Thursday, August 26, 2010
Further Impressions on the Classes
It seems that my Tuesday/Thurs. class is more on the ball than the other, at least so far. This class has several people in it who have taken film classes also, and are excited about A Clockwork Orange. Some have already watched it, and have begun to ask specific questions about it, though I didn't technically ask them to watch it until next Monday and Tuesday! So that's a good sign. They seem engaged too, while the Mon/Weds class has some sleepers in it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
I hope you have good luck with the material. The Clockwork Orange (book and movie) is a great choice, I think, and should fascinate the students on many levels.
I just finished rereading Wicked, and thought how fun it would be to compare it to the original Wizard of Oz. When I was little, I read the original book, well as all the old Grimms and Anderson fairy tales, etc. in my grandparents' attic. What fun it would be to do a comparison of ancient and modern fairy tales. I once had Wr. 201 students at IVC read the original Snow White (or the oldest version I could find, one written in the 1700s), and they all told me how impressed they were with it, and how much more depth it had than the more sanitized versions they had grown up with.
The old tales were harsh and beautiful, and seemed to recognize the children who read them as more fully understanding human beings than we do today. They did not try to shield children from the uglier aspects of life. Nor did they imply actions or choices came without consequences. Remember the little mermaid who felt like she was walking on nails with every step she took with her new, human legs?
I know this is rambling, and really has little to do with the topic you presented, but thanks for bearing with me!
Robin? I think I remember that assignment. It's a good idea. A whole class based on that, with Bettlebaum on the psychological effect of these tales on children, would be an interesting class.
I guess "anonymous" is not Robin. So in answer to your comment Robin, some people have already dropped, probably after watching the film. But some are already interested, having watched it at least once, wanting to learn more.
Yes, I wrote the comments about the fairy tale comparison ideas. I just forgot to sign my name. Sorry about that! And yes, your idea about the psychological effects of the tales is a good one. It's worth looking into.
About Clockwork Orange: It's no real surprise that some students have dropped, and who knows why they did? Their reasons for this may have nothing to do with the material, or your class, even. I had students come up to me in the last summer class I taught and tell me they had to drop because they had to move out of state, or their work schedule did not allow them time to focus on the class material or get to the humanities center, etc. These students did say they liked the class, and wanted to stay, but simply couldn't. So--as in most cases like this, who knows?
I am glad that some of the students have expressed a real interest in the material. My guess is their presence in the class will help make your teaching experience a real joy.
Post a Comment