This is one enjoyable movie that worth watching again and again. Basically, “Akeelah and the Bee” narrates about an 11-year-old girl who excels in her spelling, which leads her to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The whole story reflects how her courage, confidence and hard work win her the competition. Besides, the movie also explores issues of education in the black community.
Through the movie, I got a few teaching implications which are listed as below:
1. Always motivate your students with inspiring quotes, stories or even talk.
Akeelah: [quoting Marianne Williamson]
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
Dr. Larabee: Does that mean anything to you?
Akeelah: I don't know.
Dr. Larabee: It's written in plain English. What does it mean?
Akeelah: That I'm not supposed to be afraid?
Dr. Larabee: Afraid of what?
Akeelah: Afraid of... me?
2. Help students to believe in themselves.
3. Push students to reach their potentials
Note: Though I don’t really agree upon Mr. Welch’s intention in forcing students to win competition for school fund. He somehow did help Akeelah to realize her dreams and refine her potential.
Mr. Welch: So whoever wins the school bee today, gets to represent Crenshaw at the district bee next month.
Akeelah: Why would anybody want to represent a school where they can't even put doors on the toilet stalls?
Mr. Welch: Akeelah, if we can't show students can perform were not going to have money for books let alone bathroom doors. Now I want you to do the bee today, okay?
Akeelah: So everyone can call me a freak and a brainiac? No I ain't down for no spelling bee.
Mr. Welch: Well, maybe you'd be down for spending the rest of the semester in detention for all your absences?
4. Find students’ learning style and adapt it to the lesson
For example, Akeelah can spell better by skipping rope.
5. Understand students behaviour more through Their Parents and Peers
For instance, Akeelah rejects the spelling bee contest, feeling that her friends will laugh at her for being a nerd. Besides, her mother does not approve her for participating in any competition but put total concentration on her study. Another example would be Dylan. More often than not, he feels stressed and depressed because of his domineering father, who gives high expectation to his son and forces his son to work hard to be the champion.
Many students these days are like Dylan. They had to cope with parents’ expectations and are forced to study or go for tuition. How would teachers deal with them?
yeah, huey fen..
ReplyDeletei agree with you. students need sufficient guidance and motivation if they wish to excel in education or anything they want. we as the teachers (or teacher trainees) should look for their potential and boost it. yes, there are many other expectations made by parents, communities and even the country. But, i think we should deal with the small little things we see from the students first before working on the bigger picture..because these little things might be the source of eternal excellence or failure..