Happy Feet (1 Viewer)

[PrincessSJ]

I had this in the Primary/Secondary thread but decided it needed it's own thread... tell me what you think..

There are some times when I think I'd love to be a secondary English teacher...

One of those times was last night when I saw 'Happy Feet' I'd love to be able to pull it apart with a Stage 5 or 6 class and really examine the social issues presented in it..

While the animation was absolutely fantastic, I really didn't like the plot. Just becuase Mumble was born different, he was banished from the colony and not allowed to return. The only way that he could be accepted by the colony was when he saved them from extinction and brought the fish back (using his special talent).

When we transfer this to the human race, what does this say about the way people with a disability are treated in our society?? And what sort of message is being sent to children with a movie like this????

I guess that working in the disability sector makes me more aware of things like this, but after mentioning my thoughts to my mum after the movie she seemed to agree with me.. (Yes, I went with my mum - she's a Kindergarten teacher, and needed to know what the kids would be talking about for news on day one )

So I'm interested in what other people think... if you have seen it tell me what you think!!!!

SJ

 

[rific]

It can often be very effective looking at these sort of things with senior classes, hell, we do units on picture books now, we just have to make it clear we're not 'dumbing it down' for the students.

I haven't seen it, but I'm sure I will end up doing so at some stage, as you say, there are just some things that are great resources for the secondary English teacher.

 

[rific]

I went and saw Happy Feet the other day, and I see what you mean. It's a nice bright cheerful animation, but it certainly does have the capacity to raise a few questions. Best thing about it is that it can be slotted into a stack of units and doesn't have a rating that requires permission notes.

 

[PrincessSJ]

and it will still suffice for a rainy lunchtime when the children a cooped up inside