Realabilities Film Festival

Last night I attended the realities film festival to watch 2 films called, Jazz Hands and The Importance of Tying your Own Shoes. These films have been the most educative and impacting moment thus far in the MAT program. I realized why all of the textbooks say that visual context is so important to learning, because it allows for a relaxed conducive learning environment. You think you are only watching a movie, but you are actually learning, and it makes a large impact because you see real people going through experiences and you sympathize with them. You become involved with the characters and identify with them.

The previous night to watching the films, I was having dinner with one of my high school friends, and I was telling her that I had to take a class about how to integrate kids with disabilities in my class, and that I was nervous because I have never previously had contact with any children who have a disability. We were remembering when we were in high school that was not a factor, we never had anyone in out classes with a disability, or at least one that we could notice.  And that I did not know how much of a disability a child can have and be integrated into a regular classroom. Because of my not knowing, and lacking any previous experience it makes me nervous and gives me some anxiety, which is the reason that I did not inquire further about the STEM program that was offered to me when I entered the MAT program. The films made impact on me, because I realized that these situations it might be difficult to handle, but even though a child might have a disability, children are children and want to be looked at like everyone else and not like they are different. The characters in the film had serious disabilities but they still had feelings like any person, and wanted to feel normal, that they could do things. They liked Alex because he made them feel just like anyone else, he looked at them like people and wanted to make their lives to be easier and better, even though everyone kept saying “they think differently than you and I.” Alex realized that they could do things, and wanted to be treated and have fun like everyone else. The film made me more comfortable with the idea of having an integrated classroom, even though it might be difficult, I think that having some instruction on how to handle the situations that might arise, I will be able to have an impact on my students and even my students on me.