Film and Life Issues - Reel to REAL!
An Elective for Juniors and Seniors
Mr. Elacqua
A Course Overview
Film and Life Issues is an elective in English Language Arts and the Humanities whereby students use film as a springboard to engage in the more philosophical side of discourse. Film is reviewed for the purposes of discussing and writing about the "Big Ideas" in life; it literally is a shift from "the reel" to "the real". The conversations and the reflective writing are often insightful and provocative, and when students leave the course, they often feel as though they've learned something about themselves and the world that they can take with them beyond their high school years. While the content for the course is somewhat unconventional, the course remains academically grounded. Students write as much if not more than they do in any other English course I have taught. Students are encouraged to be analytical critical thinkers. They learn to engage in higher level discussion. Students learn to respect the thoughts and feelings of others. And, when the dynamic is right and the course is working at its best, the conversations and reflection have the potential to really have an effect on the lives of students (and the teacher as well).
An Elective for Juniors and SeniorsMr. Elacqua