My First Journal: November 2013

Thursday 28 November 2013

Laboratory Works - Higher Education

Thursday 21 November 2013

Film Review

Dangerous Minds (1995)

Now I’m going to speak about the movie Dangerous Minds (1995) and how LouAnne Johnson changed lives of her students. So Dangerous Minds is an American drama directed by John N. Smith. It stars Michelle Pfeiffer as LouAnne Johnson, working as a teacher at Carlmont High School in Belmont, California.

Having been divorced, LouAnne Johnson started working as a teacher in a school in Belton, in the most difficult and unrulier class. But possessing a firm character and having the skills of a former marine, Johnson decided to teach them. She found the approach to all of them and fought for each student, as they believed that everything was decided for them and they had no other choice but to finish their lives in the street without education and a chance for successful life. And when the woman decided to leave, unable to understand the school principal and the children’s parents, the students persuaded her to stay, saying that she was a flame that lit them the way.

One of the main problems, presented in the film, is the attitude of the school and parents to the children of the lower classes of society. Such students don't want to learn not because they are stupid, but because there is no one who can be proud of them. All what children have are poverty and drunk parents, who don’t want their children to get an education and have already, chose their destiny for them. But teens, from such families, are ordinary people who have right of choice what they want to be in their future. In this film, only one person decides to struggle for their fates, a teacher, who then became their torch.

So this problem is perfectly shown in several episodes. The first example is when LouAnne came to parents of Raúl, who was expelled from school for a couple of days for a fight, for what his father was ready to punish the teenager without clearing of reasons. Or, for example, a mother of two black teenagers, who decided that her sons didn’t need education to live their miserable life.

In conclusion, I’d like to say that in a child's education the main role belongs to the family as a pillar of support, guide and helper for children. But, unfortunately, not always parents care about the future of their child, and then school meddles with their lives. In addition, as they say, a teacher is the second mother, and the film is a confirmation of this, as there was only one person who believed in children and pushed them in the right way, thus changed lives of her students.

Tuesday 12 November 2013

Film Review

The Ron Clark Story (2006)

Director: Randa Haines

Cast: Matthew Perry as Ron Clark, Brandon Mychal Smith as Tayshawn, Hannah Hodson as Shameika, Micah Stephen Williams as Julio, Ernie Hudson as Principal Turner, Melissa De Sousa as Marissa Vega, Patricia Idlette as Devina, Judith Buchan as Snowden School Principal

Genre: Drama, Television

Settings: United States, New York City, Harlem

Review: A teacher in junior school, Ron Clark (Matthew Perry), differed from other teachers by his innovative methods so that his pupils always got the best results in education, got the highest score. Having left the home-town, North Carolina, the man moved to New York City for teaching in a public school. But he found it difficult to get a teaching position and for some time had to work as a waiter at a local restaurant. The door opened when Ron got a job at the Harlem Elementary School and took to educate the most unruly class of the sixth grade. Clark used a completely new approach to education, establishing his own rules. He tried to train the children to believe in themselves and their abilities, be one family, trust and help each other. But despite his experience, it became difficult for Ron Clark to reach mutual understanding with difficult children, as most of them were from disadvantaged families, they were aggressive, some of them had problems with law. However, the teacher didn't give up, he believed in them. Thus several months later the man could become not only a friend for the children but also instill necessary knowledge and change their lives to better. In the end of the academic year Ron gave the children free tickets to the musicale Phantom of the Opera. All of them were so excited that some, looking at the program, told each other the plot, while the boy (Brandon Mychal Smith), fascinated by drawing graffiti, even drew a shape of a Ghost on the wall of his room, for which was beaten by his step-father. And having sat the final examinations, the pupils got the highest score in the area, and regarded Ron Clark as their best teacher.

It’s an open secret that nowadays there’re a great number of biopic films but not all of them can award the status of the best. However, this film deserves it, definitely. And first of all, it’s due to the work of the director - Randa Haines, - who was able to turn the movie into a masterpiece. This picture is very simple, it lacks the modern visual effects (which are inherent in almost all Hollywood films). As the film is based on real events so there aren't for example, super beautiful surroundings of the city, the teacher’s glamorous and expensive apartment, they can just spoil the film. So these things make the picture more realistic, transporting us in the life of the main characters.

Separately I would like to draw your attention on a good selection of actors and their incredible performances. In this movie, Matthew Perry appeared to me from a completely different side - as a serious actor, embodying the true image of Ron Clark. However, his comicality doesn't disappear: when he read rap to the children about the presidents of America, teaches them Grammar, etc. On the one hand, it looks very unusual, but, on the other - very effective - how else can you motivate such children?! It’s impossible not to sympathize with such a man! Besides, he has a gift to draw everybody's attention, he knows how to persuade. All in all, his participation proves the fact that he just gets used to this role, even his voice, intonation, gestures and mimicry transfer his mood.

So in conclusion, I’d like to say that the name of Ron Clark was unknown for me before watching the picture, so all the information about the teacher-innovator and his methods I've got to know from the film. Thus I was very impressed: during the whole film a smile played on my face, but at the same time there was a sense of pride, joy and elation, because Ron Clark is the example of the true teachers and educators who overcome the obstacles that hinder education and bring our society down.