Rationale
This project has been designed with consideration to the social-emotional needs of gifted girls in middle and high school. The goal is to incorporate the concept of cinematherapy into a class comprised of gifted girls in 6-8th and 9-12th grades, who can potentially relate to characters of selected film or traits and characteristics represented in the films. Research indicates that gifted adolescents uniquely struggle with several needs that their non-gifted peers do not. These struggles include accepting their giftedness, realistic expectations of themselves and from others, risk aversion, discovering identity, and relationships (Halstead, 2009). Through guided viewing and discussion students will have the opportunity to explore issues, such as social-emotional, socioeconomic status, eccentricity, non-conformity, family dynamics, etc. in the context of being identified as gifted. The film selections are particularly focused on gifted females and will explore how gifted females view themselves, feel they are perceived by others, and what influences them to embrace or reject their giftedness.
Ultimately, the goal of this project is to help students identify traits they may find in common with the characters they are viewing or in some way relate to the issues and express the relevancy to them and their experience. Students will be able to compare and contrast the film-film, film-to-self, film-to-world through citing examples of the characteristics portrayed.
Quotes that inspired my project:
“…being gifted can complicate the usual problems of growing up” (Halstead, 2009, p. 3).
“Gifted children—different, sensitive, and very demanding of themselves—are emotionally vulnerable” (Halstead, 2009, p. 105).
“Girls are likely to lower their aspirations during the junior high years in ways that will profoundly affect their futures” (Halstead, 2009, p. 20).
Ultimately, the goal of this project is to help students identify traits they may find in common with the characters they are viewing or in some way relate to the issues and express the relevancy to them and their experience. Students will be able to compare and contrast the film-film, film-to-self, film-to-world through citing examples of the characteristics portrayed.
Quotes that inspired my project:
“…being gifted can complicate the usual problems of growing up” (Halstead, 2009, p. 3).
“Gifted children—different, sensitive, and very demanding of themselves—are emotionally vulnerable” (Halstead, 2009, p. 105).
“Girls are likely to lower their aspirations during the junior high years in ways that will profoundly affect their futures” (Halstead, 2009, p. 20).