Motivation: Validation by Kurt Kuenne

Validation (2007) is an optimistic short film and love story by Kurt Kuenne. It only lasts for almost 16 minutes and was released on the YouTube platform, making it clear that things are changing in the film business. I really like this story because it shows how you can focus on the nice part of life and not on the bad and the world would be better. As a teacher I try to do this with my students and I think this really helps people to feel better and more motivated to produce and create.

I recommend you to watch it, it will cheer you up!!

What do you think of it?Did you like it?

The Odd Life of Timothy Green

 

- Trainer: "Why are you smiling?"

- Timothy: "I can only get better"

To tell the truth, I haven't seen the film, The Odd Life of Timothy Green, but I  saw the commercial spot and it really hit me how this is the right attitude to show those that say: "I don't know any English", as to make the teacher aware that we should leave them alone... those who are afraid to learn English.

I have used this short video after correcting in class the diagnostic test we  make at the beginning of the course as part of the initial evaluation to get to know better where our students are. It makes them feel better and I make a statement to my class: "I am here to teach you, I don't care what your level is, we'll try to get it higher"

What do you think? Do you use something similar? Have you seen the film?

Leave your comments and tell us!!

Bend it like Beckham: Watching a film in class.

 I want to recommend this film for educational purposes, Bend it like Beckham is a film which came out in the year 2002 by the female British director Gurinder Chadha. This film won some minor awards and was nominated for Best Film (musical or comedy) in the Golden Globes of the following year. Gurinder Chadha is of Indian origin and that background also appears in the film.

What is the plot of the film?

Jess (Parminder Nagra), a Hindi girl who lives with her parents and elder sister in London, loves playing football and is very good at it. During the process of engagement of her sister, her dream of becoming a professional footballer  (just like her admired Beckham) is about to be fulfillled. In the way, she finds problems because of the traditions and customs her family has about what a girl should be and act like. She finds herself in the middle of two worlds, her family's and the one her new friend Jules (Keira Knightley) and her trainer  (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) represent.

Why in a class?

There are many reasons to watch this film in a class, first of all, it is funny, students laugh while watching it, there's a love story and there is football too!! Also, the setting is London!! Besides, it is a good way to open up discussions about some topics we may come across in our classes, like:

1. Cultural contrasts.
2. Masculine and feminine roles in society.
3. Discrimination.
4. Parents-children relationships.
5. Effort enhancing.
6. Homosexuality.
7. Inmmigration.

Watching it in English?

I think that this film can be watched by students from 1st of ESO to 2nd of Bachillerato (if we had the time!!)  . Watching it in English in lower courses would be difficult because of the Hindi (especially) and British accents. With lower courses I recommend watching it in Spanish and may be taking only two or three scenes in English to work deeper with.

Have you seen this film? At school? Did you like it? Do you agree with me?

Leave your comments!!!

Black Comedy at Teatro Alcazar in Madrid.

Photo taken by Ana García

Last weekend I went to Madrid and I was lucky enough to get tickets for Peter Shaffer's Black Comedy. Peter Shaffer (1926-) is a British playwright and screenwriter especially famous for his plays Equus and Amadeus which were later made into films with his own help. Many of her works were represented for the first time at the National Theatre in London and in 2001 he became Sir Peter Shaffer.

The cast of the play was excellent, as you can see in the photo, and included Gabino Diego, Aurora Sánchez, Paco Churruca, Diego Molero, Ramón Merlo, Ana Arias and Eva Santolaria who did not act that night but was sitting in the stalls watching her mates.

Black Comedy is a very funny play, special for its lighting effects. Its name is a pun, that is, a play on words because it is about an electric short circuit and supposedly takes place in total darkness. There's only dim light when a match or lantern can be used by any of the characters. As the play starts, all the theatre is in total darkness and in complete normality. All of a sudden, the lights go out  and the stage gets well-illuminated though they act as if they were blind. 

Brindsley, a mediocre sculptor,  and his recent fiancée Carol are preparing a meeting with her father and a billionaire who is interested in some of his work and may buy something. Both are nervous and do not feel confident about Brindsley's furniture, so they have borrowed some from Harold, his art collector neighbour who is not at home. A variety of people come into scene: Miss Furnival, a funny neighbour who "does not drink alcohol" and profits from the situation; the operator of the London Electric Company, who is mistaken  by the millionaire because he knows about art; his former girl-friend,Clea, who wants to come back to him and, of course, Harold who comes before time unexpectedly and forces Brindsley to get his furniture back to his apartment at the same time as they are waiting for the billionaire.

It was an interesting and hilarious one-act play, we laughed a lot and had a look back at London in the seventies.

Do you know any of the actors or actresses? They have acted in some television series... If you recognize any, leave your comments and tell us!!!

WHITNEY HOUSTON

Whitney was born in New Jersey in 1963 in a family which promoted her passion for music, especially gospel music. At the age of 20, she was discovered by Clive Davis at a New York club where she was singing and treated her to sign a contract with Arista ( a records company) and she started to make albums which were very popular and sold very well.

She had great hits during her lifetime such as  "Saving All My Love for You", "The Greatest Love of All", "I Wanna Dance with Somebody", "I'm Every Woman" or "I Have Nothing" and "Run to You"... The list is so long, as is the list of the prizes received troughout the world and the number of albums sold. According to the Guinnes Book of World  Records, she is "the most awarded female artist of all time". She also tried her best as an actress with the films The Bodyguard and Waiting to Exhale or The Preacher's Wife.

Even though her singing and professional career was spectacular, her personal life was more troublesome. She married the also singer Bobbi Brown, who has had several problems with law, and had her only child, Bobbi Kristina. She died only a few days ago and was buried today at the age of 48. Rest in peace Whitney.

MULTICULTURALISM

We are dealing with multiculturalism as well as immigration in class these days. As we all know, immigration has been a powerful force to help raise countries such as the United States of America or  Germany, here in Europe. Spain has also been a receiver of immigrants, in addition to being a source of  immigrants to many other countries in South America and , more recently, to Germany or other European countries as well.

As we have also seen in class, American immigrants arrived to this island called Ellis Island at which you can have a curious look here. I have chosen this part of the film Hitch because it is really hilarious; Will Smith (Hitch) and Eva Mendes (Sara Melas) are having a look at the original document in which the landers on Ellis Island had to register to get into the USA. If you haven't watched the film, I recommend it to you, I think you can have a great time.

I have used several connectors of additon and example, if you spot them, send me a comment please!!

THE IRON LADY

Margaret Thatcher was born in 1925, from a worker's family. She started quite soon in politics and was the first and only female candidate in 1952's general elections. She first became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1959 and continued to be so for most of her life.

Her first really important job in UK' s political sphere was Education Secretary from 1970 to 1974 when she became the leader of the opposition from 1975 to 1979, and then, she became the first female Prime Minister (PM) of the UK.

She had to deal with many problems such as inflation and unemployment and also with the problem of Europe (belonging to the European Community or not); and due to the harsh treatment she gave to these and other issues, she won the nickname of  Iron Lady.


She continued for a long time to be an active politician and someone important in British society, nowadays she is again in the news thanks to the film première about her in which the American actress Meryl Streep plays her role.

If  you go and watch the film, don't forget to tell me about it!!