Chester and DeGrassi (Part 2)
The problem with kids these days is their attention spans. Due to video games, music and being a kid in general, well basically, if it’s not on tv or appearing as fun, well then they don’t want to deal with it. In regards to DeGrassi,I think looking at it the lens of a social anthropology would be an exciting lesson plan. Students could watch episodes and respond to the characters actions. They could look at these characters as their own friends, and compare the characters reactions to what they might possibly do.
Even the most skeptic person would have a problem not giving DeGrassi accolades for its foresight. An episode that I caught a few weeks back between two characters, Rick and Terri,invoke the current domestic abuse issues that students are facing due to the media’s ferocity in covering the recent Umbrella-Gate of Rihanna and Chris Brown. DeGrassi didn’t force the relationship on the characters so that they could be the case of the week. What we saw was a troubled young man, who managed to hurt his girlfriend, at first subtly but finally physically until the other students in the school took a stand.
In my eyes, showing that episode could easily be a way to force a discussion or debate about domestic abuse without the speculation of bystanders.
Recently, I was able to utilize DeGrassi during a Community Service class that I was covering. I was able to take the school shooting and the bullying that occurred on DeGrassi as an example that was able to build up into a pretty good discussion on bullying. Then I was able to steer the conversation into ways that the kids would respond to some of the comments that the villainous Holly J. (played superbly by Charlotte Arnold) made.
[flash ]
I mean, who says such outloud to someone who is being nice to them. In any event, I’m working on a worksheet to guide students through a tighter conversation; I would still consider this lesson an overwhelming success.
[Chester Kent]
Originally posted at www.GetintheRye.com
