Why are kids watching “Toy Story” in class?
The most common excuse offered up this week for refusing to allow students to watch the Obama speech was that it took “valuable” time away from lessons.
I can’t believe local superintendents uttered such rationalizations with a straight face, knowing how much time schools spend on non classroom hoopla.
Many of you didn’t buy that excuse either, citing all the hours given over to pep rallies, school-wide assemblies and endless award ceremonies where the same 12 kids get recognized.
Let me add a few time wasters of my own. Movies.
I have been stunned at how many movies students watch in class from kindergarten to high school— and this goes for private as well as public schools. I am not going to make the tired argument that we didn’t watch movies when I was in school — that likely had more to do with the fact that in the dark ages movies weren’t as portable and easy to show in school.
The new technologies make movies a lot easier to show now, but do they add value? I can see how movies about an historic event or era could contribute or how an Almodóvar film could enable Spanish students to test their language comprehension, but my kids have watched their share of Disney fare in class.
And here is another time waster: Schools hold spelling, Spanish and geography bees during the day and march all the kids into the auditorium to witness a handful of their classmates compete. (In my experience, the logistics of getting the kids seated, the microphones working and the contestants lined up eat up more time than the event. And then, if a parent questions a judge’s decision, another 20 minutes goes by with 200 kids twiddling their thumbs in the auditorium.)
So, let’s have some truth telling on the issue of “valuable” class time. Aren’t students diverted from their daily work for lots of things that aren’t that important?
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49 comments Add your comment
jim d
September 10th, 2009
10:38 am
ABSOLUTE WASTED TIME.
My wife subbed for years but refused to sub for any teacher that instructed her to just show a movie or provide busy work. How many days get wasted like this?
decaturparent
September 10th, 2009
11:17 am
Instead of movies, I would much prefer that they just let the kids go outside for an hour. Outside is free and much better for the kids than sitting around eating microwave popcorn and watching some inane Disney fluff.
jim d
September 10th, 2009
11:22 am
“Why are kids watching “Toy Story” in class?”
This is just a guess but I don’t imagine they can find a copy of “two girls one cup”
V for Vendetta
September 10th, 2009
11:33 am
HAHAHA! jim d, that was a good one–gross, but good.
This will continue to happen as long as the profession of teaching exists . . . but so will people in the “real world” wasting time on Facebook, MySpace, Amazon, Ebay, etc. Or taking “long” lunches. Or having a midday drink.
I’m not saying it’s right; I’m just saying it happens in every profession one can name.
ManOfTeal
September 10th, 2009
11:38 am
You must be pretty old….I’m 32 and we watched movies occasionally from 1st grade through 12th. I went to all public East Cobb schools too. The way I see it all work and no play makes for a very boring life. I think if more people just stopped and wasted more time (within reason of course) this world would be a much happier place.
Maureen Downey
September 10th, 2009
11:57 am
ManofTeal, I am definitely older than 32.
On this one, I agree with decaturparent. If kids need down time or a reward, I would prefer a kickball game rather than “Ice Age II.”
I will probably get a thumping for this, but I actually think kids could use more social time at school, more time to talk to classmates and play.
For several years, my local elementary school would not even let kids chat at lunch. Lunchroom monitors ran from one kid to the next, hushing them. When I would come to eat lunch with one of my children, I felt like I was in a prison lockdown.
Happily, a new principal arrived and lifted the silent lunch edict.
Heather
September 10th, 2009
12:06 pm
I raised this question with my daughter’s elementary school in Roswell when the email was sent home stating that they were not showing the President’s speech due to “parental concerns.” They then stated that they did not receive the channel (C-SPAN), and it was not due to political reasons, and referred me to the statement available on Fulton County Schools’ website stating it was up to each principal’s discretion. Considering it was available via webcast, I am sure that the could have shown it in the lunchroom or other assembly area if the school was so motivated. Obviously, it was not in such a red area.
D
September 10th, 2009
12:13 pm
How many of you are at work either reading or writing this.
Reality 3
September 10th, 2009
12:18 pm
Maybe movies are much better than what actually goes on in classroom in the name of “teaching” by these incompetent, money-hungry, selfish “teachers.” I agree that an outside time is probably better than movies.
DB
September 10th, 2009
12:18 pm
Maureen, the reason why they show them a movie is because the teacher can do something else while the kids are watching the movie. If the kids went outside, then the teacher would actually have to work to supervise them . . .
Spelling bees, etc. — Personally, I don’t consider those time-wasters. They’re academic competitions, and for some kids, this is where they shine, not on the football field. (Do they really have competitions where the PARENTS protest?!?! omigod . . .)
Badger31201
September 10th, 2009
12:30 pm
@ Reality 3— “money hungry” teachers? Obviously you have no idea how much– er, how little– teachers get paid, and how much of their own money they spend to provide for their students.
pstlparks
September 10th, 2009
12:35 pm
Many subs can’t or don’t follow the lesson plans or lose the materials students are to do. Teachers who have to be out and then return to class often find that the students were unruly and did not complete the assignments thus getting the class behind. The movie Toy Story was mentioned, but why that movie? When we show a video in class we have to get it approved by stating for what class the video is to be shown, write a brief overview of the video and list the purpose and/or learning objectives to be accomplished by viewing the video. The administrator then watches the video if they do not have prior knowledge about the video. Every time we show the video on different dates we have to redo the process again.
As far as Obama’s speech goes, the superintendent of the school systems, the principals and other administrators make the decisions we as teachers have to follow. Don’t rag on the teachers. Most who complain about teachers are either those who think they are smarter and better or have more money than everyone else and try to impose their will or those who always complain to bring attention to themselves and try their best to see if they can get someone in trouble by creating petty complaints.
Those who complain about teachers are often the same ones who called teachers names in school, never followed directions, were disrespectful, always in trouble and were always harassing others.
Jennifer
September 10th, 2009
12:45 pm
So based on all the hoopala last week – I sent a letter to the editor of the Gwinnett Daily Post based on a local story where our school board chair cited “valuable instruction time”. These are actually policies that systemically reduce an enormous amount of instructional time from students. It didn’t get printed –
——–
According to the Gwinnett Daily Post article, the Gwinnett County Public School Board Chair does not support the President of the United States asking schools to take time out of the instructional day to hear a message about the importance of working hard and staying in school. The message of working hard and staying in school is a good one according to Mr. Seckinger. It is the request to take time out of the instructional day for the student that is apparently is troubling the Chair.
Really ? Isn’t this just a bit hypocritical?
As recently as August, GCPS joined other school districts in Georgia to request and receive an exemption from the State Board of Education which eliminates providing the state mandated 5.5 hours of daily instructional time to students enrolled in alternative education schools or programs. In a long standing practice, we have seen students with disabilities who have been long-term suspended offered between 3-5 total hours a week of individualized home instruction – one hour a day or less to replace their traditional classroom educational instruction time. Unlike the Presidents speech, parents can’t easily “opt out” of these programs.
Since the Board Chair is well aware of these existing school board approved policies and practices which seriously impact thousands of students and their “instructional day”, my suggestion is that “he who lives in a glass house should not throw stones.”
deibrown
September 10th, 2009
12:46 pm
Maureen, I completely concur. I was outraged by the email from my daughter’s middle school about the “use of valuable instructional time.” I did not respond though. I am choosing to wait until my daughter tells me of one of these other common fluff “educational activities” and then that principal will be taken to task for hypocrisy.
All that hoopla and the speech turned out to be exactly as advertised. And I would not be surprised if some of these same parents outraged by the president’s supposed socialist agenda pushing are the same ones who do the following with no compunction:
1) let 10 year olds wear makeup
2) curse in front of their kids
3) allow kids of all ages to watch PG and up movies
4) have DVD players on in their cars during all sorts of routine trips around town
5) buy bratz dolls
6) permit their preteen and younger kids to watch anything on MTV, BET, etc or stuff like American Idol, where the judges openly ridicule untalented contestants…but don’t let anyone say a cross word to lil Johnny in school cuz they are all over it. Or their kid is the bully at school…
I could go on and on. But a speech about staying in school from a highly educated world leader, one who holds the highest office in our land, o no, can’t have that…
A Teacher
September 10th, 2009
12:49 pm
As a teacher, I can say that any movie shown in my classroom is curriculum-oriented. I will show a film to reinforce standards and comprehension or to teach certain concepts and skills. As for “money-hungry” teachers–well, what a wonderful example of an oxymoron.
Maureen Downey
September 10th, 2009
12:49 pm
I just deleted a long satire about the Tech game tonight. I would suggest the poster repost at the blog entry below on safety on campuses, which is what I assumed he wanted to do in the first place since that’s what he was addressing. (It’s a few entries behind this one.)
But I would also ask that he clean up his screen name as it crosses our admittedly porous language line.
Maureen
Patricia Templeton
September 10th, 2009
1:01 pm
Amen, Maureen. I can see no reason to send my son to school after the sacred CRCTs are given in April. There is little actual teaching done after that (not to mention the weeks before that are spent preparing for the sacred test). The last week of school there is field day, movie day, games day, arts and crafts day. And that doesn’t even begin to describe the time wasters in the normal course of the average day and week. But Fulton County schools couldn’t show Obama’s 20-minute speech because it cut into the “precious resource” of instructional time. Give me a break.
interested observer
September 10th, 2009
1:19 pm
I think there are a lot of young black kids who will relate to this president and perhaps find his talk with them to be truly inspiring. These kids need a positive role model and, face it, they’re not likely to watch the president on TV at home. The message was consistent with how most parents want children to respond to their lives and their time in school, but the critics didn’t like it because the president is Democratic and (OMG) black.
Cere
September 10th, 2009
1:33 pm
I don’t mind teachers showing movies produced by Nat Geo, NOVA, Ken Burns productions on PBS or the History Channel. Schools have these kinds of DVDs available, and many can also be played in full version directly from the internet. In fact, PBS even goes so far as to offer teacher support materials for their programs.
So there’s no excuse for the teacher I know who showed Disney’s “Emperor’s New Groove” when they were studying Egyptian history.
However – I do know a chorus teacher who would occasionally show videos of Broadway musicals – that was just fine, IMO.
an issue no one talks about
September 10th, 2009
1:51 pm
pstlparks raises an interesting and important issue I hope Maureen will take up at some point.
In GA, subs don’t have to have a teaching certificate, if I remember correctly. In fact, they don’t even have to have an undergraduate degree. If subs with such a limited background can “teach” our students, why are we having teachers? Don’t we just need those “curriculum specialists” who can provide the necessary instruction to the “subs” who can then teach our students? That would be much cheaper.
On the other hand, if such an idea is absurd, then why are we allowing subs with such a limited background – I think they are paid $100/day for just baby-sitting in many cases.
Call it like it is.
September 10th, 2009
1:52 pm
All of this seems pretty much like a rehash of what has already been discussed. Not watching Obamas speech has nothing to do what so ever with wasted school time. The majority of Georgia’s citizens do not trust the man and don’t want to take the chance their kids might be subject to some political diatribe.
The facts are he did change the speech, after all of the hoopla. What did it really say? Who knows? No matter what, most of our schools staff have bigger fish to fry then to deal with Obama giving a common sence speach.
And for that matter doesnt Obama have bigger and better things to deal with? Kids who want to stay in school are going to stay in school and some little pep talk from Obama is not going to change anybodys mind.
Teacher, Too
September 10th, 2009
1:55 pm
I rarely show movies. Rarely. Perhaps once a year, if it relates to the curriculum. I simply don’t have time to show movies (at least, not in my language arts class; I’m sure there are plenty of language arts teachers that can find time for such nonsense.)
Now, during the CRCT and the last week of school when we dine in our classrooms, I may show a movie during lunch. I think it gives the kids a mental break after a long morning of testing. I don’t like dining in my classroom- but when the kids have been kept qiuet all morning, we tend to have behavior “issues” (read fights) in the cafeteria. During the last week of school, we see these behaviors more frequently as well.
I teach until the last minute possible. Even on the last day of school, I have students writing an evaluation of the year of language arts– the lessons/projects/ writing assignments that the kids enjoyed, what they needed more instruction on, what they would change if they could…those types of topics.
I know there are terrible teachers out there, but I resent people always lumping the good public school teachers with the bad. There are so many of us who love what we do, and who work diligently to provide a private-school quality education to our students in public school.
I know that I constantly check the blogs of the elite private school teachers and find that I am often teaching more challenging material to my students– and my students are successful in their work
I set high standards for my students, and for the most part, my students’ parents are supportive. Some days, it’s a battle, but when I get e-mails from former students thanking me for making them work hard, I know I am doing something right. Maybe I’m just an old-fashioned teacher with an old-fashioned work ethic.
Devildog
September 10th, 2009
2:04 pm
Just one hell of an example for educators to set, disrespect for the President of the United States.
I’m no Democrat . . . or Republican for that matter. I’m old and white, two strikes against me in today’s PC society but I still have that Marine thing going for me. If those teachers were Marines and showed that kind of disrespect, they’d be shoveling for about three weeks in the brig.
Lola
September 10th, 2009
2:13 pm
Maureen. I think that students should have had the opportunity to see President Obama speak. But, back to the movie thing. I am a teacher and have played Toy Story and Ice Age II. It depends on what you are teaching. Over the hedge focuses on urban sprawl and how the animals must be displaced as a result of our greed (larger homes with acreage). Ice Age II focuses on the effects of our choices on the environment (global warming). After a class has completed a unit on certain subjects, done presentations etc. it is not so bad to “earn” a movie that addresses the subject. Then my students and I have a discussion about what we do/should do that can change to better the situation. Basically, it is a lesson on choices. It is very important for students to know why they are watching and be able to identify the value.
For my class, we spent some of our lunch time eating and watching. As long as it corresponds with the curriculum it is no more detrimental than having all of those rah rah rallies that schools have. It has been my experience that the more the school does NOT have something, the more it hypes up the process. in an effort to increase the likelihood that students will work and study time is wasted on all sorts of things. Reading rallies, timed math problem completion quizzes, etc. Why do we need to give kids a popcorn party for reading books?? Only in certain schools is this nonsense hyped up. Where my kids went to school (the same district that I teach) they were NEVER awarded for doing what they should have been doing anyway!
oldtimer
September 10th, 2009
2:18 pm
As a former teacher, who has taught grades 4-12 in a variety of subjects, and after reading the speech, I can say I would have shown it and made good use as a motivational activity.
On another topic; What appears to be a time waster might not. There are many good videos out there. I used United Streaming. I had to write a lesson plan with state objectives etc and have it approved every year. There had to be an activity involved. That being said some children are very visual and just need to see “theme”,”foreshadowing”, or the purpose of a “Castle”. Many times teachers do not show a whole video..just a clip from something.
Many, many teachers are done after state testing. This is not just in GA. I have a friend in TN and her HS students do not even come back to school if they have not missed the allowable 10. This is better in many High Schools where exams must be passed.
DB
September 10th, 2009
2:21 pm
@pstlparks — “Many subs can’t or don’t follow the lesson plans or lose the materials students are to do. Teachers who have to be out and then return to class often find that the students were unruly and did not complete the assignments thus getting the class behind.”
Oh-ho, do you really want to go there? I’ve been a substitute teacher off and on for several years. Control is easy — I just hold up two pieces of paper and say, “They gave me two things — the roll and the detention slip. It’s up to you which one I fill out.” After that, no problem. I can’t tell you how many times have I walked into a class where the teacher’s lesson plans are incomplete (or non-existent). I’ve started going over a math concept, only to be told that THAT class hasn’t gotten there, yet — they are a day behind because of pep rallies, etc. Often the teacher leaves “busy work”, where the kids are bored out of their mind writing paragraphs, or they are being taken to library to do “research” — translated: checking their email and Facebook pages. I absolutely LOVE it when a teacher leaves a solid lesson plan, with something interesting to actually TEACH. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen very often.
I know the sub often gets blamed for the class’ lack of progress — but many, many times, it’s the teacher who didn’t leave a decent lesson plan. Unruly kids? Keep ‘em busy, and they don’t have TIME to be unruly.
what's right for kids?
September 10th, 2009
2:58 pm
Maureen,
No talking at lunch? REALLY??? And we wonder why kids hate school. That just made me want to cry, and I am not exaggerating.
Teacher, Too
September 10th, 2009
2:59 pm
I’m not sure how students and teachers can be on facebook at school (unless it’s on their cellphones). Cobb County blocks facebook, my space, and a whole bunch of other websites.
I leave very detailed lesson plans for my sub. If I know I’m going to be absent, I make sure that my students are ready for the work I have left for them. I leave meaningful assignments the students can complete that complements what we have studied the day before. I don’t leave busy work, but I do leave an alternative assignment (sometimes students are working on projects or in groups) for those who are disruptive and may need to “visit” another teacher’s classroom. The teacher that the student has to “visit” is not one they want to visit.
A Teacher
September 10th, 2009
3:17 pm
Substitute teachers are needed and play an important part in schools. However, there seems to be more subs that are not qualified than can step in to a class and teach skills and concepts. I know which subs I can trust to teach my class and which subs need to have lessons left that focus on practicing skills. The problem with many of the subs that “taught” my classes in public school is that they chose NOT to follow the lesson plans I left. Ultimately, it is the teacher’s responsibility, not the sub’s responsbility, for the education of a student. Likewise it is the student’s responsibility to learn. As for movies in class…many movies are relevant to Georgia standards and when used responsibly can leave a more memorable impact on the education of a student than a teacher standing in front of a class giving a lecture.
Maureen Downey
September 10th, 2009
3:19 pm
What’s right for kids, The no-talking rule — in place when my college student was in elementary school — was explained as a way to get kids not to dawdle and get them to finish their lunches. I did not realize how strange the rule was until I began to visit schools as a reporter and realized that most schools allow kids to talk. Maureen
Another point...
September 10th, 2009
4:41 pm
One comment: most schools systems throughout the nation traditionally begin school the day after Labor Day. The President is interrupting the first day of school… a perfect time to inspire students to work. What instructional time was missed from these schools? That’s right, none. Our principal addresses our students in an assembly on the first day for 15 minutes. Maybe we should be looking as to why GA has to start school a month earlier than everyone else? It sure seems like it is working, as our IOWAs, and SAT scores dip yet once again!
jim d
September 10th, 2009
4:42 pm
Mo,
Kids talking at lunch? Proposterous!! they SCREAM–have u been in lunch room recently? careful–it may be a hazard to ones hearing
jim d
September 10th, 2009
4:42 pm
Mo,
Kids talking at lunch? Proposterous!! they SCREAM–have u been in lunch room recently? careful–it may be a hazard to ones hearing
jim d
September 10th, 2009
4:44 pm
LOL–now instead of losing entries they get posted twice—–Nice
oldtimer
September 10th, 2009
4:52 pm
One year, due to over crowding my 6th graders had 14 minutes to get in line, get food, and EAT……I made a deal no talking till finished, and tray put up. We then took a 10-13 minute walk on the track after lunch. It was wonderful, especially in nice weather. Many boys challenged each other in running and the afternoon was much beter. Even when time loosened up we ate then talked then went outside to relax which was never allowed in MS in the early years.
Cere
September 10th, 2009
4:59 pm
Been to an adult lunch room at a corporate headquarters lately? The noise level is pretty loud in those places as well. We’re social creatures – we simply have to be given time to talk and socialize! Years ago at my children’s ES, the principal thought he was so clever to bring in an actual stoplight. Green light – ok to talk. Yellow – watch it. Red – silence. You’re right Maureen – this is very uncomfortable for visiting parents to endure – I very much enjoyed socializing with the kids at the table! Well – they lost the light and went to a red, yellow, green cup system. It’s all simply ridiculous! Heck – in my day – the nuns always let us talk at lunch.
Could be a good idea to play a cartoon during lunch though! I wish our schools would lighten up on lunch and recess!
DB
September 10th, 2009
5:35 pm
One (private) school around here had a bell system in the cafeteria. The kids could talk until the first bell. Then there was silence for 10 minutes. Then another bell rang, and the kids could talk again until the end of the lunch period. It was supposed to give the kids a chance to actually EAT their lunch – they noticed that there was a lot less wasted food after they put in that rule. I helped at a birthday party once with a group of kids from this school. All the girls were sitting at the table, the cake and ice cream were served — and suddenly, it was deathly quiet, as everyone began to eat. I was astonished, and asked (whispered, more like!) one of the moms “Why are they so quiet?!”, and she explained that it was a habit they had gotten into at school.
DB
September 10th, 2009
5:38 pm
Teacher, Too — oh, believe me, a bright kid with a little ingenuity knows how to get on Facebook from ANYWHERE! There are mirror sites popping up all over the place — as soon as one is targeted for censoring, another one takes its place.
Maureen's accountability metric
September 10th, 2009
7:19 pm
Maureen wails and laments about the loss of instructional time, while failing to mention one of the biggest, if not the biggest one of all. The disproportionate amount of instructional time lost while teachers redirect chronically disruptive children. At the expense of? None other than the students who make a conscious choice to apply themselves to learning.
Maureen claims to want “the truth” about lost instructional time, but when it is pointed out her very own colleague Ken Foskett refused to defend the editorial board’s actions in ignoring this issue, it appears that “the truth” gets replaced with “the silence” on Maureen’s Best Friend Forever list.
ScienceTeacher671
September 10th, 2009
8:52 pm
It’s pretty well known that some of the middle schools do nothing but show movies during the last week of school. Teachers use that time to finish averaging grades, etc. So where are the administrators during this time?
FulCoTeach
September 10th, 2009
9:15 pm
Just a note to teachers showing Disney films at school…”fair use” exemptions for public performance apply to curricular use only. If you use it for a “reward,” that doesn’t qualify as curricular use and if your school doesn’t have a public performance license you could be sued. Disney pays significant bounties for reports of these violations, so beware! Succinct copyright info at http://libraries.risd.org/copy.htm
FulCoTeach
September 10th, 2009
9:23 pm
Oh, and Maureen, I also HATED the silent lunch routine. One of the fav strategies at my sons’ elementary school was “punishing” one child’s behavior by giving the entire class silent lunch (some weak attempt at peer pressure that backfired). Of course, this was usually instituted by the parapro doing lunch duty, and the classroom teacher felt the brunt of kindergarteners who had silent lunch…I NEVER gave silent lunch the year I had to do cafeteria duty!
Georgia parent
September 11th, 2009
11:50 am
No chatting at lunch Maureen? Wow! That stinks. What goes through these administrations minds when creating such rules….makes me wonder. I guess the children should be robotic in everything they do – like stepford children as they walk through the halls of schools.
Georgia parent
September 11th, 2009
11:52 am
to MAM… don’t you get tired of typing the same thing over and over about ‘disruptive’ students. I know one thing, I am tired of reading it.
Georgia parent
September 11th, 2009
11:57 am
Jennifer – great post.. dontcha love those exemption thingies…Those things just get me, because we the parents have nowhere to turn when we have a legitimate complaint about getting adequate instruction time. Kids don’t need less instruction time in alternative settings, they need more. This kind of thing you describe galls me.
Georgia parent
September 11th, 2009
12:03 pm
@Jennifer.. Isn’t Gwinnett County the same district that saw a sharp rise in kids being placed out of school with OSS and such? I mean really, what do they hope to accomplish by doing that? And you mentioned the less instructional time for at-risk youth. That really makes no sense whatsoever. These kids probably could use more instructional time, know?
AJ
September 11th, 2009
5:29 pm
Love that list, deibrown! I thought I was the only “mean” Mom that refuses to get her kid a dvd player for the car. Reading, drawing, or playing ‘I-spy’ is much more productive.
My eight-year-old watched Obama’s school address that evening with me at home. It had nothing to do with politics and everything to do with engaging young people to take responsibility. I was impressed with the delivery of his speech.
Cobbmom
September 11th, 2009
11:20 pm
The loss of instructional time was an excuse. In a state that is guaranteed to vote Republican they weren’t about to show a Democrat speak. Of course these same school districts had no problems whatsoever showing Ronald Reagan’s address and George H.W. Bush’s address. As a teacher I was embarassed by my school district’s choice. It appeared racist as well as politically motivated. The speech was aired during lunch for many students. Classrooms have televisions and digital projectors that could have been used to view the broadcast during lunch without missing any instructional time. Several teachers have made comments that they show movies during lunch. What is so different about showing the President during the same time other than he is black and a Democrat?
Cobbmom
September 11th, 2009
11:22 pm
One more thing, my husband kept our children home from school on Tuesday so they could watch the speech. Their notes to the teacher stated it was the reason they didn’t attend school.