Integrating movie-watching and Moral Science in the classroom

Moral Science would be the last lesson a student would like to be taught in school. More so, because children dislike being taught basics values and life skills.

Usually, the subject takes a backseat and the conventional chalk-and-talk method of teaching makes the subject more boring.

Today, value education has become as important as academic subjects, with increasing peer pressure and stress levels, coupled with rising incidence of bullying and classroom violence.

Schools are struggling to teach the necessary life skills and values in children; and they can be inculcated in the young minds only through a type of communication wherein it enthuses them while subtly encouraging and guiding them on to the right path.

EduMedia, a pioneer in creating progressive learning and entertainment avenues for the education sector, has created a new method: making Moral Science classes interesting and fascinating through short films. Besides giving them an insight into the age-old values and life skills, their venture called School Cinema, gives a clear, deep understanding on how to deal with a whole new crop of contemporary problems.

School Cinema deals with issues like failure, relationships, sexuality, exam fear, rejection, peer pressure, stress and adolescent problems. Syed Sultan Ahmed, Managing Director, EduMedia says: “Today, due to their obsessive preoccupation with academic grades, the current value education system is not engaging enough from a child’s point of view. These films aim at educating children in the most entertaining manner.”

“School Cinema is a film-based learning (Curriculum For Life) developed through research and supported by an interactive workbook, and allows students to express their thoughts and feelings. Around 2,00,000 students from over 300 schools across India, Nepal and Saudi Arabia are using School Cinema. The unique methodology has brought about a positive change in thinking and behavioural patterns in the students,” he says.

These films are for Classes I to VIII and are presented in the form of humorous stories with an underlying moral in it. It deals with issues like empathy, critical thinking, self-awareness, problem solving, hygiene, altruism, love, unity, humility, team work, leadership, sensitivity and several others. Two of the short films have won the President of India’s National Film Awards — 2012.

Red Building — Where The Sun Sets, directed by Revathy, has got the award for Best Film on Family Values, while The Finish Line has won the National Film Award for Best Exploration/Adventure/Sports Film. This film has been directed by Akshay Roy, a director who has assisted in movies like Lakshya, Water, The Namesake, Vanity Fair and The Bourne Supremacy.

Each film is of 15-minutes duration and the schools schedule it during the Life skills/ Value Education/Moral Science period. After the movie, children solve exercises and activities in the workbook based on the issues. “Post-implementation research shows a significant increase in self-esteem, emotional maturity and students reported lesser chances of succumbing to peer pressure and bullying,” Syed adds.

Since seeing is believing and it leaves an impeccable impact on the young minds, teachers too feel that this medium is a perfect blend of entertainment and education.
Says Manjula Raman, Principal, Army Public School, Bangalore, “School Cinema is very insightful and the concept is very unique as it is very entertaining and educative.

The power of storytelling, emotional connect, visual and thought-provoking appeal leaves students enthusiastic. The workbooks and activities make the learning complete, personal and effective.”

Dinesh Das, Academic Coordinator, Delhi Public School, Vijaywada says, “School Cinema has led to a paradigm shift in the field of education. This new style of teaching develops the mind and body. It involves not only teachers but parents too, which is very important and unfortunately missing from our education system.”

These issues, covered under School Cinema, were rarely addressed by schools or parents. The children too connect well with the films and are excited that they no longer have to sit in boring Moral Science classes.

“It is a wonderful learning experience. It makes us learn moral values with the help of various short stories and incidents. It is awesome and interesting. We wait for such a session,” says a Class V student of Jain International School.

“The films teach us not to tell lies, not to be too proud, do not tease or abuse others, do not follow bad examples, etc. We have fun, and at the same time we learn many good manners. It has improved our listening and writing skills too," she adds.

Jisha Sarkar of Ballygunge Shiksha Sadan says: “I liked watching the School Cinema film I Can Do It because it taught us that success comes only to those who work hard steadily and do not lose their self-confidence — and with the combination of two, one can become an unbeatable winner.”

School Cinema, for the first time in India, has included parents as part of the learning curve. Parents are shown films on topics like understanding the psychological and social development of children, effective parenting, raising a healthy child, encouraging children and their personalities, effective communication and motivating children.

“Parenting skills education is the most neglected aspect and least recognised in Indian Education. Schools are oblivious about the role they need to play to educate parents to become responsible adults in the lives of children. Some schools invite parents to the session that are normally clubbed with the parent-teacher meetings while, some specially invite parents for these sessions,” Syed adds.