Share something about the film you watched that you hope to discuss in class. Reply to the comments that name your film so that all of the comments for each film are grouped together. Try to include something from what we have discussed so far in this course (e.g, purposes of school, individualism, opportunity, class and race, teacher and/or student agency, the limits of the art form, etc.).
To Sir, With Love (1967)
ReplyDeleteWhile watching this film, I noticed how outdated it was. The enforcement of gender roles in this movie was even outdated when this was made. It is trying to be an uplifting film but its misogyny is so glaringly obvious that it takes me out of it.
Delete-Dakota C
DeleteStand and Deliver (1987)
ReplyDeleteCHelsey M.: Stand and Deliver (1988) tells the true story of Jaime Escalante, a math teacher in East L.A. whose students shocked the nation by passing the AP Calculus exam. Set in the early 1980s, the film highlights the challenges of an underfunded, working-class Latino community during the Reagan era, long before the internet or smartphones reshaped access to knowledge.
DeleteThis film fits neatly into pop culture’s “teacher-as-hero” narrative (Bulman). Escalante’s charisma, grit, and relentless work ethic drive the story, inspiring his students to believe in themselves. Yet while uplifting, this trope risks minimizing student agency and erasing the web of support that makes educational change possible. Popular narratives suggest that if you just drop in one extraordinary teacher, systemic inequities can be solved. In reality, education is held together by grassroots forces: like families, peers, and communities, as much as by individuals. The film also overromanticizes Escalante’s sacrifice. He is depicted as a loyal, almost saintly figure who gives up everything for his students, even at the expense of his health and family life. This frames achievement as inherently tied to utilitarian individualism: success is measured by how much you are willing to sacrifice. But is that the message we want to send? That real success only comes at the cost of personal well-being? Escalante’s pedagogy might have reached even more students if it had been more flexible, by perhaps incorporating service-learning, peer tutoring, or family involvement rather than demanding students give up all other responsibilities to commit fully to calculus. You don’t have to give it all up in order to have it all.
From Labaree’s framework, the film leans heavily on upward social mobility: math is portrayed as a way to “escape” the working class. But this reinforces a hierarchy where service jobs are implicitly devalued as unintelligent or shameful. A richer vision of education would honor sideways mobility as well, affirming the intelligence embedded in all forms of work, from construction to food service, and supporting students in balancing school with jobs and family responsibilities. Education should open choices, not prescribe escape routes.
For me, the film’s most powerful scenes are when Escalante connects math to his students’ cultural heritage, like when he teaches that the concept of zero was a Mayan innovation. In these moments, education is not about leaving your community behind but about recognizing your place within it. This is where the film shines: when knowledge is framed as belonging, not just achievement. If Stand and Deliver could have been otherwise, I would want more space for those moments. More attention to student voices, to the dignity of work outside of school, and to the role of community alongside the classroom.
Stand and Deliver-Nathan
DeleteWhile this movie may be a little dated in some areas it still holds many important messages that are still relevant today, like even if someone comes from a disadvantaged background they can achieve great things.
Lean on Me (1989)
ReplyDeleteWhen watching Lean On Me, I saw how strict Mr. Clark was and how that was presented as the only means to save the school. It made me think about what we’ve been learning in class about opportunity and agency, like who really gets the chance to succeed and who gets to make the decisions in a school. In the movie, Mr. Clark has total authority and the students do not have much of a say about what goes on in their own education.
Delete- Presley
Lean On Me was a very eye opening film, and to know it is based on a true story reminds me that sometimes what we see on TV can relate to a lot of different viewers whether it was exaggerated or not. We see Mr. Joe Clark having agency in this film. He made decisions that were controversial, but in the long term benefit the students of the school. He represented the students and the school, as well as admitting to his wrongs. This movie targeted class and race, as well as the importance of public schooling. He allowed the school to not only be a place of learning, but a place to feel safe in. The movie represented that teachers aren't only meant to teach, but are also mentors to their students. I think the movie also targeted that teachers may feel overlooked, that at the end of the day, it's a team that help bring success to the school. Class and race was represented in this film, by showing different characters that live in lower class environments. The movie showed that students aren't doing well in school, not because they are dumb, but sometimes have no access to the things that are necessary, ( a home, safe environment...)
DeleteWe see in the movie how easy it is to fall into a bad habit if we allow them in our environment. We see a drastic change in how kids are willing to be respectful when Mr. Clark expelled a part of the school. He had a very utilitarian way of thinking, which many will argue is crazy, but was beneficial at the end when it was announced that the school did well on the exam.
One criticism I have with this movie is Mr. Clark not being a dynamic character. He starts out being an arrogant and disciplinary figure who quickly demonstrates his agency and command over the staff, there are multiple scenes where he doesn't apologize for his rude lashouts to students and staff who he sometimes fires instead of dealing with, and at the end of the movie he apologizes once but maintains the same demeanor. I wish that his character experienced a little more change throughout the movie because he obviously has a great sense of desire to help the disadvantaged students, and his no-nonsense behavior is out of him wanting to see the students succeed. His role as a leader is almost militaristic, he makes the decisions and others follow, but it works.
DeleteWhen watching the film, I thought a lot about teacher/student agency. Mr. Clark exercises his authority through his strict demeanor and determination to bring discipline to the school. While his command of authority does eventually work to better the school, it does raise concern as to how much agency/authority he has. Mr. Clark’s actions often came across as rather extreme, and bring about the question as to how affective this example of teacher agency is when urging students to care about their learning and growth, and identifying the purpose and impact of the school.
DeleteLean on me was an excellent film. However, the film itself was intriguing for the purpose of "saving the school." The film made me think a lot about what we have been discussing inside the classroom. Lean on me takes place inside of a predominantly black school that struggles with gang violence, drug issues, and disobedience. This is a common thing we see in any films where the school that is "struggling" is a lower class school with POC. This is something we have talked about numerous times, the correlation in films with POC and lower class. -Alyson
DeleteIn Lean on Me (1989), I was struck by how Principal Clark uses tough love to push students toward opportunity. It made me think about teacher agency how much power educators have to shape lives, especially in under-resourced schools. The film also shows how race and class affect access to education and challenges the limits of what one person can change. - Amiya
DeleteWhen watching the film, I noticed a lot of themes like power, agency and inequality. It showed how Mr. Clark's authority could bring change but can also silent a student's voice. It also shows who gets to make decisions in school, and like Amiya said, how can race and class can shape opportunities.
Delete"When watching the film, I noticed a lot of themes like power, agency and inequality. It showed how Mr. Clark's authority could bring change but can also silent a student's voice. It also shows who gets to make decisions in school, and like Amiya said, how can race and class can shape opportunities." - Alana 'Ana'
DeleteDangerous Minds (1995)
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that in a lot of these "teacher-as-hero" movies, where a teacher is thrown into the task of finding a way to teach a class full of children who are unwilling to learn, there is always one student who offers mysterious, cryptic advice to the teacher and expresses a willingness to learn. The students in this movie show a lot of agency that almost feels unusual, but not exactly unrealistic. - Autumn
Delete(Sawyer)There were a few things that stood out to me that I hope to discuss. I felt that this film definitely uses the white savior troupe in a very blatant way although there are moments throughout where I feel like the film feels less like ‘the blind side’ where the dynamic feels more exploitative and leans more in the direction of using it’s setting to criticize relevant social issues which I’m curious to see how others perceived that. I also found it interesting how compared to something similar like ‘welcome back kotter’ both serve very similarly as pop culture time capsules for their respective decades despite having near identical premises and character archetypes, the main differences lie in the genre and pop cultural differences between the 70s and 90s. The last really relevant thing that came to mind was that the agency was really centered around the teacher trying to empower her students and their individual struggles with social mobility impeding them.
DeleteI found this movie so interesting in the best way possible. Even though it had the same storyline as many movies and shows we talk about in real life, this movie had a sense of realness that the others didn't. I really like how she was able to adapt to her enviroment and kinda get on the kids level in a sense. Even though she had the "white savior" think going on, you can tell that she was really doing it because she actually cared for the students and not just for a sense of praise. She almost lost her job on many occasions, and ultimately was going to leave at the end of the summer. -Yasmin
DeleteWhen watching this movie, I was thinking a lot about opportunity and agency. When these students were given a chance to learn with a teacher that cared about them and wanted them to succeed, they were more willing to learn even if it took some time. For agency, I would say that the agency lies within the teacher because she really tried to get her students to better themselves and she always wanted the best for them. She even took the time to go to some of her students houses to talk to her students and even the parents. -Ireland
DeleteElena Here: I think that Agency was primarily held by the teacher seeing as she had ability to do all these unorthodox methods to help try and pus the students to learn. But I also think that she was trying to give the students there own agency. With the young girl who was pregnant she helped her by giving her the agency to decide that she can stay in that high school. I do also think that the white saviorism theme was very prevalent in this film.
DeleteFreedom Writers (2007)
ReplyDeleteIn class, I would like to discuss how understanding Erin was to the students, how she showed them the purpose of school, while also giving them opportunities to learn, and how she encouraged individualism by letting them make their own paths by not listening to what others say. Also, how race played into how the students were treated and taught. - Kayla
DeleteMatt Here - I think the one thing that stood out the most during this movie that I'd like to discuss would be the white saviour complex that we have talked about already. I could tell when I first started watching that the teacher thought she would just come in and make a difference, but it isn't always that easy.
DeleteIn Freedom Writers, I really liked how the classroom turned into more than just a place to learn math or English, it became a safe space where students could share their real struggles. The movie shows that school can be about opportunity and belonging, not just academics. A lot of the story focused on race and class, since the students were dealing with violence and stereotypes outside of school. I thought it was powerful how the teacher kept pushing for change, but also how the students took agency by writing their own stories. It connects to what we’ve talked about with individualism, because each student’s voice mattered, but they also came together as a group. I’d like to talk in class about whether schools today still try to be safe spaces for students like in the film. Overall, a very eye-opening film! I would probably never have watched it if it wasn't for this class!
DeleteSomething I loved about Freedom Writers was the unity as the central theme of the movie, and how it was really put together. It showed how public schools should be, getting everyone together despite our physical and mental differences to learn and improve. Additionally, the fact that the teacher single-handedly improved the writing skills of every student, enabling them to advance to the next level, is a huge part of the school's success. This movie shows that everyone can do it, and violence is not the answer; it's love. We are all human, and we all go through things, and we can bond in our suffering.
Delete-Joaquin Spille
Something I hope to discuss in class about Freedom Writers is how the purpose of school is more than academics. It is also about giving students belonging. Erin Gruwell’s teaching style is different from regular styles which allows students to feel like they have a voice. I want to talk about how education can cause a social change especially for students from marginalized backgrounds.
DeleteClueless
ReplyDeleteIn class, I would like to discuss how empathic and persuasive the teachers were with Cher for a grade change. It shows how ultimately teachers do have agency over students' grades; however, I think the way they treated her had something to do with her social class. I don't think any of the other kids could have gotten away with what she had. - Jayla Alston
DeleteFreedom Writers taught me that while the film carries elements of a white savior complex, Erin’s actions show she is intentional about making her students feel that she is with them, not just for them. Her effort to genuinely connect with her class allows the students to open up and share their realities, building trust and community. The movie also realistically portrays the struggles some high school students face, making it both powerful and eye-opening.
ReplyDeleteOverall, it was definitely a great watch, and I recommend it a hundred percent. - JJB
DeleteI agree with you. I think Freedom Writers is complicated in that way while it does fall into some white savior tropes, Erin’s intention to stand with her students really matters. The trust she builds by listening to their stories is what makes the classroom feel like a real community, and that’s what gives the film its emotional impact.
DeleteClueless: This movie is a coming of age. This movie could not exist in this day in age without controversy. There are a lot of stereotypes and crude jokes throughout the film. However, this movie does do a good job of depicting social class and its influence on high school dynamics. Although exaggerated a lot of the themes in the movie occur in the real world as well. Race was not the driving factor in this movie it was class. The agency was within Cher and this idea is reinforced by her being raised by her father who is a lawyer. Cher's character is very dynamic but I still do find some of the stereotypes problematic.
ReplyDelete-Jade
DeleteNathan- I watched Ferris Buellers day off and something I thought was interesting is how home life vs school life was portrayed and just how much agency Ferris had. Ferris's life outside of school was shown to just be fun and games while in school was shown to be slow and boring with even the teacher was talking in slow motion. Almost like a caricature of life. I also found it almost cartoonish the amount of agency Ferris had, like he was able to almost do whatever he wanted and evade his principal and family.
ReplyDeleteI watched the film Ferris Bueller's day off and I think that day in class I discussed how Ferris had agency over everyone and the teachers were basically cartoon characters. The movie was more just about a privileged kid that doesn’t want to go to school because he thinks there’s more to life.
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