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It's summertime - by Nick Provenzano (@thenerdyteacher on Twitter) who teaches high school English at Grosse Pointe South High School in Grosse Pointe, MI. He also blogs at TheNerdyTeacher.com. This blog post is on www.edutopia.com. T Twenty movies every educator should see W hese are the top 20 movies every educator should watch. While every movie is not specifically about educators, there is definitely something to take away from each. These movies are not listed in order of importance, just the order they came to me. Summer School Mark Harmon tries to be the teacher he is not and only succeeds in reaching his students when he is the teacher they need him to be. Be true to yourself and the students will listen. Lean on Me Morgan Freeman plays Joe Clark, the principal who is willing to do anything it takes to help make his school safe and create an environ- ment for all students to learn. Sometimes doing what's tough is what's best for kids. Ferris Bueller's Day Off As a teacher, this movie is a bit fun- nier when you think about the things Ferris is able to pull off and the craziness Edward Rooney, the principal, must have had to deal with to push him over the edge. Dead Poets Society One of the main reasons I wanted to be an English Teacher my cap- tain, my captain. Stand and Deliver This is a great movie about reach- ing students who feel like they have no hope of success in their life. Looking at it now, it also has some- thing to say about standardized testing. Searching for Bobby Fischer A young chess prodigy is pushed by his father and chess teacher to be the best, when he just wants to play. Thought provoking story about how we treat gifted children. Do we real- ly know what is best for them? The Karate Kid A wimpy kid is trained to defend himself by an old Japanese man. What I always take away from this movie is the unconventional ways that Mr. Miyagi taught Daniel. Sometimes the unconventional is the way to go. Rushmore Max Fischer, played by Jason Schwartzman, is the student that seems to be involved in everything, but can't seem to get his studies done. Bill Murray should have won an Oscar for his performance. I think every school has a Max, but how do we reach them? Carrie Besides being the right thing to do, Carrie showcases a great reason on why kids should never bully other students. You never know who has telekinetic powers, so be nice to everyone. Mean Girls Tina Fey does a great job with this script showing how high school gos- sip and overall cattiness play out. It is a funny take on a serious issue in some high schools. Election Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick (now playing a teacher) are amazing in this film showing the dark underbelly of student gov- ernment. It is a funny movie that, as a teacher, makes you wonder what student leadership is all about. Heathers It might seem like a bit dated for today's schools, but Heathers' com- mentary on cliques is still relevant. Heathers is an excellent movie that still packs a punch today. Dazed and Confused Forget about the herbal parts of the movie and focus on Jeremy London's character. He is supposed to be "the jock" and commit to being a certain person. He fights to be himself and that is something to be admired. e posted this list on Facebook and a col- league from New Jersey added Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). Looking at this list again, one sees that these are fairly recent movies. And they're not what we would call "Teacher Flicks," nec- essarily, but what Nick Provenzano calls "Movies every educator should see." But where are Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939), or even the much more recent movie starring Richard Dreyfus, who played a music teacher in Mr. Holland's Opus (1996)?Or Sydney Poitier in To Sir With Love (great theme song), from 1967? Any other movies you recom- mend to friends? Or movies you think educators should see? Join Finding Forrester One of Sean Connery's last movies before he retired and he is magnifi- cent. A young man gets into a fancy prep school on a basketball scholar- ship, but it turns out he is a great writer who butts heads with his tyrannical English teacher. Connery is a reclusive writer who helps the student find his voice. There is more to students than we realize at times. The Mighty This is a story about two unlikely friends that have much to learn from one another. I stumbled upon this movie a few years ago and loved it. I will always stop and watch it. Real Genius Val Kilmer is very funny in this movie. He mentors a young kid who skips ahead to college. It's interest- ing to see what the pressure of being a "genius" can sometimes do to a person. School Ties This has an all-star cast dealing with bigotry during the 1950's. Even though it deals with anti-Semitism, the story truly applies to all types of discrimination students might face in schools. Our "Discount List" also includes discounts for retail estab- lishments. This list is "member- only," so make sure you register on the site using your email address and member ID number which is on your DSEA member- ship card. Super 8 The reason this movie is on the list is because I feel it nailed the type of relationship young boys have at a particular age. JJ Abrams did an amazing job of writing exactly how young boys act when they are goof- ing around or when there is a girl in their midst. When dealing with boys in the classroom, this movie might help you make sense of their actions. The Breakfast Club A movie that is a must-see for everyone. When I watch the movie now, it reminds me that no matter how I might perceive a student to be, there is a good chance they have some darker parts they are just waiting to share. Sometimes they just need someone to ask. Stand by Me This is another example of boys being boys, but also young kids being forced to deal with unfair expectations or labels based on their families. Whether it's not liv- ing up to your all-star brother or trying to escape the reputation of a criminal brother, fighting to be yourself is never easy. What's your favorite? Any movies missing? the conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dseafan. If you'd like to go to the movies this summer, DSEA has discounted movie tickets for sale at both offices for Carmike, Cinemark and Regal Cinema locations, for $7.50. You can also find discounts to summer theme parks online at www.dsea.org. We no longer sell actual tickets to theme parks. You can purchase them, however, online. www.dsea.org July 2012 DSEA ACTION! 15