Promises: 2016

We are running out of school year.  Like, really, really quickly.

And I haven't said anything on here about the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict.

Well, we've started the movie, Promises.  I've written extensively about this in the past.

If you want the extra credit tonight, look through previous blog posts dealing with Promises.  Write down the title of the post, the date of the post, and at least 3 sentences summarizing it, and what you and the adult you read it with discussed.

Click this link to see a list of Promises posts.

Promises Promises

We started the movie "Promises" today.  You can watch the trailer below:




The movie follows 7 Israeli/Palestinian kids from 1997-1999 and then again follows up with them in 2005.  It's an interesting take on the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict and (along with Gandhi) is one of the two big movies we watch every year.

This year it seems especially relevant as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was in power during the filming, and he's not only back in power - but making quite a few headlines again.  For instance, he was on this weeks cover of Time:

Given the theological/political history of the region and the groups that have been fighting, I find it interesting that people are referring to him as "King Bibi" as well as "The King of Israel."  We don't discuss this in class, but I find it interesting...

Students, if you want extra credit today, discuss the what we saw of Promises with an adult.  Compare the kids in the movie.  Compare where they lived and how they lived.

Finally, write the following phrase on a piece of scrap paper, and turn it in to the extra credit tray:  "I know the sixth amendment."

An Update from Sanabel

Sanabel age 9... or 12....
I should probably look into that...

Every year, for the past 8 years I've watched the Oscar nominated documentary film,  Promises six times.  You would think it would get tiresome, but it hasn't really.  The Israeli/Palestinian Conflict remains as relevant today as when the movie came out in 2001.  Although much has changed, much remains the same.

The film follows Israeli and Palestinian children around, interviewing them and exploring the conflict through their eyes.  It is very well done.  (Did I mention, "Oscar nominated?")

After we watched the film this year, I wondered if it would be possible to get in contact with any of the children from the film, to see what's going on in their lives now, and if/how their views had changed.  With all the various social media out there, we had to have a shot, right?

While a few of my students liked to say this bordered on stalking (creeper, in their words) most of them said I should go for it - so I did.  I found many of the (no longer) children of the film and asked them if we could ask them some questions, and get an update.  There is an update in the film - and my students love it.  After seeing the kids as kids, it clips to several years later, and they're teens.  Sanabel starts off by re-introducing herself and her father in English.  But that update was done in 2004.

We weren't sure if anyone would reply - in fact, I wasn't even sure I had sent messages out to the correct people.  I'm pretty weak in both Arabic and Hebrew - and since many of their profiles are in those languages... you know... What could we do besides wait around and learn something else for a while?

Many of my students were naysayers, but it didn't take Sanabel long to respond.  It took me a little while to get back to her, because I wanted to make sure I gave my students time to ask her questions.  Junior High kids sometimes get a bad reputation - but they came up with some fantastic, FANTASTIC questions.  True, I had to sort out some - many students had the same questions.  Some asked things that were answered in the movie.  One student (apparently not realizing that Sanabel is no longer a teenager) asked her for a date.  Even with taking out the redundant, excessive, redundantly excessive, and pointless questions we still had dozens.  I was worried that if I sent them all she would be overwhelmed - especially given that she was reading and responding in a second language.  But, she was ever so gracious.  I broke up the original questions (I tricked her into answering follow ups as well) into 3 sections.  LIFE, CONFLICT, MOVIE - here is what she had to say, with my thoughts and questions in italics:

LIFE:

Sanabel

First, thank you for taking the time to answer our questions, my classes have come up with several.  How are you?  How is your family?  Do you have your own family now?  How has your life changed since the update in the movie?

I am happy to answer them.  When I first filmed Promises, I was 9 years old.  My father was in prison.  Again, we filmed when I was 12.  On June 16th, I will be 27 years old.  I am now married, and have 2 children - a girl and a boy... Natalie and Marcel.

I graduated from Bethlehem University as a social worker.  I spent two years working in the UN.  I now work for the Qader Association - which works to empower women in economically disadvantaged families.

Do people often contact you about the movie?

I am in touch with a lot of people who have watched Promises.  Schools, families, universities...

CONFLICT:

Should 12 and 13 year old children be more or less optimistic about peace?  What would you say are the major developments in the conflict since the update?  I'm writing this in Indiana - close to Chicago, in the United States.  We live far away.  Do you have any suggestions as to what we can do to work for peace from here?*  (We come back to these questions later.)

My thoughts on peace are still this: the two-state solution is the only solution.

Peace means the cancellation of checkpoints.  Peace means the freedom of movement between towns.  Peace is not killing Palestinian children, the young, the elderly.  Peace means freeing the Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

MOVIE:

I've always wondered some of this stuff, even if it doesn't really have to do with the conflict.  You and Faraj and Ahmed and Motasem were all from Deheishe Refugee Camp.  Did you know any of them before the filming began, or did you meet them all with the filming?  Also, have you maintained contact with any of them?  (Don't worry if you haven't, as we both know, children grow up.  I don't really even keep in contact with the childhood friends I was closest to...)

I knew Ahmed and Motasem from the dance group before the filming took place.  I don't have contact with Faraj, Yarko, Daniel or Mahmoud.  In fact, I never met Mahmoud, Shlomo, or Moishe.

In the 2004 update, you expressed hopelessness and anger over the fact that Yarko and Daniel joined the army.  Earlier, however, the film had mentioned that military service in Israel is compulsory.  So, if they had no choice, and had to join the army, why were you so mad?  Or did they have a choice we didn't know about?  For instance, could they have served Israel in some other way?

I expressed anger about Yarko and Daniel joining the military because I imagined them being stationed at the checkpoints.  I imagined them invading our area, killing people.  They could have refused to join the military, but they would have gone to prison for 20 days.


*** Interlude***

Now, there was actually some lag time between when I wrote the questions and when Sanabel had a chance to answer them.  That's not really made clear in the blog post.  *I'd like to clarify here that I am in no way a reporter.  I've never taken a journalism course.  So, if this interview seems disjointed, you're just going to have to deal with it.*

During that lag time I was driving home from school, and I heard that The Pope was going to be visiting... Deheishe Refugee Camp.  Now, I don't know if I've ever heard of Deheishe outside of Promises.  And I was in the middle of this correspondence with Sanabel.  I don't know if this ever happens to you - where you see or hear something, then suddenly it's everywhere?  We had already asked her TONS of questions, which she said she would respond to soon, but I figured I could press my luck and ask a couple more about her views on The Pope's visit.

***Technically, that was more of an interruption than an interlude, but it's over at any rate***

I heard on the news that The Pope will be visiting Sunday.  What are your thoughts about this?  They mentioned that it was right after Pope John Paul II visited that the Second Intifada broke out.  Does this concern you?  Are you going to go see him?  Would you even want to?

We Palestinians welcome people from all over the world, for we want them to come and see the reality of what life is like here for themselves.  So, we await the arrival of Pope Francis.  The head of the Catholic Church will confirm the right of the Palestinian people to "have a sovereign independent homeland" as well as Israel's right to "exist and live in peace and security."


***Me Interrupting Again***

This is, perhaps the best part.  Although I tried to make this interview look like it has some sort of cohesion, our correspondence was rather piecemeal.  We're both rather busy people, so we would respond when we could.  But I happened to be online the last time she was responding, so it looked more typical of what I've always imagined an interview should look like.  Albeit I was typing my questions into my phone, and I'm really, really slow.

Regarding the question mentioned above, "Should 12 and 13 year old children be more or less optimistic about peace?"

Palestinian kids - and especially those who live in camps like Deheishe Camp where I live - still suffer the invading from the Israeli soldiers every day and at nights.  Israeli soldiers invade our camp and arrest Palestinian youth from their homes while they are sleeping.  They used to shoot while entering our camp, so nobody would try to get out.

I have a story to tell:

When I got married, I got married to a man from our camp who I loved for 3 years.  When I got married, after 6 months the Israeli soldiers invaded my home and arrested my husband while I was pregnant with Natalie.  I remember them as the hardest two years of my life.

He was released when Natalie was one year old.  She didn't accept her father for months.

Me:  I'm sorry to hear that.

Sanabel's husband, Raed and daughter Natalie.

Natalie

Sanabel:  Yes.  I graduated from the university when he was in prison.  I had my first anniversary when he was in prison.  And Natalie had her 1st birthday when her father was in prison.  It was a very difficult time, with all this added responsibility.

Me:  It's interesting that as a child you lived through YOUR father being unjustly imprisoned - and then had this happen too.  (*In the movie, Sanabel's father is imprisoned and waits more than 2 years before he's even given a trial...)

Sanabel: Yes.

Me:  It must have given you an added perspective on what your mother went through when you were a child... sorry... I said I wouldn't interrupt.

Sanabel:  Exactly.  That's what I wanted to say.  So thank you.  Children at Deheishe still feel like this.  They always talk about the moments when their fathers or brothers were arrested.  Deheishe Camp, where I live is one of the camps that suffers most from the occupation.  Many people from the outside - from the United States, or from Europe come and live here to know exactly how it is.

Me:  That's interesting.  I wonder though, it's still not the same.  Because in the back of their minds, they know that they're not going to be there forever.  They can get out.  Palestine was never their land, so they don't have the ties to it...  But it would still give them an added perspective and a deeper understanding of what's going on.

Marcel

Sanabel:  Yes.  It's one thing to see it from the movie, but it is another to live there.  It helps to understand.

Me:  Other than going there ourselves, because this would not be feasible for my students, do you have any suggestions of how we could work for peace?

Sanabel:  I think Promises is the best way to let the people over there know about what is going on in the West Bank.  Because, the people ware are in the film are children, and children see the world truthfully and simply, and speak out about what they see.

Me:  It is interesting that in my class the solutions the students come up with are always a simplified version of what the most highly educated people in the International Relations community come up with: share, get along, we are all people.

Sanabel:  One more thing: I hope that in the future sometime you can come to Palestine.  You and your whole family, your students.  We will welcome you.  I will welcome you into my home.

Me:  Thank you for the invitation.  I will let them all know.  Although, my students are 12 and 13.  But as you know, 12 and 13 year olds grow up.

Sanabel:  I hope that sometime in the future, when they are grown up, they can go all around the world.  I want them to know that we will welcome them any time.  Someday they can come and see things here on the ground, and they will understand very well how people are living in the camps.  They will see the Palestinian Apartheid Wall, the checkpoints, the prisons, everything... and maybe they will understand Promises very well.

Me:  Thank you.  I will pass that along.  I think that the Israelis are worried that if they give the Palestinians a little, the Palestinians will want a lot.  Should they be afraid?

Sanabel:  Why?  We are living here now, as our families have for generations.  We need security, rights, freedom.  Our children have the right to sleep in security, as their children do.  We're not calling for miracles - we're calling for equality.

Me:  You make very good and honest points.  Thank you.  And thank you for your time.

Sanabel:  Thank you.  I want you to also send my thanks to your students, because they are searching for reality, and truth, and sorting through the facts.

Me:  I will do thank.  Thanks again.  And have a nice evening.  In my mind, I'm saying goodbye in Arabic - but since I don't know Arabic, I'll just say goodbye.  

Sanabel:  Ma asalama.

Me: Ma asalama.

Promised

We stared Promises today.  (You can check out the trailer if you go to Friday's post.)

I'm keeping today's post short.  In fact, I may do this for all the Promises posts.  I guess we'll see.

If you want the extra credit, tell your parents the premise of Promises.  Then choose 3 of the people the story is following, and tell your parents one thing your remember about each of them.

Yarko and Daniel

Mahmoud

Shlomo

Sanabel

Faraj

Moishe


When you're done, write 3 sentences about your conversation, and have them sign the paper.

Turn it in tomorrow for extra credit.

(I know this particular post doesn't help you very much if you were absent today.  ...Sorry...  Let me know you were here, and I'll see what I can do...)

FYI, the Middle East Map is in H Block Assignments, if you need to download it.

5 Big Questions

We'll see if I hear back from any of the Promises crew.  Honestly, I'm not counting on it... but who knows?  Maybe I should have promised to plug Justine Shapiro's new...ish... documentary...

We'll see.  They're all pretty busy.

In order to get the extra credit, answer the following 5 questions about Promises with them.

1.  What are the check points, and how do people feel about them?

2.  Do you feel like you are more alike or more different from the kids in the film?  How so?

3.  Why do you think the movie is called "Promises?"

4.  Why do you think the last scene featured babies?

5.  Was it worth watching?

Discuss all five questions.  In order to get the extra credit, write one answer down, have the adult you read and discussed it with sign the paper, and turn it in on Monday.

See you then.

Continuing Promises

I think I mentioned this, but the movie will Promises will probably take the rest of this week. So, students: if you want the extra credit - tell your parents what happened in the movie today. Mention 3 different kids, what they believe, and something they did in the portion we saw. To get the extra credit, write the following on a scrap of paper: That is a long line to trace.

Then, have the adult you discussed Promises with sign the paper.  Make sure your name is on it and turn it in tomorrow.

Promises: Track

Every year that we watch Promises, there is a scene that really gets me: the track meet scene.

In this scene (some mild spoilers ahead... you've been warned...) Faraj is chosen to run track for Deheishe, and he comes in 2nd.  Anyone who has ever played on an athletic team knows the feeling.  It doesn't feel good to lose, and the close ones are often the most difficult.

There's another scene in the movie which shows the twins, Yarko and Daniel losing their volleyball match.  They too, came in second place.

I think (and this is just speculation, mind you) these scenes were included for two reasons: to connect us - the audience, especially the young audience - with them.  We've all been there.  These are kids playing sports; being kids.

But later on in the film Yarko, I believe, says something like, "People think there's a winner in a war, but there's not.  In a war, both sides lose."

I think it's showing that in this conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians, both sides are currently coming in 2nd place, and it doesn't feel good to anybody.

That's not why I'm writing this post, however.  A few years ago, a student noticed something:

Now, I'm no track coach, but shouldn't Faraj's opponent have been disqualified?   I mean, he's clearly in the other lane.

I'm sure I'm just adding my thoughts into a narrative that's already been established, but I always think now, that in both the conflict, and the race those involved feel cheated out of what they believe to be rightfully theirs.

That said, I'm sure that Faraj never thinks about this race.  (...Even though I think about a goal I shanked in a soccer match more than a decade ago...)  Still, I'd want to tell him.

I mean, seriously... where are the refs?

I declare Faraj the winner.  I can do that, right?  Or am I missing the point?

Maybe my point is that I feel the injustice of this situation in the movie.  And this is a track meet between 12 year olds.  What about the conflict as a whole?  The land?  The checkpoints?  The terrorists?  The jails?  The water?  It's not just a track meet that's been lost.

If you're in my class, read and discuss the blog post with an adult.  Write down some thoughts from your discussion and have them sign the paper.  Turn it in tomorrow.

Promises

We're moving into the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict.

We just had a brief introduction to it yesterday and today.  Yesterday we watched a video of the Teapacks performing the song, "Push the Button."

You can watch it here:





It's pretty good.  I had hoped we could go over the lyrics in class a little bit today, but we didn't get that chance.  Well, not reall... at least not in most classes.

We spent the time today grading our Middle East maps, and discussing the basics of the conflict.

I've got 3 young daughters.  At any given moment, one is trying to steal a doll-baby from another one.  It's a problem when 2 people independently think they are the sole owner of a possession.

We're going to start watching Promises next week.  Here's the trailer.  (Some classes also watched this.)






Well... this post is a little disjointed.  I'm sorry about that.  I've been called away from the computer a couple times to help out some other students and teachers.  Also, to receive help myself.  The problem with posting this blog is that it doesn't leave time to edit.

For instance, the bell just rang.  I've got to go monitor the hall...

...I'm back... and you didn't even know I was gone.  Weird, huh?

I've got so much work to do, I'm going to end the post here.

If you want the credit for reading and discussing the blog with an adult, explain or at least discuss the baby doll analogy with them.  Or the car.

...Ok... I'll tell it...  Really fast:  If your car gets stolen, and it's found a day later, would you want it back?  What if the thief said, "Oh come on, I've had it for a day already... it's practically mine, right?"

What if he had it for a week?  Two weeks?  A month?  A year?  10 years?  ...Also, it's a Ferrari.

The police find it 20 years later in mint condition.  Do you want it back?

Students, if you remember, you could explain what that has to do with the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict.

Write down 3 thoughts from your conversation, then turn it in on Monday.  See you then.

Promises (2015)

We started watching the documentary "Promises" today.  It's interesting to see how much things have changed in Israel since I started showing the film 9 years ago - but it's also interesting to see how little they have changed.  *I should also add a hat-tip to my colleague, Mr. Cowells, who was showing the film before I was hired.*

Here's the film trailer:

For those of you at home, the film is definitely worth watching.

We'll talk more about what's going on in Israel today as the film progresses.  For now, if you want extra credit for my class, watch and discuss the trailer with an adult.  Discuss it, and write down a couple sentences from your discussion.  Have the adult you discussed with sign the paper.  Turn it in tomorrow.

Abraham, Moses, King

We are continuing on with our study of the monotheistic religions.  While we finished up Judaism yesterday, we'll be bouncing around a little bit throughout the whole unit.

If you recall, I've taught that all the monotheistic religions trace their roots back to Abraham.  He's also the founder of Judaism.

Yesterday we watched a clip of Martin Luther King Jr.'s last speech.  He gave it the day before he was killed.  Many people see the speech as prophetic, as he talks about wanting to live a long life - but not worrying about what will happen; not fearing any man.

Here's the clip:

The clip ties in with a couple things we've talked about.  First, he mentions totalitarian (i.e. unlimited) governments.  I used this to remind the students that they know what totalitarian governments are.

The second is the reference to the Promised Land.  We just finished reading Genesis 12:1-10, where God promises land to Abraham.  King is drawing a comparison to an America that was promised, but had not yet been delivered.  And he seemed to realize that he would not live to see those promises fulfilled, but he believed they would be.

Today we started discussing Christianity - and the different beliefs within the faith.  Tomorrow, we'll continue and start to introduce Islam in earnest.

If you want extra credit for reading and discussing the blog with an adult, you should watch the MLK clip with them, and discuss the clip as well.  Write down at least 3 sentences based on your discussion.  Turn in the paper tomorrow.

The February extra credit name of the day is Sojourner Truth.

Promises Update

Here are updates from 2 of the children from the film "Promises."

Sanabel Update

Faraj Update

...If there are other updates out there, let me know.

Last Post of the Year (for E.C.)

This is your last chance to get some extra credit for discussing social studies with a parent or other adult. Today we wrote about Promises and graded the Middle East map that was actually due a week and a half ago. The students looked at the way characters changed through the course of the movie. Tomorrow will look at updates of the kids. We've got a quiz on Friday over the Israeli Palestinian Conflict. If you didn't turn in the book, now would be the time to do so. The cost to replace the book is $60.48... so if you've got money like that to throw around, it could be better spent on... well... anything... If you want the extra credit, discuss the kids from Promises, and how their thoughts and opinions changed throughout the movie - and why you think they changed so much. On a sheet of scrap paper, write a sentence or two telling me about a time you changed your mind. Then, have the parent you discussed the blog with sign the paper.

A Week of Promises

We're continuing Promises.

To get the extra credit today, discuss what happened in the film.

What is the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict about?
Give at least one example of suffering from each side.
Tell why you think B.Z. (the man who made the film) included the volleyball and track scenes.

After you are done discussing today's portion with an adult, write three sentences about what you discussed on a scrap of paper and have the adult sign it.


Finally, I'm not particularly a Lebron fan.  Neither am I an anti-fan.  Of course he's a great player.  The best in the game right now.  Yeah, I'm pulling for the Pacers...  I'm in Indiana now.  I can embrace that.  However, when a colleague showed me this picture, I had to include it in the blog:

Promises: An Interview with Director Justine Shapiro

Every year, my class watches the Oscar nominated documentary film, Promises.  (Watch trailer.)

The movie follows 7 Israeli and Palestinian children around, and looks at the conflict through their experiences.  It tells their story.

Last year, my students had the opportunity to interview Sanabel, one of the children from the film.  (Read interview.)

This year, we had the opportunity to be part of a video chat (google hangout) with the internationally acclaimed director of the film, Justine Shapiro.

She gave us some insights to the film Promises, the process of making documentary film in general, as well as thoughts on the on-going Israeli/Palestinian Conflict. She also mentioned the importance of being articulate, the importance of foreign language studies, and why her son was wearing a Mexican soccer jersey in the documentary Our Summer in Tehran.  (Watch trailer.)

Some highlights:

(For language arts teachers)

"...And really, that was the question.  Who's articulate?  Who can express something of themselves, and something of their experience with words.  Because we're making a film, right?  It could be that... I'm sure that all of you - every single one of you - is expressive in your own way.   But when you're making a film, you need kids who are expressive with words..." (12:00)

(For foreign language teachers)

-On the importance of learning a foreign language:

"I think it is probably one of the most important things one could learn." (21:10)

"...It was only when I decided, okay.  I'm gonna take a French class.  I'm gonna make myself read a half an hour a day.  And I'm gonna make myself TALK.  I'm gonna talk to people.  I'm gonna make a lot of mistakes.  They're gonna be mean to me.  But I'm gonna talk.  And I did.  And that's when I started learning French.  And then...  I'd say my French is fantastic now, because I got so much foundation in school - even though I didn't really think I got it - that foundation actually ended up helping me a lot.

So for those of you who are struggling in your language at school - you're getting more than you realize you're getting.  But don't give up, because if you go and spend time in a place where they speak that language, you will learn to speak it.  And it's INCREDIBLE speaking another language.  It really is.  It just - it opens your mind up in so many ways."

(An update on Shlomo)

-On why Sholmo didn't appear in the updates:

"...Shlomo had left the Orthodox community.   And I think that he was probably in the interim - sort of the interim stages of trying to figure out whether or not he was part of the Orthodox community or not - And I think that's why he - you know - ultimately why he wasn't in the film."  (31:00)

(The Ambiguity of the film)

-And life

"...What did you think the scene (burping scene) was about?  And there isn't one answer.  And that's really why... When you read a great book, or you watch a film that you think is... that sticks with you... It's probably because there are scenes like that - that provoke questions.

"You know sometimes, I know it's very satisfying to have answers, but as you grow up one of the things you learn is to just be comfortable with the questions and with the ambiguity.  Because, there's very little certainty in life.  There's very little that's black and white.  And so we put that scene in there because it's about a lot of different things."  (9:00)

(On bias, being overly-opinionated, and ambiguity)

"What I realized in the process of making the film is that you can hold more than one opinion in your hand.  Right? That's really important.  We all feel like we have to choose sides.  Or we have this binary way of thinking: this or that; right or wrong; black or white.  And as I said earlier, really, even in your own lives if you think of any issue that you feel passionate about...  If you really, really, honestly feel into whatever that is - whether it's somebody you really, really don't like.  Or something you think is really, really, really, really ugly.  Or something that really, really, really, really makes you mad...  If any of you really look at it, you'll see...  you'll know that there's something there that's...  that you can't totally reject...  There are very few things that are just, absolutely one way or the other.  I realized in the course of making the film that you can have more than one opinion.  You can have two opinions or three opinions.  We're human.  You know, that's kindof what we're all about as human beings.  Is that we're capable of holding on to ambiguity." (27:40)


(On being overly-opinionated vs. listening and saying, 'I don't know.')

"Now, you know, when I hear people - like REALLY opinionated about the Palestinians or the Israelis or Israel or Palestine - I just put my hands over my head and I think, "until you've spent time there... Until you've spent time in people's living rooms...  Until you've broken bread with them... Until you've read a couple of books - NOT Wikipedia - ...I don't want to hear your opinion.  I really don't.  It's much more important to say, "I don't know."  I think it takes a lot of courage to say don't know.  It's true.

...It takes a lot more courage and intelligence to say, 'You know, this is what I understand.  This is what I've read.  This is what I've heard.  I kindof feel like this, but the fact is... until I do more research until I meet more people or read the...  ...I don't really know.'

I hear the smartest people in the world saying that."  (29:45)

(On the flaws of the film)

"...You know, we didn't succeed entirely.  There aren't enough girls in the film, certainly.  There are no Mizrahi kids - children of Jews from Middle Eastern countries.  So we couldn't be entirely representative.  There were no Christian Palestinians..  (14:50)

(On the editing process)

"When we finished shooting, we had a hundred and sixty hours of material. ...160 H.O.U.R.S.   ...Of material.  We could have featured 14 kids.  We had enough footage - what you saw in the film was 7 kids. We shot enough of another 7 kids that we ended up having to edit out of the film.

The hardest part about making a documentary film is editing.  You know, you leave a LOT of great stuff out of the film - it's very hard."

There are plenty more highlights.  If you'd like to see the interview in its entirety, here it is.  The text of the interview is after the page break.

If you're a teacher, and use the film Promises in the classroom, consider doing something like this.  You can get information about it by emailing info@promisesfilms.com.  

As Ms. Shapiro said, much of being an independent documentary film-maker involves raising money.  If you believe in the story and mission of the film Promises, or Our Summer in Tehran, please consider donating.  (It is tax-deductible.)

Questions for the Interview

We're gearing up for three things right now:

• Wednesday's interview with actor/director Justine Shapiro
• Final Exams
• The summer

Lets start with the top of the list.

I've been going through the questions you want to ask Ms. Shapiro, many of them are very good.  Please come to class tomorrow with more.

Some of you (and no doubt, some of your parents) are wondering what Ms. Shapiro has been up to since finishing Promises.  First, I'd check out THIS LINK to for Time Team America.

I'd also consider checking out the trailer to her documentary, Our Summer in Tehran:

Given that we'll be having a conversation with her in a couple days, it would be a good idea to be prepared.

Video Days

Sometimes I think social studies classes are misrepresented, or at least common perception of them is off.  I think people picture us setting up a DVD player (some parents probably imagine us setting up a film strip projector...) on day one, pressing play, then kicking our feet up the rest of the year while getting paid a modest salary for relatively little work.

Hopefully this blog will help dispel some of those rumors.  We watch very few movies in here.  We do usually hit a couple big ones - Gandhi and Promises - but other than that they are rare.  (Even the big ones we usually trim down to fit into a week or two...)

Well, today was an exception - and I may add an exception that didn't take up the entire period.  We watched the last of the monotheistic religions videos today.  Each one lasts about 20 minutes and gives some insight into the religions we're studying.  Obviously, at 20 minutes there's only so much that can get covered, but they're a nice way to introduce the religion.

I don't think students get a whole lot of the video itself.  They get far more from the discussions that follow.  Tomorrow we'll go over the sheets that they were to fill out during the movie.  Honestly, it's a way for them to get some free points.  It helps them stay focused and follow along, but it's not a big deal if they miss an answer because we go over it together in class later.

The beginning of class was taken up with a discussion of religious extremism.  I thought it went pretty well.  I would love to show a 2 minute summary video about that to all my classes, but there are no good ones out there.  Go ahead and search youtube for yourself.  They either have an anti-religion bias, or they have an anti-religion-that-isn't-Christian bias.  I don't really feel comfortable showing either of those in class.  (If you do find one, please attach it to this blog as a comment.)

For today, discuss the following questions after reading the blog: what is religious extremism?  Do you think Islam gets a bad rap?  Give some instances of religious extremism other than Islamic Extremism?  We talked about people willing to kill or die for their faith.  Is there anything you're willing to die for?  If so, what?  Would that make you an extremist?  Why or why not?

To get the extra credit, write the following on a piece of paper: I'm an extremist when it comes to skateboarding.  Backside 50/50 baby.  Parents/Adult signing paper... (oh yeah, kids... you still have to get it signed...) by signing that scrap of paper you're saying your kid really did read and discuss the blog and questions with you.)

Comparing Judaism and Christianity/ Timeline Practice

We started out class with some timeline practice today.  If you're checking the blog because you were absent and want the extra credit, that's what you have to do.  You can GET A COPY HERE, or I may have an extra at school.  No promises though... if I'm out and you don't have a copy, print it out at the Media Center.

Here's a key to remember when you're working with timelines: if you have to jump over "0" you add.  If you stay on the same side of the timeline, subtract.  (And yes, we know there's no year ).

We've been studying some of the similarities between Judaism and Christianity...  The major ones.

Obviously, there are a lot - since Jesus Christ was Jewish and followed the Jewish customs, and law.

I'll try to post the big stuff tomorrow after students turn in their Venn diagrams.  (That reminds me, if students didn't finish their Venn diagrams - or if they were absent - they've got homework.  ...Most people should be done.)

If you just showed up for the extra credit, here's what you have to do.  Read and discuss the blog with an adult.  Tell the adult 3 similarities between Judaism and Christianity.  Write down one.  Have the adult you read and discussed with sign the paper.

Turn it in tomorrow.

Until then, have a great day.

Gandhi and MLK

We watch 2 legitimate movies every year: Gandhi and Promises.

Right now, we're watching Gandhi.  If you haven't seen it, it's quite good.  It won best picture in 1982.  (Incidentally, a lot of good things came out that year: E.T., Rocky III, Halloween III, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Poltergeist, Tron, Annie, ...Me...)

As we close out Black History Month, I thought it might be nice to highlight some of the similarities between Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.  (We don't do this in class, so my students may not be familiar with it.  I just thought it might be a good addition...)

• Both Civil Rights Leaders
• Both believed in and practiced civil disobedience
• Both were practitioners of non-violence
• Both are seen as the key leaders of movements that were much, MUCH larger
• Both exemplify one side of a a movement that had many sides
• (See Martin Luther King vs Malcolm X, Or Booker Washington vs W.E.B. DuBois)
• (See Gandhi vs any of the not so non-violent movements for Indian independence)
• Both spent substantial amounts of time in prison
• Both were gifted public speakers
• Both were also known for their religions
• Both have made significant literary contributions
• And of course, both were assassinated

While they both had their differences as well, it is interesting to see what all they had in common.  If you can think of anything else, feel free to write it in the comments.

Students in my class may get extra credit if they read and discuss the blog with an adult.  Students, please give the adult a summary of what's happened in the movie so far.

Then, write a 3-5 sentence summary on a scrap of note paper.  Have the adult you read the blog with sign the paper.  Turn it in on Monday in the extra credit tray.  Make sure that your name, date, and hour are on the paper.

(Image Credit)

(Image Credit)

Good News

Most classes finished up the movie, Promises, today.  If you want extra credit, tell the adult you're reading this with what happened.  Write down a little summary of the movie on a scrap of paper.  Have the adult you're reading with sign the paper.  Turn it in tomorrow.

Side note: I received some good news today during 5th hour.  ...If you know what that was, tell your parents as well.  What do you think?

That's all I've got for you today.  I think tomorrow's post will be a little more in depth.  Until then, have a great day.

The Fox and the Hound

If you want to get extra credit for today's blog, watch the video clip and discuss the questions below with an adult.




How does this movie (The Fox and the Hound) relate to Promises - the movie we're watching in class?

Do you think Faraj and Yarko and Daniel will be friends?

Will it be possible for them to remain friends when they grow up, why or why not?

Students, when you discuss this with an adult, you may have to explain who Faraj, and Yarko and Daniel are.  You'll probably also have to tell them what's going on in the film.

When you're finished write a couple sentences answering that last question (Will it be possible for them to remain friends when they grow up, why or why not?). Then, have the adult you discussed the blog with sign the paper.  Make sure your name is on it, and turn it in to the extra credit tray.