Films used to supplement learning in many humanities classes

As Oskar Schindler, played by Liam Neeson, transports a group of hardworking Jews into 1940s German occupied Poland, where he puts them to work and provides a safe haven from the concentration camps, the entire class stares intently at the re-enactment projected in front of them, disgusted by the terrible conditions exhibited during the Holocaust.

“Schindler’s List” is just one of several films shown in Mike Davey’s MAP World History class to reinforce what students learn in lectures and readings.

History and English classes alike often show films in class with the purpose of giving students a richer understanding of the causes and effects of history as well as the points of view of historical figures.

“When students watch documentaries, they learn about how the audience is supposed to feel when they are watching the film,” Davey said. “Students also learn how to investigate bias in films. When they see Danton [in the film “Danton”] and the guillotine above him, it is clear who has the power in the scene.”

For instance, Davey, World History teacher Kirk Abe and APUSH teacher Faith Daly show “Saving Private Ryan” in their classes. The movie paints a picture of the WWII D-day invasion on Omaha Beach.

“It was like a pin could drop after I showed ‘Saving Private Ryan,’” Davey said. “We talk about the sacrifices we make to win the war, and the clip from ‘Saving Private Ryan’ was able to demonstrate [the gruesome nature of the invasion] better than I could do by lecturing or a student could do by reading about the topic.”

In addition to World History, students in English 11 Honors  watched the film “12 Years a Slave,” based on the mid-1800s novel by Solomon Northup about his experience of being a slave, to supplement Toni Morrison’s “Beloved.” “12 Years a Slave” gives students a deeper understanding of the horrific conditions slaves had to endure, English 11 Honors teacher Natasha Ritchie said.  

“What movies can do sometimes that a book can’t do is really help you visualize and really draw emotion,” Ritchie said.

Junior Devin Shah enjoyed watching “12 Years a Slave,” saying that it helped him envision slavery more vividly than he would have been able to from only reading books on slavery.

“Watching ‘12 Years a Slave’ helped me empathize with people going through slavery and it gave me a stronger connection to the characters in ‘Beloved,’” Shah said. “There are also some obscure terms in the book which we would not have been able to understand without watching the movie.”

Ritchie said that, similar to literary elements like metaphors, students can also learn from the variety of film techniques used in “12 Years a Slave.”

“Everything in the film has meaning: the sound, the acting, the dialogue, the scenery, the juxtaposed shots,” Ritchie said. All of these contribute to what is an extremely meaningful film.”

The use of films aligned with the curriculum in classes are able to highlight what books cannot and give students a different method of learning.

“Visual stories further deepen understanding of what students are learning,” Ritchie said.