Cultivating Creativity through World Films

With the aim to help teachers design and deliver instruction around world films featuring child protagonists, Cultivating Creativity through World Films guides readers to understand the importance of fostering creativity in the lives of youth. It is expected that by teaching students about world films through the eyes of characters that resemble them, they will gain insight into cultures that might be otherwise unknown to them and learn to analyze what they see. Teachers can use these films to examine and reflect on differences and commonalities rooted in culture, social class, gender, language, religion, etc., through guided questions for class discussion. The framework of this book is conceived to help teachers develop students’ ability to evaluate, analyze, synthesize and interpret. The proposed activities seek to incite reflection and creativity in students, and can be used as a model for teachers in designing future lessons on other films.

Showing films in school that promote tolerance, respect of others, and diversity can only be an asset in opening the minds of young generations, which is the central purpose of this book by David Campos and Ericka Knudson. Readers will find how film can be instrumental in helping young viewers reflect on these important issues, appreciate other cultures, and develop their own creativity.--Alain Berliner, Golden Globe winning director of Ma vie en rose, Cultivating Creativity through World Films: Exploring Cinematic Narratives Featuring Child Protagonists helps teachers bring world film to the classroom. The narrative and easy-to-follow activities guide learners in developing critical analytical thinking and habits of mind that place them advantageously in a world market screaming for innovation.--Teri Evans-Palmer, Visual Arts Teacher Educator, Texas State University, Well-crafted film and visual media have become centrally important learning tools in our lives. They act as teachers, cultural guides, historical texts, spiritual gurus and creative inspiration, while being, perhaps most importantly, entertainment. David Campos and Ericka Knudson, through their love of film and their life long quest to become better, more insightful teachers, remind us how films communicate the world to youth with a strong influence that is felt from first days to last days in actually everyone's lives. Journey with them through analyses of films and exploration of pedagogical tools to gain insights both about the ways of the world and about ourselves.--Mari E. Koerner, Alice Wiley Snell Professor in Education, Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University

David Campos, Ph.D., is a professor of education at University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in special education, multicultural education, and instructional design and delivery.Ericka Knudson, Ph.D., is a preceptor of French at Harvard University where she teaches classes on French media, culture and film, including French New Wave cinema.