I'm covering related material (Appalachian music) with my fourth-graders, and am thinking about telling them to Tivo this movie this week. But I'm concerned about the descriptions of an "intense childbirth scene", the lesbian affair, and Aidan Quinn sex scenes. Would you let your 10-year-old watch Songcatcher?
shareI hope you opted not to recommend the movie, great as the music is, for your fourth graders. I also hope that you are aware of copyright laws as they apply to educators using video before you rent a movie (no group viewing rights) and present clips (limited by copyright guidelines.) I'm an elementary school media specialist and your post made chills of lawsuits run up and down my spine. The first step should be that you are familiar with the movie itself. NEVER rely on word-of-mouth. It's a good chance that the parents of one of your children would object to the content; it's a better chance that you could end up in professional hot water because of copyright infringement if you used the tape in your classroom and a challenge was made. Every year I do a basic info session on copyright for my staff. In that way, I've protected myself, the principal, the superintendent, and the school board in case a teacher disregards copyright law. Video can be a powerful tool for the educator, but you've got to be aware of the legalities before you begin. Here's a link to one school system's copyright guidelines that is a good place for general answers: http://jeffcoweb.jeffco.k12.co.us/isu/library/copyright.html
there are exceptions for educational use in copyright law (at least that's what I remember from my copyrights class in law school)
shareYes I show videos in to my university classes all the time. As far as i know most schools and universities have arrangements in place that allow educators to show videos/DVDs while still keeping adhering to copyright law. The process at my University is handled through the University Library. When I want to show a video to my class I simply approach the library and if they do not have it in stock they hire the video for me from a local video store. This allows me to show the video while adhering to copyright regulations.
shareHey, wait a minute. Have things changed in the last 6 years? My cousin was in college in early 2001 and had a U.S. History prof who showed all kinds of films like Birth Of A Nation, Saving Private Ryan, Dances with Wolves, etc. ?????
shareI saw Birth Of A Nation in my film class at the University of North Carolina nearly 20 years ago. I saw many films when I went to college. Things shouldn't have changed much since then if it is for educational purposes.
Mommy to two little monsters
There is female nudity too. I wouldn't let my students (I teach middle school) see it because there is too much controversial content. Don't tell them to TIVO it! If anything, show clips in class especially of the parts were Deladis is singing or when the music is first introduced. You really don't want to open the can of worms contained in this film.
shareBull. I was ten when I first saw it and I had no problem with any of it. It's a good movie. As for protecting your class, with kids today they already know all about the things you are concerned about. I'll admit, that's sad. But I already knew about child birth and and homosexuality by that time. And I remember getting mad when adults would try to protect me because they thought young meant naive and/or dumb. Kids are smarter than most people give them credit for.
EDIT: And if I had stopped to see how old this thread was, I probably wouldn't have posted. Aw well. My opinion still stands for anyone who asks a similar question.
[deleted]
All of you better believe this guy "the Movie buff" because he watches every sordidly bad movie that comes along. He has that kind of taste.
shareWhat's with the lesbian affair? Should we hide from our children the plain and simple fact that a woman may love a woman? What harm was ever done by simply telling this to our children?
And you bet harm *is done* by *not* telling our children. There are no worms in this can but the worms we put there ourselves.
Michel Couzijn
I must have been watching a different movie, but I don't recall any scenes where Mr. Quinn had sex. There was brief nudity with the teachers but no actual sex scenes that I can remember. Due to the childbirth scene and the homosexual storyline the controversy many parents would have to their children seeing this movie and the fact that it is PG-13 in the US, permission ships would be advised.
http://www.dlbach.com/