Our Educational Message

Hi, and welcome to our blog. This space is designed to share ideas and methodologies that we use to teach Turkish teenagers. In particular, there is a strong focus on ICT-ELT, which means if you like visual and technological support for your style of teaching, this blog is for you. My colleague, Brentson Ramsey, has been working alongside me for three years. He is also a big proponent of the ICT-ELT Paradigm, which means he will also be posting from his own teaching perspective on the blog.

2010 was the beginning of this new journey, and although there is no definitive ICT-ELT road map available for everyone to follow, it is exciting to explore the technological means to make teaching more fun and affective for students. Our main message is for teachers to ADOPT & ADAPT the paradigm shift for their own needs, and remember that
ICT-ELT is a TOOL, NOT a SOLUTION.

Monday 28 January 2013

ROBOT & FRANK Is it Really About Technology?

Having just watched the excellent movie Frank and Robot, directed by Jake Shreier, and starring Frank Langella, I just had to write a post about how you could use it as a springboard for quality personalized answers to questions I have thrown together.  I don't want to critique the film per se, but suffice to say it is worth seeing and it certainly complements a relaxing holiday, if you are fortunate enough to be on one like me, & most of Teacher-Turkey.

The reason I think it is a movie that can get your students' cranial juices flowing is down to the sub-plot/theme that runs throughout the narrative.  Although we see the Robot come into Frank's life, and what he has to do to become friends, it is the sub plot of Frank's children and their unwillingness to sacrifice their own time for the sake of their ailing father.  His son is a busy guy in the city with his own life, and his daughter is half way around the world constantly travelling. His wife had left him 30 years previously.  However, Frank is starting to show signs of Alzheimer's, or some other elderly component, which makes for a thought-provoking experience for the viewer.

The film clip below is the first time that Frank meets his Robot "Butler".  You can see that he is living a life of a typical bachelor male (ageing or otherwise), and he is in a state of disrepair.  Set in his ways and lonely, Frank does not take kindly to his son dumping the robot to help him do chores, nor is he happy with his daughter who calls only now and again, and usually gets cut off from presumably Facetime or Skype (although there is no branding which I found refreshing).


Anyway the clip is designed to focus on the neglect of parents and grandparents by  selfish, uncaring off-spring.  This seems to be an ever growing problem all over the world, or is it?  This clip could be something your students find alien, or very common for others.  In Turkey, the care of the elderly is still primarily done by the family.  There are very few old people's homes, or retirement homes like there are in Britain and the USA.  So, wherever you are, the questions I have prepared below could act as a nice way to get your students discussion this rather sensitive and emotional subject.  

Strangely enough, I was reading a tweet tonight and the teacher was bemoaning the fact the Common Standards are moving away from these type of questions.  I was appalled.  This type of question is undoubtedly the best way to get students engaged.  They should not be droppped or ignored.  They are so important, and of course include more textual type questions, but these must stay.  It gives our students a voice and a sense of self for the classroom environment. (You see, there is always another reason for a post :-))



2 comments:

  1. Oh it looks like a great movie - and great for class discussions, as you say. Love it!

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  2. Aquí pongo una actividad para las clases de español si quieren usarla con el tema de la ciencia y la tecnología:

    La Vida Eterna
    Una reflexión

    Mientras miras el video “Frank y el robot,” busca ejemplos de cada fuente que hemos estudiado durante esta unidad y escribe, brevemente, cómo se relacionan:

    1) <> (cuento)





    2) “Vivir para siempre” (artículo)





    3) “Cuba presume de sus abuelos centenarios” (audio)





    4) “Viviremos mil años” (artículo)





    5) “Instantes” y “La Adolescencia” (poemas)





    6) Las fuentes del ensayo: ¿Quién cuidará de ti cuando seas viejo”; “Parque de juegos para los ancianos”; y ¿Cómo se puede mejorar la calidad de la vida de las personas mayores de edad?






    Después de haber visto la película, considera:

    ¿Por qué es importante cuidarles a nuestros ancianos?

    ¿Cuáles son los problemas que se tienen que enfrentar las personas de mayor edad hoy en día?

    ¿Qué lugar tendrá la tecnología en cuanto a los viejos, la calidad de la vida de ellos y la longevidad de su vida?

    Vivimos en una cultura que valora más la juventud que la vejez. ¿Por qué es cierto esto? ¿Cómo podemos cambiarnos de este punto de vista?

    ¿Qué es el mensaje de esta película?


    Ahora, escoge una de las preguntas de arriba y prepara una presentación de cinco (5) minutos para dar a la clase. Debes usar la trama de la película y las fuentes de clase en tu presentación. Puedes usar imágenes en la presentación pero no debes tener nada escrito. (sí, solo)


    La tesis de mi presentación es……












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