A Reflection on Children Full of Life - Movie Review Example

A Reflection on Children Full of Life (3 of 5) The video clip Children Full of Life (3 of 5) strikes a chord that is impossible to ignore for anyonein the teaching profession. For those who are still undergoing training and education in preparation of becoming teachers, the clip certainly embeds a concept that should never be forgotten when dealing with students. On my part, the message of this short video virtually demolishes certain ideas regarding the aims and methods of teaching primary education level students.

For a long time, I have always held on to the belief that teachers are supposed to project an impression of infallibility when it comes to teaching subjects to students. Aside from this, I have also thought that teachers should be strict disciplinarians, unwavering in their commitment to impose rules on the students and even, unbending, when it comes to meting disciplinary actions. However, I could not believe it when the teacher, Mr. Kanamori, actually allows his students to express their opposition to his views and, ultimately, changing his previous stance of punishing Yuto.

There are actually two things that struck me while watching the clip; first is the students’ compassion towards their classmate, and second is the teacher’s teaching style and appreciation of the students’ independent and opposing views. I think that the two are actually related to each other. In the first place, a very rigid atmosphere in the classroom established by the teacher would make it impossible for children at such young age and to learn how to assert their ideas even if these are not in concurrence to those of the teacher.

Obviously, Mr. Kanamori is a kind and compassionate teacher. By setting an example, he also teaches the students how to be compassionate to their classmates and to other people. At an instance when he is compelled to punish a student, Yuto, he sees how compassion has been embedded in the hearts and minds of the children in his class. It is very clear that while he is right in deciding that Yuto should be punished to teach him a lesson, Mr. Kanamori realizes that what is more important is for the students to uphold compassion and to actually assert on this principle without fear.

Even at such young age and at a very basic educational level, Mr. Kanamori is actually teaching them how democracy works. When Yo and his classmates bravely explain why Yuto should be allowed to join them in rafting, they are already like practicing their rights as responsible citizens in a democratic society. When the teacher succumbed to the requests of the students, he is also teaching them how to become kind and compassionate leaders. In effect, I strongly believe that such kind of classroom atmosphere is the best seedbed for forces that would change society into one that is more democratic and free.

Schools are not only microcosms of society. I think that the nature of society is also the product of the educational system. The first two parts of the clip are very important in explaining why such positive attitudes were developed among the students. These also establish further the effectiveness of Mr. Kanamori’s method of teaching. Playing in the mud with teacher’s consent is definitely unthinkable in other basic educational systems. However, this is one effective learning experience for the children.

It is not really about the juvenile games but the freedom and the responsibility of dealing with it that are important. It is a time when students do not treat the individuals they are together with in a classroom as classmates but as persons who can be their friends too. In building rafts as teams, they also learn to how treat each other as co-workers. They carry these concepts with them even when they are already in the classroom and these show when Mr. Kanamori tries to punish Yuto. The video clip is very enlightening and it made me decide to make compassion as one central trait that I should have as a teacher.

My teaching style could be more relevant to society if I could teach the students compassion to others. Work Cited “Children Full of Life (3 of 5).” YouTube. May 21, 2011. .