happen to believe it. The only time I get a real response is when they are doing something they find interesting or exciting. I wouldn't be at all surprised if both teachers had said to their classes, "This week we will learn about The Greeks."

Your assumption is silly.

[Khurkris]

"See my number 6. It's not all tied in."

Having the little mugwumps make a poster is NOT studying a culture or the characters of that era. Are the sayings in Greek?(showing language roots) Are the sayings attributed to the original characters? (famous historical quotes by Greeks) Are the famous characters of the eras identified?(Herodotus of Halicarnassus (fifth century BCE) was the world's first Western historian)

Sorry...this is PR for an upcoming movie. If it spurs some of the young minds of mush to study further, good for them. But lets face reality when it thrusts itself onto the scene.

[Katya]

Public schools are all about the poster....
This is my daughters first year in public school, and basically this seems to be the medium of choice for simplistic communication. I don't think it's all that sublime, as in the teachers union in bed with Hollywood.
The teachers in public schools seem to feel that you can't engage the students without complimentary materials swiped from popular culture. It's the one aspect I find entirely annoying...this constant barrage of pop culture. I remember school as being a respite from the sensory overload....but no more.
Fortunately my kids spent their formative early years in a private school where none of the kids watched tv, and we were able to avoid most of this crap.

[gaijin]

Do I have a job? Yes, but do you know what I once was?

A TEACHER. Yep.

You know how many losers teach in public schools? Lots. And as you comb higher and higher on the pyramid of teacher tenure, you get a higher and higher percentage of losers; folks who couldn't do other stuff, and stayed in teaching.

Teachers buy into all kinds of agitprop and media-driven social tinkering, and while Texas may be different, I think his story does cite a case in which a course of study was undertaken because of a movie.

Lots of teachers who prefer not to plan out a lesson will fall back on some kind of film, and it's a shame.

But lemme guess --you're a teacher, right?

[Clara Lou]

Yup, I'm a teacher. I teach high school foreign language. My original degree is in foreign language, not "education." So, now what?

[Clara Lou]

Having the little mugwumps make a poster is NOT studying a culture or the characters of that era.
Use some logic, please. These elementary schoolers make the posters after they have read the materials involved and done the associated learning activities.
Are the sayings in Greek?(showing language roots) Are the sayings attributed to the original characters? (famous historical quotes by Greeks) Are the famous characters of the eras identified?
The little girl did not mean "sayings" literally. She meant that she was supposed to tell important and interesting facts about her topic on the poster. Remember, please, we are talking about a 3rd grader and a 5th-grader. They are not ready for "language roots." [Why do I have to tell you that?]

I'm going to work. There's someone above who says that posters seem to be the big deal lately. I agree with her. Kids can learn by making posters, but I don't think that they learn much by reading other kids' posters.

[Khurkris]

"I luv you...You luv me...we are one big fam-i-ly..."

/sarcasm

[SteveH]

"The Greeks," came her answer.

Hey, at least they're studying dead white European culture in contrast to alternatives ;-).

Seriously, my guess is that the teachers in question simply got together and decided to be inspired by whatever happened to be playing at the Saturday matinee. (These things happen...)

[Clara Lou]

Brilliant: When you can't think of an intelligent response, post a silly one.

[Khurkris]

Un-Knot yer knickers Hildy/Clara Lou. Stop acting as if posts are a personal attack on you. Mine, at least, were comments regarding the actions related in the post.

RELAX.....