Universal Journal of Educational Research Vol. 4(5), pp. 994 - 1002
DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2016.040509
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Teachers in Film: Inspiration for Autonomous and Transformative Teaching or a Warning against It?

Orit Schwarz-Franco ^*
Department of Teacher Education, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

ABSTRACT

Can teachers promote a change? Are teachers free in their work? In the first part of this article I present a theoretical answer to these two questions and show the relation between them, based on the theories of two thinkers. Paulo Freire and Joseph Schwab teach us that teachers are autonomous and that they can lead processes of change in the school system as well as in society. Films about teachers can inspire teachers to dare to use the freedom they have in class and to be promoters of change. On the other hand, the same movies may also instill in teachers doubts regarding their own competence to create change and fears of the outcomes of such a change. In the second part of the article, I raise awareness of the various overt and elusive messages present in movies about teachers, I discuss several examples, and I suggest a few warnings and recommendations regarding how teacher education programs might approach and utilize films about teachers so as to support the teachers' self-image as autonomous and capable of social transformation.

KEYWORDS
Freire, Schwab, Teachers in Films, Autonomy of Teachers

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Orit Schwarz-Franco , "Teachers in Film: Inspiration for Autonomous and Transformative Teaching or a Warning against It?," Universal Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 4, No. 5, pp. 994 - 1002, 2016. DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2016.040509.

(b). APA Format:
Orit Schwarz-Franco (2016). Teachers in Film: Inspiration for Autonomous and Transformative Teaching or a Warning against It?. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 4(5), 994 - 1002. DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2016.040509.