Is the movie A Beautiful Mind appropriate for 8th graders?

[Medellon]

I teach 8th grade math and am planning to show my students the movie A Beautiful Mind. It is rated PG-13 and I don't remember it being too risque. Do you think it is appropriate to show 8th graders this movie? Thanks.

 

[Platypus]

There are a few sexually oriented scenes, but nothing 8th graders can't handle..


edit: have their parents sign a permission slip, as a past teacher myself I advise you protect your ass.

 

[Emrys]

I don't think its bad, although I don't know how much attention they will give the movie.

Emrys

 

[TwinkleToes77]

I dont remember anything that would be inappropriate for 8th graders. Its a wonderful movie.

 

[Electric Amish]

I'd be more worried about them understanding the movie. There wasn't anything really bad in it except for the part where he can't have sex due to the meds he's on.

amish

 

[iamme]

sure, i think it's ok. no gratuitous sex or violence.

 

[vi edit]

Outside of a few cuss words, nothing that couldn't be shown on prime time television.

Honestly though, other than a few blurbs here and there, it's more a movie for psychology students than math students IMHO.

 

[MacGaven]

Schizophrenic at a Psychological Clinic might scare some children. I wouldn't recommend that 8th graders watch this movie without a signed permission slip.

 

[notfred]

Send home permission slips.

Although, if it was my kid, I may very well not sign it. Not because of the content of the movie, but because you'd better have a good reason why showing my kid a movie is teaching him anything.

 

[yellowperil]

Originally posted by: notfred
Send home permission slips.

Although, if it was my kid, I may very well not sign it. Not because of the content of the movie, but because you'd better have a good reason why showing my kid a movie is teaching him anything.

it teaches them that math people are crazy.

 

[MacGaven]

You should show 'Gattaca' instead, that movie is great and educational!

 

[TwinkleToes77]

Id also recommend seeing "I am Sam" rather than A beautiful Mind.. it might be too intense for them and they wont understand it.

 

[MainFramed]

im 14 in the 8th grade, i seen it. i consider it fine.....

 

[Armitage]

Well, I haven't been an 8th grader for awhile, but I don't see anything wrong with it. Maybe a little risque at points. I'd watch it yourself first.

From what I understand, the book portrays some aspects of Dr. Nash's life that may not be appropriate for 8th graders. But I haven't read it yet.

 

[human2k]

Permission SLip!

 

[MainFramed]

Originally posted by: human2k
Permission SLip!

i hated those things in school

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: MainFramed
im 14 in the 8th grade, i seen it. i consider it fine.....

Apparently you should have spent that 2 hours in your english class...

amish

 

[Medellon]

Well I teach Saturday school to kids who are failing and tomorrow is the last day and I wanted to do something kinda fun. I don't really have time to give out permission slips, perhaps another movie that is math-related and possibly PG or G?

 

[MainFramed]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

Originally posted by: MainFramed
im 14 in the 8th grade, i seen it. i consider it fine.....

Apparently you should have spent that 2 hours in your english class...

amish

sorry, i usually dont pay attention to grammar here on AT

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: TwinkleToes77
Id also recommend seeing "I am Sam" rather than A beautiful Mind.. it might be too intense for them and they wont understand it.

Yeah, that's gonna teach them lots of math.

I haven't seen A Beautiful Mind, so I can't say if it's math related or not, but I Am Sam definitely isn't. If my kid brought home a permission slip to watch that in math class, I'd send him back to school with a note allowing him to leave 2 hours early instead of wasting his time.

 

[StageLeft]

If you do it half the class is gonna make deposits in the spank bank come the end of the movie. J. Connelly

 

[MacGaven]

Originally posted by: ergeorge
Well, I haven't been an 8th grader for awhile, but I don't see anything wrong with it. Maybe a little risque at points. I'd watch it yourself first.

From what I understand, the book portrays some aspects of Dr. Nash's life that may not be appropriate for 8th graders. But I haven't read it yet.

Do you mean his homosexual tendencies and ability to communicate with aliens?

 

[Platypus]

I really don't know how much the students would get from the film, not to mention it's quite long for an in-class film.

I taught 7th and 8th graders for a while, and I know their attention spans...

I really can't recommend another film at the moment, sorry.

 

[FoBoT]

tell the kids parents first or somebody will have an embolism

 

[Armitage]

Originally posted by: Medellon
Well I teach Saturday school to kids who are failing and tomorrow is the last day and I wanted to do something kinda fun. I don't really have time to give out permission slips, perhaps another movie that is math-related and possibly PG or G?

Maybe Good Will Hunting?
I'd see that as a more positve film, and probably less controversial. There are some sex scenes there as well though.

I guess I'm not sure what kind of message you might be sending about math by showing a film where the primary issue is mental illness.