Documentary Viewing! October 3rd, 2018

Article Re: Finland Elementary Schools Kindergartners: Kids Taking Charge!

Upcoming Events I will post the reading(s) for next week by tomorrow, so stay tuned! I hope to have a guest speaker come in later on this month! I will keep you posted on those details as they come up.

October 10th, printed, stapled and submitted in class A Few Items Today is our documentary day! Sit back, relax and enjoy! For those of you who like to take notes while watching, please do. Keep in mind the questions you will need to answer for the assignment that is due on: October 10th, printed, stapled and submitted in class Remember that linking the documentary to some of our discussions/readings will make for a stronger paper.

The World at Ten Some Background Information... The film focuses on primarily on two children in grade five from very different cultures at Lord Dufferin School located in Regent Park, an inner city school in Toronto. It paints a portrait of different languages, cultures, families, and freedom. Filmmakers Husain and Basmajian follow Neola, having arrived in Canada from Guyana two years earlier, a problem child and also a promising young writer; and Mahfuzur, who emigrated from Bangladesh, and is struggling with his place at school and at home.

Background Continued They are taught and cared for by Ken Scott, a black male grade 5 teacher, and the “strictest” and “meanest” teacher in the school. As the documentary unfolds, we learn that Neola lives out her frustration by acting out as she struggles with being separated from her family back in Guyana. Mahfuzur is a sensitive boy, struggling to remain a child as he deals with his parent’s split attention and poor language skills.

Background Continued There are moments of very clear editing in the film. The World at 10 aptly covers the subject categories of child development and how even successful students can face obstacles in school. This documentary deals with a lot of behind the scenes aspects of teaching and life. I want you to consider this when responding to the prompts in your assignment. Despite the fact that these children are only 10 years old, and most of the time act accordingly, there are moments when they are quite profound, questioning the purpose of rules, the role of the important people in their lives and even God.

The World at Ten The World At Ten

Discussion Questions How do you think Mr. Scott’s own lived life and experience guide his teaching? How would both Neola and Mahfuzur’s school experiences have differed if they remained in their respective countries for their education. Would it be accurate to say that these children would not be facing the same types of problems if their school was located outside the inner city? Or, are all children/students, potentially facing the issues described in the film regardless of socioeconomic status?

Enjoy the rest of the week!