Cinematic Citizenship

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Cinematic Citizenship: Developing Citizens of Character With Film William Benedict Russell III Stewart Waters University of Central Florida

This article examines how film can be used to engage students in critical thinking, and it offers a framework for using film to build citizens of character. We argue that the use of film in the classroom can help students analyze their values and decision making for the purpose of becoming effective citizens. A brief history of character education in the United States is discussed with its connection with the development of responsible citizenship. Furthermore, the article provides a filmography of character education-related films for elementary, middle, and high school teachers. The focus is to provide teachers with an alternative approach to preparing students for responsible citizenship in the 21 st century. ABSTRACT:

Unless we act now to strengthen the character of our nation's youth-and give them the resources to succeed-the United States will not be prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

-Alma

Powell

Schools are considered to be institutions that promote the advancement of knowledge and the building and sustaining of quality character traits among its student body, which enables individuals to develop into effective citizens. That effective citizenship can be created and fostered through the school curriculum is not a new revelation, especially in the United States. From the earliest days of the new republic, individuals such as Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Benjamin Rush have all noted the importance of educating citizens for participation in a democratic society (Hunter, 2000; Rosenberg, 1992). In fact, the need for

educating children to be citizens in a democracy is part of the reason for the formation of free public schools during the 19th century (McClellan, 1999). As the population, power, diversity, and influence of the United States continued to grow throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, so too did the importance of incorporating civic responsibilities into the curriculum of public schools. One of the most common forms of training students for citizenship is through moral and character education. Although the methods and nature of character education have changed throughout history on the basis of social, economic, and political factors, the overall goal of educating students to become effective citizens continues to be a driving force in character education programs throughout public schools. The arrival of the 21st century is bringing with it a unique set of circumstances in the United States that is shining a new level of importance back on character education. Events such as the ter-

Address correspondence to Wifliam Benedict Russell III,PhD, University of Central Florida, College of Education, PO Box 161250, Orlando, FL 32816. E-mail: [email protected].

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Action in Teacher Education Vol. 32, No. 2

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rorist attacks on September 11 and the war in Iraq continue to influence character education popularity among government officials, educators, parents, and the media. Furthermore, the federal government provides funding and support for character education programs through outlets such as the Character Education Pilot Project Grant Program (U.S. Department of Education, 2009) as well as through legislation such as the No Child Left Behind Act (U.S. Department of Education, 2007). The goal and purpose of funding character education programs is to teach students how to be effective decision makers and responsible citizens. This desire for increased presence of character education in public schools is leading to the creation and implementation of many approaches to educating students about their democratic responsibilities. Despite many great programs, curricula, and activities available to teachers, one major approach is largely ignored from the popular discourse on character education for building effective citizens. The approach, as outlined and discussed in this article, is based on developing citizens of character through values analysis activities using Hollywood films. Although the use of film is not typically associated with character or citizenship education, it is essential for educators to begin realizing its diverse and meaningful uses as an educational tool. Film isan incredible medium with the power to drive social change, raise awareness of issues and events, and influence the values of society (Lyden, 1997). Prominent historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author James McPherson also noted how film can be an effective communicator and how it has the potential to arouse emotions (Russell, 2008). The latter is important in student learning because it leads to greater engagement and participation during learning activities. In today's technological society, film is a part of popular culture, and it is relevant to students' everyday lives. Past research indicated that an average student spends almost 7.25 hours a day using media. That is more than 50 hours a week (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2005). Nearly 50% of the students media use per day is devoted to videos/film and television. The

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significance of these findings clearly indicates how active students are in seeking out film during their free time, and many teachers have already begun incorporating film into their classroom instruction. A national survey of social studies teachers conducted in 2006 reported that 63% of eighth-grade teachers reported using some type of video-based activity in the last social studies class they taught (Leming, Ellington, & Schug, 2006). Although teachers are using films in the classroom, it is likely that their purpose, rationale, and methods vary tremendously. The purpose of this article is to help educators explore how to use film to promote critical thinking and develop citizens of character through values analysis. A rationale and model for using film to teach students to be citizens of character are provided for teachers interested in incorporating this approach into their classroom instruction. Furthermore, this article is meant to provide teachers with a filmography that can help to develop citizens of character.

The Character Education and Citizenship Connection Historically, the definitions of terms such as character education, citizenship education, and moral education have been somewhat intertwined. The Puritans and other early European settlers referred to the training of individuals for participation in society as moral education. Their approach to moral education was based on religious doctrine, and children were expected to learn appropriate moral behaviors to be productive and righteous members of the community. Moral education through religioLIs studies was considered the best method for training future citizens in the United States well into the 19th century. However, the arrival and influx of many new immigrant groups caused the traditional religious-based moral training for citizenship in schools to become obsolete, mainly because these varioUs groups did not share the same moral and religious beliefs. Having different cultures, values, and beliefs, the new immigrant groups

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WILLIAM BENEDICT RUSSELL III AND STEWART WATERS

pushed for the separation of church and state in schools so that their children would not have to face the indoctrination of beliefs that they did not hold. Needing a new approach for a diverse population, public schools began to shift from religious-based moral education for citizenship to character education for citizenship. The relationship between character education and citizenship education began, at least in part, because of the debate over moral training using the Bible in public schools. As states began to develop laws and protocols to separate public schools from religious affiliations during the early 20th century, schools needed a new approach to citizenship training-one based on the transmission of democratic principles and values traditionally referred to as character education. In 1944, during his National Council for the Social Studies presidential address, James Quillen discussed how "education is concerned with the development of character" and "education should develop civic responsibility" (quoted in Previte & Sheehan, 2001, p. 81). However, civic responsibility in education during the end of World War II and throughout the Cold War was much more about indoctrination of democratic beliefs through anticommunist propaganda than it was about helping students explore their values. This approach rapidly changed during the 1960s and into the 1980s, when the work of Lawrence Kohlberg was gaining prominence in schools. His theory on stages of moral development contributed to the popularity of new character approaches, such as moral reasoning and values clarification. Although the effectiveness of these new approaches has come under scrutiny among many parents, religious groups, scholars, and educators, they still emphasize citizenship as a central goal. The citizenship connection to character education was further demonstrated in the rationale, purposes, and goals of many organizations dedicated to improving character education in schools. The citizenship goal of many character education programs is repeated numerous times through the websites, pamphlets, and other media sources provided to educate the

general public about these programs. For example, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Center for Community of Caring, founded in 1982, is a character-building organization that promotes civic responsibility through service learning. This rational states that "as part of the school's curriculum, students identify and solve problems utilizing the five values and their academic learning to develop in ways that will benefit them as students, citizens, workers, and human beings" (Community of Caring, 2009). Character Counts! (2009) is another character-building organization that connects citizenship to the goals of its program. This program is based entirely on the six pillars of character education, which are the six traits that the program identifies as being essential to the formation of good character. One of the six traits is citizenship. Other character education organizations including citizenship as a primary goal include the Character Education Partnership, the Center for the 4th and 5th Rs, the Character Development Group, the Center for the Advancement of Ethics and Character, and the Center for Character Education. Of interest to note is that the Character Education Partnership's annual conference for 2009 had the themed title "Citizens of Character: The Foundation of Democracy" (Character Education Partnership, 2009).

Developing Citizens of Character Through Film In 2003-2004, the National Center for Learning and Citizenship formed a committee to make recommendations for improving the state of citizenship education. One of the findings was that social studies teachers handle the primary responsibility for citizenship education in public schools (Education Commission of the States, 2004). However, the committee discussed a potential problem with this approach, addressing how the role of social studies teachers would "require teacher training to overcome a tendency toward traditional, textbook, and lecture-based teaching methods

Cinematic Citizenship

that do not by themselves adequately develop student civic skills and dispositions" (p. 4). One way to help social studies teachers venture away from textbook- and lecture-based teaching is to incorporate the use of filn. Teaching with film is an effective strategy gaining popularity among many educators and professional organizations. The National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association declared in 1996 that "being literate in contemporary society means being active critical and creative users not only of print and spoken language but also of the visual language of film and television" (Considine & Baker, 2006, p. 12). Teaching students to interpret meanings from films is a topic discussed by Gavriel Salomon (1994), author of The Interaction of Media Cognition and Learning. In this book, Salomon argued that for learning to occur, the focus has to shift from what students watch to how they watch. Changing how students watch films is one of the primary objectives of using film to build citizens of character. Instead of students engaging in the traditional, passive viewing of a filn, this approach allows students to see what it is like to be a critical observer. Through the lens of critical observation, students begin to see how films depict, influence, reflect, and shape the values of society and how films can guide them in a journey to analyze their own values and decision making. Engle (2003) stressed decision making as the heart of social studies education. Engle argued that pressing students to learn the decision-making process should be the focus of social studies, instead of the traditional notion of memorizing content. Using film to build citizens of character is an excellent way to help students with their decision making. Showing students' films or clips from films can help provoke meaningful inquiry regarding social issues, personal values, and moral dilemmas, thus allowing students to personally reflect and make insightful decisions, which is a key characteristic of being a citizen of character in a democratic society. Quite often, films are \effective in presenting the complexity of charmicter choices and decision making. For exainple, suppose that a teacher wanted to ex-

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plore the concept of responsibility through the film John Q (2002). In this film, the father of a dying son in need of a heart transplant takes over the wing of a hospital because he does not have the money to pay for the operation. The father takes hostages and insists that the hospital conduct the surgery before he lets the hostages free. Are his actions responsible? To whom is the father more responsible: the law or his son? Are family responsibilities more important than civic responsibilities? Should the father be prosecuted? If so, what penalty should the father face for his actions? Is the father a good citizen? Why or why not? This is just one example of how a film can provide scenarios for students to analyze their values, decision making, and civic responsibilities. Utilizing alternative teaching methods, such as teaching with film, has been shown to increase student interest in the content as well as promote the use of higher-order thinking skills (Bonwell & Eisen, 1991). When used properly, film is an instructional tool that can enhance the curriculum. Teachers must always remember that film is simply a tool that can increase student engagement and allow students to take ownership in their learning. As research has shown, authentic activities (e.g., teaching with film) help teachers achieve instructional goals such as retention, understanding, reasoning, and critical thinking (Driscoll, 2005). However, for film to be effective, it must be used appropriately. To ensure appropriate use, teachers should follow the four stages outlined in the Russell model for using film (Russell, 2007).

Stage 1: The Preparation Stage The preparation stage is the most important stage of the Russell model. This is the planning stage of the model. The preparation stage includes creating lesson plans that incorporate film while still meeting instructional goals and objectives, state standards, and national standards and adhering to all legal requirements. Teachers must remember to obtain permission from administration and parents before showing a film.

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WILLIAM BENEDICT RUSSELL III AND STEWART WATERS

Stage 2: The Previewing Stage The previewing stage is done before students view the film. This stage should include the introduction of the film and the purpose for viewing it. Stage 3: Watching-the-Film Stage Watching-the-film stage is where students actually view the film. This stage includes presenting the film in its entirety or in short clips while ensuring that students are aware of what they should be doing and looking for when watching the film. Stage 4: The Culminating-Activity Stage The culminating-activity stage is done after students have watched the film. It includes assessing student learning. During this stage, teachers focus on reviewing, clarifying, and discussing major points, concepts, issues, scenes, and inaccuracies, and they assess student learning in some fashion. Possible assessment strategies include class discussion and class debate; a revision of the film's ending; a critique of the filn; a test/quiz; a written assignment aligned with the film and the topic/unit; a reenactment of a scene from the film; a mock interview with the star, director, and producer of the film; and an analysis and evaluation of the film.For the complete model see Using Film in the Social Studies (Russell, 2007, pp. 5-8). Legal Issues Teachers can use copyrighted films in their classrooms; however, there are legal guidelines to which they must adhere when using copyrighted material. Section 110 (1) of Title 17 of the U.S. code on copyright and conditions (U.S. Copyright Office, 1976) cites the following exemption for the use of copyrighted films for educational purposes: Performance or display of a work by instructors or pupils in the course of faceto-face teaching activities of a nonprofit

educational institution, in a classroom or similar place devoted to instruction, unless in the case of a motion picture or other audiovisual work, the performance, or the display of individual images, is given by means of a copy that was not lawfully made under this title, and that the person responsible for the performance knew or had reason to believe was not lawfully made. As such, teachers must adhere to the following guidelines when using films:

"* Films must be shown in a nonprofit educational institution. Within the institution, the film must be shown in a classroom or place intended for 'instruction. "* Films must be for planned educational purposes, not for extracurricular entertainment. "• Films must be shown by the teacher to the students in a "face-to-face" encounter. On November 2, 2002, President George W. Bush signed the Teach Act, which loosened the restrictions for classroom use of copyrighted materials. Teachers are prohibited from making and showing a pirated copy of a film, using film for public performance, and making a profit from the film (Russell, in press). Three Rs of Film Selection The films highlighted in this section were all chosen for citizenship education on the basis of three factors: Relevance: any age-appropriate film that addresses the personal, social, and moral dilemmas common of the defined age group Relatability: the personal, social, or psychological connection that a student makes with the film based on its storyline, lessons, and characters Rating: film ratings determined by the Motion Picture Association of America (Russell & Waters, 2010).

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Character education in public school classrooms can take many shapes and forms. Some schools continue to make use of marketed programs designed to build citizens of character, whereas others rely on a more grassroots approach (Berkowitz & Bier, 2005, p. 10). The latter approach is a type of education focusing on individual character lessons, projects, and units created by school districts, administrators, and teachers and implemented into the existing school curriculum, as opposed to the well-defined and specific nature of comprehensive packaged character education programs. In the grassroots approach, teachers are responsible for creating and incorporating meaningful lessons on character education into their existing curriculum. As school budgets continue to face growing cutbacks, the popularity of this approach has been increasing tremendously, especially in high schools, where budgets are spread thin throughout numerous extracurricular activities, sports, and clubs. For this reason, using film to build citizens of character is a great approach for teachers because it is highly accessible, meaningful, cheap, and effective. However, as discussed in the Russell model, for film use to be effective, there are guidelines that teachers need to consider. Selecting appropriate character education films should be a fun but careful process for teachers. Because students vary in age, maturity, and life experiences, teachers Must purposefully choose films that meet the needs of individual students. Schools across the United States have myriad student populations, circumstances, resources, and parental support. These factors play no small role in a teacher's meaningful use of film, and all must be considered by any teacher planning to use films

to promote critical thinking and build citizens of character. Film lessons that shape students into citizens 'of character must acknowledge who is viewing the film and what meaning they may take from it-intended or otherwise. There is no shortage of problems, pressures, and issues that students face in today's society. Students have to deal with issues such as bullying, racism, poverty, school violence, teenage pregnancy, and test anxiety. As the facilitator

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of learning, teacher is responsible to identify the problems relevant to his or her students and to design effective character education lessons to help the them deal with these reallife situations as responsible citizens. The relatability of a character education film is what will encourage the students to buy in to the film. Film relatability addresses how well the film helps to create an emotional connection between the student and the film's storyline and characters. At the high school level, this aspect of film selection is important because students are becoming increasingly concerned with practical matters such as "How will I deal with prejudice in my life?" Fortunately, plenty of relevant films are available that are easily relatable to the character decisions facing students at all grade levels. The major difference among the relatability of character education films for elementary, middle, and high school students is the magnitude and complexity of the message being delivered. Take, for example, the concept of prejudice: This could be explored in an elementary school through the film Ratatouille (2007), in which a small charming rat is unable to fulfill his dream of becoming a famous chef because he is a not a human. At the middle school level, a film such as Remember the Titans (2000) could provide students with a visual sampling of the harsh reality of prejudicial behaviors in the United States during the civil rights movement. Finally, at the high school level, students could watch Hotel Rwanda (2004), which will enable students to explore the complexity, globalization, and consequences of prejudicial feelings in a direct way. The aforementioned films can all be used to generate discussion about prejudicial behaviors; they illustrate how the same concept can be used with varying degrees of complexity among the grade levels on the basis of students' maturity and intellectual development. Rating is the final factor for selecting films for building citizens of character. All films selected for discussion in this article have Motion Picture Association of America ratings of G (elementary school), PG (middle school), and PG-13 (high school). This is not to suggest that teachers in elementary, middle, or high school can show only films with these

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WILLIAM BENEDICT RUSSELL IIIAND STEWART WATERS

ratings, nor does it suggest that students cannot handle films with a more or less restrictive rating. Rather, the film ratings were matched to grade levels so that teachers can feel confident that the material found in the films will prove to be relatively acceptable among parents and administrators. However, each school district has a unique set of circumstances that may not allow the showing of certain films, regardless of rating. For this reason, teachers must always be aware of their schools' or districts' policies governing the use of film in the classroom. The rating alone does not ensure that films will be appropriate or inappropriate for classroom instruction. Teachers must remember that it is always their responsibility to determine the appropriateness of films for classroom instruction and to seek administrative and parental approval. The films in the following section are listed in alphabetical order, and all entries include synopses and citizenship-focused lesson topics. The films were selected on the basis of the three Rs (relevance, relatability, and rating), instructional potential, availability, and connection to the overall objective for building citizens of character. Note that this short list of films is nonexhaustive for building citizens of character; rather, the filmography is meant to provide educators with an excellent starting point for films that have valuable lessons for students in each age. Film summaries are provided to give educators not only an idea of what the films are about but also what values or character lessons each film addresses. Although each film likely addresses many values and character issues, we include characterfocused lesson topics with each film summary. Again, these topics are not an exhaustive list of themes from each film, nor are they the only character lessons that can be taken from the film. The list of potential character education topics highlights some of the major character issues that each film does a nice job of addressing. This section of the filmography is included to help guide teachers in directing character education lessons using films and to provide them with an example of how to analyze the content of films for the purposes of building citizens of character. As with any

type of classroom instruction, teachers need to ensure that the curriculum and instruction meet the learning goals and objectives and the individual needs of students.

Elementary School Citizenship Films: Rated G A Bug's Life (1998) Summary. This Oscar-nominated film follows the journey of Flik, a resident ant who is constantly in trouble with other members of the anthill. Flik finds himself in a troubling situation when he misplaces the food that is meant as an offering to the cruel grasshoppers. Hoping to find a group of larger bugs to protect the ants from the grasshopper's wrath, Flik journeys out only to return with a crew of performing bugs, not warriors! This misunderstanding leads to the formation of a newly devised plan to defeat the grasshoppers. An excellent example of responsibility and caring, this film does a nice job of exploring the cooperative strength inherent in caring communities. Character-focused lesson topics. Responsibility, teamwork, creativity, citizenship, and commitment. An American Tail (1986) Summary. This Oscar-nominated animated film follows the journey of a Russian family of mice immigrating to the United States in an attempt to escape the abusive cats of their home country. During their journey, the family loses their son Fievel, who spends the remainder of the film making friends and trying to find his family while also avoiding the cats that he thought would not be in America. His adventures are meaningful for analysis because they explore such character dilemmas as whom to trust and how to respond in the face of adversity. Note that this film's popularity prompted a sequel, An American Tail: Fievel Goes West, which is also a quality film to use for the purposes of values analysis in character education.

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Character-focused lesson topics. Helpfulness, maturity, perseverance, trust, and care.

Cars (2006) Summary. This Oscar-nominated film features a cocky rookie race car, Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson), who gets lost in Radiator Springs, a little town on the abandoned Route 66. Lightning McQueen tears up a portion of the town's road and is sentenced to community service, repairing the road he destroyed. While in this town, Lightning McQueen encounters a number of its oddball citizens who show him the real meaning of friendship and what it is like to care about someone other than himself. One of the most celebrated animated movies in history, this film is great for character education because it combines quality entertainment with valuable lessons in caring and what it means to be a good friend. Character-focused lesson topics. Modesty, caring, friendship, open-mindedness, and courtesy.

Chicken Little (2005) Summary. Chicken Little is a fun family film that relates well to children in the elementary grades. Chicken Little is a young chicken who falsely warns the entire town that the sky is falling, causing a great panic among the local citizenry. When the sky does not fall and the world does not come to an end, the townspeople ridicule and mock Chicken Little for his false alarm. With his reputation in shambles, Chicken Little is determined to restore his name by saving the town from a disaster that turns out to be real. This film features charactei lessons on friendship, honesty, and the value of working together for the collected good. Character-focused lesson topics. Acceptance, achievement, honesty, carefulness, and determination.

Horton Hears a Who! (2008) Summary. This film tells the story of an elephant named Horton (voiced by Jim Carrey), who discovers Whoville, a city of creatures on a speck of dust. Although none of the other ani-

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mals in the jungle believe Horton, he decides to protect the small city. A great example of caring and citizenship, Horton's motto is "After all, a person is a person, no matter how small!" Character-focused lesson topics. Power, responsibility, empathy, integrity, and citizenship.

Middle School Citizenship Films: Rated PG Gandhi (1982) Summary. This film is a biography about the life of Mahatma Gandhi, one of the most famous human rights activists in history. As a former lawyer, this Indian man introduced the use of nonviolent protests to try to free his country from rule under the British Empire. This film could be used as a case study examining how Gandhi exemplified the six pillars of character education and how these values affected his life and the attitude of his people. Character-focused lesson topics. Citizenship, fairness, justice, temperance, and strength.

Good Night, and Good Luck (2005) Summary. This film addresses the topic of communism during the age of Senator Joseph McCarthy and his battle to find communists at all costs. The main character, Edward Murrow, is a CBS reporter who challenges McCarthy at great personal and professional risk. This film is excellent for character education because it is based on the true story of a group of individuals who took an unpopular stance because they knew in their hearts that it was right. Learning to stand on moral principles is an invaluable lesson for students to learn. Character-focused lesson topics. Accuracy, ambition, responsibility, citizenship, and boldness.

The Incredibles (2004) Summary. This two-time Oscar-winning film follows the lives of two former superheroes: Mr. Incredible and his wife, Elastigirl. Although

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these crime fighters were once loved and revered for their acts of heroism, society becomes disgruntled with them, and they are forced to adopt a civilian identity. Fifteen years later, these two fornmer superheroes have three children (all of whom have super powers) and are struggling to live normal lives. But when Mr. Incredible is called back into action, the family is forced to assume the role of superheroes once again to save Mr. Incredible and the world! This film does a nice job of exploring the concept of justice and civic responsibility in a democratic society. Character-focused lesson topics. Citizenship, responsibility, uniqueness, understanding, and appreciation.

The Long Walk Home (1990) Summary. The Long Walk Home is a dramatic film about the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955. Odessa (Whoopi Goldberg) is an African American woman who works as a maid for a Caucasian family across town. Once the bus boycott begins, Odessa feels obligated to honor the boycott and not take the bus to work. As a result, she often shows uip late to work and is tired because the walk is very long. Miriam Thompson (Sissy Spacek) is the typical Southern Caucasian housewife who expects Odessa to show up to work on time and does not see why the bus boycott should affect the job. The two women begin to bond as Miriam realizes the symbolic meaning of the bus boycott, and they join together to do wlhat they know is right. This film is excellent for values analysis because students evaluate the decisions made by characters throughout this film and how good character is needed to overcome racism and prejudice. Character-focused lesson topics. Strength, courage, understanding, appreciation, and overcoming adversity.

Remember the Titans (2000) Summary. This film is set during the early 1970s in Virginia, when the high schools first began desegregation. The movie is based on actual events and tells the story of an inter-

racial football team and staff who learn to overcome past prejudices and become state champions. This film is powerful in relation to character education because it demonstrates how a small group of people can change the entire culture of the community by demonstrating good values. Character-focusedlesson topics. Fairness, respect, teamwork, sacrifice, and unflappability.

High School Citizenship Films: Rated PG-13 Cinderella Man (2005) Summary. This film, about the life of James Braddock, was nominated for three Oscars. Braddock was a professional boxer during the 1930s who fell from grace and whose family lost everything during the Great Depression. Struggling to find work, feed his children, and support his family, Braddock takes a fill-in fight against the second-ranked contender. Braddock surprises everyone by knocking out his opponent, so beginning his road back to the top of the boxing ranks. His journey is a great example of how to be a responsible citizen during hard economic times and how good character mixed with hard work can equal profound success in life. Character-focused lesson topics. Caring, financial hardship, self-reliance, resilience, and appreciation.

John 0 (2002) Summary. This dramatic film tells the story of John Quincy Archibald (Denzel Washington) and his struggle to keep his dying son alive. His young son, Mike, suddenly experiences heart failure at a baseball game, and the doctors say that he will need a heart transplant to survive. Because his insurance company will not cover such an expense and John does not make that much money, he has to make a moral choice about how to save his son's life, no matter the cost. This film does an excellent job of exploring such character themes as caring and responsibility while showing how

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good character decisions can sometimes lead to positive and negative outcomes. Character-focused lesson topics. Responsibility, fairness, inspiration, love, and practicality.

Pay It Forward(2000) Summary. Pay It Forward is a film based on the book written by Catherine Ryan Hyde about a young boy and his dream to make the world a better place. Trevor McKinney (Haley Joel Osment) is charged with an assignment by his social studies teacher to develop and implement an idea to change the world. Trevor decides that instead of paying someone back for something, people should pay it forward. This concept is based on doing three good deeds for people without asking for anything in return, other than simply paying it forward. Although he initially does not see the success of his project, it has a much further reach and effect on people than what young Trevor can imagine. This film is great for analyzing character decisions because students can examine how the decisions made by each character in the film affects the lives of others and the outcome of the story. Character-focused lesson topics. Citizenship, philanthropy, hopefulness, sacrifice, and sharing.

Runaway Jury (2003) Summary. Runaway Jury is a film adaptation of John Grisham's novel The Runaway Jury. The story is about a major lawsuit against a gun company, which is filed by a widow whose husband is brutally shot and killed at work. As the trial is about to begin, both sides are careful about selecting the jury members. However, one of the jurors has a hidden agenda and will do everything he can to dictate the outcome of the trial-but for what reason? This film works well for character analysis because it deals with a relevant social issue that is controversial and sets the context for tunderstanding personal beliefs and motivations. Character-focused lesson topics. Responsibility, motivation, trust, industry, and restraint.

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Traitor (2008) Summary. Samir Horn (Don Cheadle) is a former member of the U.S. Army Special Forces and devout Muslim who is working with terrorists throughout the Middle East. Samir has a vast knowledge of explosives and proves to be a valuable asset to the group. However, Samir is being followed by FBI agents who want to bring him in for his treasonous acts against the United States. But is Samir really a traitor? This film does a nice job of presenting the complexities of character issues, citizenship, religious beliefs, and loyalty. Character-focused lesson topics. Heroism, terrorism, making a difference, sacrifice, and willingness.

Conclusion Despite all the terminologies used for teaching students values, such as moral education, democratic education, citizenship education, and character education, all share one common goal: training students to become effective citizens in society. Studying the long and complex history of educating students for citizenship in America reveals the nature of this goal. First, preparing students for life in society as adults has always been a responsibility bestowed on teachers and schools. However, as the population, power, and culture of this democratic society changed over the years, so too did the methods and instruction for helping students become responsible citizens. The evolution of methods and programs used to train students for citizenship is a direct reflection of shifting societal perceptions of what role teachers and schools should play in the development of children's character. As the first decade of the 21st century is coming to a close, it is essential for educators to realize the fluid nature of edLucating students as citizens of character and to begin exploring new methods to assist them in developing moral values and a sense of civic responsibility. Film is a unique instructional tool because it has the power to be a meaningfUl supplement to the classroom. Teaching students to critically examine and analyze

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films will enable them to transform from passive receivers of information to responsible consumers able to interpret meaning from cinema. Incorporating film into the classroom builds citizens of character by allowing students to critically analyze and interpret films. As well, this practice engages students in moral reflection of their values and beliefs to improve their decision making. Having an improved understanding of their values and decision making will allow students to deeply think about what it means to be an effective citizen in such a diverse and ever-changing world. As many films will show, sometimes the correct moral or civic decision is clouded by a variety of influences, situations, and consequences that individuals interpret differently. Allowing students to consider their thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and beliefs through the engaging medium of film will empower them to rationalize and defend their values, which is a necessary skill for all democratic citizens in the 21st century. M

References Berkowitz, M., & Bier, M. (2005). What works in character education: A research-driven guide for educators. Washington, DC. Report from the Character Education Partnership. Bonwell,' C., & Eisen, J. (1991). Active learning: Creating excitement in the classrooms. Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education. (ERIC Document Reproduction No. ED340272) Character Counts! (2009, December). Retrieved from http://charactercounts.org/ Character Education Partnership. (2009, December). Retrieved from http://www.character.org Community of Caring. (2009, December). Retrieved from http://www.communityofcaring. org/index.html Considine, D., & Baker, F. (2006). Focus on film: Learning it through the movies. Middle Ground, 10(2), 12-15. Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Education Commission of the States. (2004). Experts offer recommendations for improving citizen-

ship education. Retrieved from http://www.ecs. org/clearinghouse/54/18/5418.pdf Engle, S. H. (2003). Decision-making: The heart of social studies instruction. The Social Studies, 94(1), 7-t0. (Reprinted with permission from Social Education, 27[4], pp. 301-304.) Hunter, J. D. (2000). The death of character: Moral education in an age without good or evil. New York: Basic Books. Kaiser Family Foundation. (2005). Generation M: Media in the lives of 8-18 years old. Menlo Park, CA: Author. Leming, J., Ellington, L., & Schug, M. (2006). The state of social studies: A national random survey of elementary and middle school social studies teachers. Social Education, 70(5), 322-327. Lyden, J. (1997). To command or critique? The question of religion and film studies. Journal of Religion and Film, ](2). Retrieved firom http:// www.Lunomahal.edu/jrf/toconmmend..htm McClellan, B. E. (1999). Moral education in America: Schools and the shaping of character from colonial times to the present. New York: Teachers College Press. Previte, M., & Sheehan, J. (2001). The NCSS presidential addresses: 1936-1969. Perspectives on the social studies. Silver Spring, MD: National Council for the Social Studies. Rosenberg, J. (1992, October). A tie that binds: The concept of character formation in folk arts in education and the history of education in the United States. Paper presented at the American Folklore Society Conference, Jacksonville, FL. Russell, W. (2007). Using film in the social studies. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. Russell, W. (2008). Civil War films for teachers and historians. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. Russell, W. (in press). The reel history of the world: Teaching world history with Hollywood films. Social Education. Russell, W., & Waters, S. (2010). Reel character education: A cinematic approach to characterdevelopment. Charlotte, NC: Information Publishing. Salomon, G. (1994). The interaction of media cognition and learning. Hillsdale, NJ. Erlbaum. U.S. Copyright Office. (1976). Title 17(1) Section 110 of the copyright law of the United States; limitations on exclusive rights: Exemption of certain performances and displays. Retrieved from http:H/ www.copyright.gov/title17/92chapl.html#1 10

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U.S. Department of Education. (2007, February). Index for No Child Left Behind. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/nclb/index/az/index.html U.S. Department of Education. (2009, November.) Partnerships in character education programs. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/programs/ charactered/index.html 4*.

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William B. Russell III, assistant professor of social science education at the University of Central Florida, serves as the doctoral coordinator of social science education and teaches social science education courses. He also serves as the executive director for the International Society for the Social Studies and is the editor of the Journal of Social Studies Research. His research interests include teaching with film and alternative methods for teaching social studies. He has authored more than 25 refereed journal articles related to social studies education and is the author

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of Reel Character Education: A Cinematic Approach to Character Development, Teaching Social Issues With Film, Civil War Films for Teachers and Historians, and Using Film in the Social Studies. He earned his doctorate in social science education from Florida State University and taught middle and high school social studies before moving into higher education. Stewart Waters, a doctoral candidate in social science education at the University of Central Florida, serves as the editorial assistant for the Journal of Social Studies Research and advisory board member for the International Society for the Social Studies. His research interests include teaching with film, teaching with monuments, social studies curriculum, character education, and alternative methods for teaching social studies. Before beginning his doctoral studies, he taught middle school social studies in Tallahassee, Florida.

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Author: Russell, William Benedict; Waters, Stewart Title: Cinematic Citizenship: Developing Citizens of Character With Film Source: Action Teach Educ 32 no2 Summ 2010 p. 12-23 ISSN: 0162-6620 Publisher: Association of Teacher Educators P.O> Box 793, Manassas, VA 20113

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