Three popular films reflect many ideas that preservice teachers have about teaching in urban schools: Dangerous Minds, Stand and Deliver, and 187. These movies reinforce naïve beliefs about teaching and learning by depicting classrooms in which students find right answers, authentic learning consists of using street language, and students are only extrinsically motivated. Teachers in these movies are defined by their personal involvement with students as they rescue them from the pathology of their homes and communities. These images can be used as starting points for reflection about learning and teaching, diversity, and working in educational communities.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Anderson, D. S. & Piazz, J. A. (1996). Changing beliefs: Teaching and learning mathematics in constructivist preservice classrooms. The Mathematics Teacher, 18(2), 51-62.
2.
Bowers, C. A. , & Flinders, D. J. (1990). Responsive teaching: An ecological approach to classroom patterns of language, culture and thought. New York: Teachers College Press.
3.
Brooks, J. G. , & Brooks, M. G. (1993). In search of understanding: The case for constructivist classrooms. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
4.
Buchmann, M. , & Schwille, J. (1983). Education: The overcoming of experience. American Journal of Education, 92, 31-51.
5.
Bullough, R. B. , & Gitlin, A. D. (1991). Educative communities and the development of the reflective practitioner. In B. R. Tabachnick & K. M. Zeichner (Eds.), Issues and practices inquiry-oriented teacher education (pp. 35-53). New York: Falmer Press.
6.
Davey, B. (Producer) & Reynolds, K. (1997). 187 [Motion picture]. United States: Icon Productions.
7.
Farber, P. & Holm, G. (1994). A brotherhood of heroes: The charismatic educator in recent American movies. In P. Farber, E.F. Provenzo Jr., & G. Holm (Eds.), Schooling in the light of popular culture. Albany: State University of New York Press.
8.
Fosnot, C. T. (1996). Constructivism: A psychological theory of learning. In C. T. Fosnot (Ed.), Constructivism: Theories, perspectives, and practice (pp. 92-102). New York: Teachers College Press.
9.
Fry, P. G. , & McKinney, L. J. (1997). A qualitative study of preservice teachers’ early field experiences in an urban, culturally different school. Urban Education, 32(2), 184-203.
10.
Goodwin, L. (1997). Multicultural stories: Preservice teachers’ conceptions of an responses to issues of diversity. Urban Education, 32(1), 117-147.
11.
Haft, S. , & Witt, P. J. (Producers). Weir, P. (Director). (1989). Dead poets society [Motion picture]. United States: Touchstone Pictures.
12.
Henry, A. (1990). Black women/Black pedagogies: An African Canadian context. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Boston.
13.
Hollingsworth, S. (1989). Prior beliefs and cognitive change in learning to teach. American Educational Research Journal, 26, 160-189.
14.
Holt-Reynolds, D. (1992). Personal history-lay based beliefs as relevant prior knowledge in course work. American Educational Research Journal, 29, 325-349.
15.
Jaramillo, J. A. (1992). Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and contributions to the development of constructivist curricula. Education, 117(1), 133-140.
16.
Johnson, L. (1992). My posse don’t do homework. New York: St. Martin’s.
17.
Liston, D. P. , & Zeichner, K. M. (1987). Reflective teacher education and moral deliberation. Journal of Teacher Education, 38, 2-7.
18.
McWilliam, W. C. (1970). Political arts and political sciences. In P. Green & S. Levinson (Eds.), Power and community: Dissenting essays in political science (pp. 357-383). New York: Pantheon.
19.
Montero-Sieburth, M. (1996) Teachers’, administrators’, and staff’s implicit thinking about ‘at-risk’ urban high school Latino students. In F. A. Rios (Ed.), Teacher thinking in cultural contexts (pp. 55-84). Albany: State University of New York Press.
20.
Musca, T. (Producer) & Menendez, R. (Director) (1988). Stand and deliver [Motion Picture]. United States: Warner Brothers.
21.
O’Loughlin, M. , & Campbell, J. M. B. (1988). Teacher preparation, teacher empowerment, and reflective inquiry: A critical perspective. Teacher Education Quarterly, 5(4), 25-53.
22.
Rathbone, C. (1998). On the inside looking in: A year at an inner-city high school. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press.
23.
Robertson, J. P. (1997). Popular culture and the education of the primary school teacher. In S. Todd (Ed.), Learning desire: Perspectives on pedagogy, culture, and the unsaid (pp. 75-95). New York: Routledge.
24.
Simson, D. ,& Bruckheimer, J. (Producers). Smith, J. N. (Director), (1995). Dangerous minds [Motion picture]. United States: Hollywood Pictures.
25.
Weiner, L. (1993). Preparing teachers for urban schools. New York: Teachers College Press.
