PD For The Win!

The part of me who minored in media communications during her undergrad was thrilled to attend the National Film Board of Canada’s professional development session last Friday. I love film, I love supporting independent film, and I love passing on things I am passionate about to students. 

Film is a powerful medium that can be a very approachable education mechanism for students. Sometimes, having a voice that is removed from the culture of a classroom as the method for teaching can be more impactful than a teacher doing it themselves. Teachers have to work to get the students to buy into lessons or activities, but learning from a variety of methods (such as film) makes it easier for students to be engaged. Films also make difficult, confusing, or sensitive topics more palatable to young minds who may not understand the intricacies of social justice issues within our culture. Introducing these concepts via film, especially animated, can help students perceive this information and then further conversation with their teachers through conversation and activities. 

One of my favorite parts that the presenter Esther Maloney showed us during the PD was the ready-to-use educational resources that are available on NFB. These resources are sorted by topic such as History, Mental Wellbeing, Diversity and Inclusion, and many many more. The description of each film also explains what age the film is intended for which helps when looking for content appropriate for your class. 

One of my favourites of the films I watched is Invasion of the Space Lobsters (2005) which is sorted under the Media Literacy playlist and is intended for ages 7 to 11, focusing on English Language Arts and Health/Personal Development. As part of the education resource, it comes with a study guide with discussions questions teachers can use and other ideas to help develop further activities. 

Overall, I am obsessed with this content and am excited to see how I can integrate it into future learning and use it as a way to bring complex subjects to light.