A movie about glaciers or plant biology would not bring up any questions in a classroom, but the recent viewing by students in a math class of the movie “Transformers” in a Beaver Dam Unified School District school brought concern to one school board member.
Especially since school board member Kim Darst’s daughter was a student in that class. Darst was not in attendance at the Board of Education meeting on Monday due to a work commitment, but her concern was discussed by her fellow school board members.
Jean Hill brought up the concern about the math class. Hill said that her own son noted a teacher in the past who showed too many videos to the students.
“I don’t want the impression that it is wide spread that students are watching videos all day,” Childs said, who added that the district will make a diligent effort to step up informing teachers that this is not appropriate use of instruction time.
Childs said movies are used rarely as rewards for students but should not be used to replace education.
The principal of the school should be talked to about the reason for watching a movie in a class before a teacher would show the movie, Childs said.
Teachers violating this procedure need to be aware that it is a violation, Childs said.
Childs said he will look at the guidelines in the staff handbooks to see if they are clear enough for computer behavior and classroom use of movies.
Tpederson@capitalnewspapers.com