Film Critique
For this assignment students will watch, analyze, and critique a movie or documentary that relates to urban education. If you would like to watch a movie not on the list, please let me know before you watch it. The guiding question for your analysis is: How do the representations in the movie reflect, contribute to, critique, and possibly transform our collective understandings of urban teaching, learning, and schools in the U.S.? In your essay you should briefly describe the movie (plot, relevant characters, setting, etc.), but the bulk of your essay should address the following:
How did the movie portray teaching in urban environments?
How are teachers, students, parents, schools, and communities portrayed in the film? Pay close attention to the film’s protagonist(s)?
What characteristics of urban education are highlighted?
What course themes do you see portrayed in the film (culturally responsive pedagogy, racism, classism, community cultural wealth, deficit or asset perspectives, etc.)
What aspects of the film are empowering or disempowering?
Who seems to be the intended audience for the movie and how do you know?
What are your general impressions and key takeaways from the film?