The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

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The film from class that I most identified with was “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.” Of all the films we have watched so far, this film and the readings that accompanied it were the most interesting and applicable to my emergence as a new teacher. I was most excited to watch the film because I love Maggie Smith and had never heard of this film. As I began to watch, I became entranced by her performance and by attempting to discover the message the film is attempting to portray. After watching and reading the associated articles, I discovered that the primary point of this film is to express how significantly teachers can influence their students, and that this influence is not always appropriate. Reading the article, “Teachers as Products of Their Schooling: Disrupting Gendered Positions” (Sanford, 2002) I synthesized this theory with literature and developed a specific conclusion. While it may be appropriate in some educational situations for teachers to express their viewpoints to their pupils, it is more important to put aside our own agenda to develop our students’ own viewpoints and opinions.

Miss Jean Brodie is a colorful character. She teaches just about everything but what she is supposed to, and clearly favors some students more than others. She is confident almost to the extreme, but hides an internal struggle between her romantic partners. Her mantra of “the business of putting old heads on young shoulders” sounds like an admirable quality for any teacher. However, Miss Brodie openly expresses disdain for the Headmistress, Miss Mackay, and does not teach any of the required material. The film eventually shows Miss Brodie being betrayed by her students, losing her job, and falling out of love with her romantic partner...

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...rstand. Viewing these issues in the context of film allows for a complex story to unfold, and for potential teachers to grow as the characters do. Viewing film is so much more rewarding and engaging than reading text or dialogue. Watching the films allows me to internalize the situations and connect deeply with the characters. Deconstructing the story on film allows for much better understanding. Being a naturally visual learner, I can connect much better with the story when I see Miss Brodie’s billowy scarf or Miss Mackay’s high collar. Seeing the painting Miss Brodie puts up on the wall helps understand her love for art. Watching the films instead of reading the book helps me understand and connect better with the characters. By connecting better with the characters, I am able to better understand the concepts of diversity that underline the conflicts they face.

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