Children and Pedagogy in Film

EDSEC 605 <3>: Seeing Cinema Pedagogically

In this course pedagogical concepts and understandings are explored through cinematographic sources. By watching films pedagogically, seminar participants are provoked to develop perceptive insights into the tacit aspects of (ped)agogical relations between adults and children, and between adults and adults. Traditional, contemporary, and radical pedagogy literature are pursued and compared with culturally diverse cinema. How are children depicted in movies? How are agogical (helping) relations (re)presented? What languages of pedagogy do we have available? What do cinematographic images tell us about the way we treat children, practise pedagogy and how we stand in ethical relations to others?

This is a course that investigates through experiential sources and seminar discussion the possible range of meanings of pedagogy and pedagogical questioning. In part it deals with the reflective and prereflective process in teaching, childcare, counselling, caring, or acting (ped)agogically. The concern will be with the nature of the agogical moment, forms of agogical understanding, thoughtfulness and tact, and other selected concerns pertaining to everyday agogical thinking and acting. To a certain extent this course will draw on historical and modern continental thought and scholarly sources.

We will make an extensive use of the "language" of film and fiction that feature children, to explore the cultural and lived meanings of pedagogy--the educational relation between adults and children or young people. On the basis of these and human science materials we will attempt to practice a notion of pedagogical reflection and pedagogical praxis that is sensitive to the lifeworlds of adults and children, and other interpersonal relations.

While this course makes use of cinematographic sources, the subjectmatter of the course is not cinematography. Film criticism will only be considered in so far as it has relevance to the attempt of "seeing films pedagogically."

Course Objective:

The main objective is not primarily a predetermined body of information and skills; the objective is to develop in us the ability of asking pedagogical questions and instilling reflective sensitivity to the meaning of pedagogy as ways of seeing, understanding, and dealing with children, of interpreting pedagogical situations and relations, and of understanding children's experiences.

Suggested Topics (not necessarily all and not necessarily in this order):

(1) Meanings of Pedagogy: The Contingent Nature of Childhood · The Nature of Pedagogy--historical and contemporary nuances · The Structure of Pedagogy (the pedagogical situation--the pedagogical relation--pedagogical action) · Reflection and Action in Pedagogical Situations · The Meaning of Pedagogical Thoughtfulness and Tact · A Human Science Approach to Pedagogy · Pedagogical Being and Doing · The Meaning of Skills and Reflection in Tacit Knowing · Virtue Ethics and Pedagogy.

(2) Pedagogical Issues: In the "Child's Interest" · The Nature of Power and Pedagogical Influence · The Significance of Childhood Reminiscences · The Possibility of Understanding the Child's Experience · Adult Motives and Children's Intentions · Antinomies in our Pedagogical Lives, such as order and guidance versus permissiveness and letting go ·

(3) Pedagogical Themes in Teaching, Counselling, Therapy, etc.: For example: Humor · Discipline · Interest · Trust · Confidence ·Understanding Difficulty · Having Patience · Diligence · Love · Responsibility · (and other selected qualities or virtues of pedagogy).

Examples of Cinematographic Resources

Some Film titles: Possible Themes:

· Cinema Paradiso - in loco parentis (letting go)

· My Life as a Dog - pedagogical absence (abandonment)

· What's Eating Gilbert Grape? - sibling responsibility / hide'n seek

· Birth of a Nation - spanking school (structure vs openness)

· Small Change - unseen turmoils of children's lives

· Stand and Deliver - the nature of pedagogical moments

· Housekeeping - waiting for the parent / at homeness

· Dead Poets' Society - pedagogy and method

· Madame Sousatzka - mixed motives in teaching

· Pelle the Conquerer - hope and possibility

· Salaam Bombay - nature of childhood / street children

· Rhino - culture and childhood / punk life

· Paris Texas - commitment and sacrifice

· The Train of Dreams - how to reach a child?

· The Doctor - transformation of perspective

· Any other film that may appear appropriate to explore the theme of pedagogy in life. Your suggestions are welcome! Sometimes there is a relevant movie playing in the local theatres. For example, at present there is the movie SHINE shown in cinemas. It explores, amongst other things, the complex subjectivity of relations between a boy, promising musician, and his father who teaches him piano.

Course Evaluation

This is a credit-noncredit course. Credit will be based on the following criteria:

(1) Seminar participation.

(2) Several short (between one or two pages) written pedagogical interpretations of cinematographic sources or other texts, focussing on specially selected themes and questions, and against the frames of suggested course readings.

(3) Reflection on a pedagogical virtue or question. This may be done at the hand of a personally selected movie or movie clip(s) and against the background of some relevant text(s). Between five and ten pages approximately would be very adequate. Each seminar participant will have opportunity to present the reflection to the group-the forty some minute presentation may include a short clip (about 15 minutes) from the selected movie.

For ideas you may want to consult some pedagogical qualities from The Tact of Teaching (difficulty, interest, humor, etc.); some themes from Childhood's Secrets, or some issues arising from Bollnow's virtues in The Pedagogical Atmosphere, and other such sources.

Course Readings

Additional selected course readings will be made available through class. (20 dollars duplicating costs will be collected)