by thomas p. hébert and daniel sergent - eric of feeling everything more deeply than others may be...

Using Movies

to Guide:

Teachers

and Counselors

Collaborating

to Support

Gifted Students

14 fall 2005 • vol 28, no 4

by Thomas P. Hébert and Daniel Sergent

Using Movies

to Guide:

Teachers

and Counselors

Collaborating

to Support

Gifted Students

gifted child today 15

T he field of school counseling is rapidly changing. The counseling frameworkestablished in the 1990s focused on programs that were developmental, com-prehensive, and collaborative (Paisley & Borders, 1995). At that time, the

focus was on defining what school counselors do and should be doing on the job.Although the field of school counseling continues to define appropriate roles in theschools, the focus is shifting from what counselors do to what counselors do for chil-dren, and specifically, for children’s academic success (Bowers & Hatch, 2002). Theshift in the forefront of current trends does not negate past discussions. In fact, theneed to clearly define developmental counseling and apply the concept appropriatelyin schools continues to be an issue with current counseling programs (Paisley &McMahon, 2001). With increased attention to the academic success of students,implementing quality school counseling programs that address the developmentalneeds of all students is more important than ever.

School counselors are increasingly called to address the needs of all studentsand face the pressure to “be all things to all people” (Paisley & McMahon, 2001,p. 107), a situation many find impossible to manage on their own. During thecourse of an academic year, school counselors often face a workload beyond theirlimitations. Although streamlining services may be a necessary short-term solu-tion, in the long run, leaving students out of counseling services is a disservice tothe school and the students’ needs. Effective programmatic planning and imple-mentation can assist counselors to more closely reach their goal of addressing theneeds of all students.

In their efforts to reach maximum impact with minimal resources, school coun-selors often focus their attentions on the students who are floundering academically.Although greatly needed and appropriate, time spent exclusively on such efforts is

“The silver screen may bethe best medium for helpingsome students to find silverlinings in the often cloudyrealities of their giftedness”

(Newton, 1995, p. 19).

“The silver screen may bethe best medium for helpingsome students to find silverlinings in the often cloudyrealities of their giftedness”

(Newton, 1995, p. 19).

16 fall 2005 • vol 28, no 4

not in alignment with the currentstandards of the American SchoolCounseling Association (ASCA), noris it necessarily an efficient way tomeet the needs of all students (Martin,2002; Paisley & McMahon, 2001). Itseems that there is an educationaltrend to define academic success asperforming at average or above averagelevels rather than performing to poten-tial. While attempting to raise theachievement of students who are per-forming below average, teachers andschool counselors may run the risk ofignoring developmental needs ofgifted students until they too showdeclining performance and otherproblems that need immediate coun-seling.

Rather than waiting for a fewgifted students to develop seriousproblems, or underachieve to thepoint where adults notice andbecome concerned, school counselorscan extend counseling programs to allgifted students through appropriateclassroom guidance sessions specifi-cally designed for this population ofstudents. Through collaborative plan-ning with gifted education teachers,counselors can tie their developmen-tal program to the specific needs ofgifted elementary students, thus pre-

venting potential problems and lead-ing to the long-term success of thesestudents. The focus of this article is todescribe how counselors and teachersof gifted students can collaborate inusing films to facilitate discussion ses-sions with gifted students that addresssocial and emotional developmentalissues in their lives.

Social and EmotionalDevelopmental Issues

Facing Gifted ElementaryStudents

In order to deliver an appropriatedevelopmental counseling program forall students, teachers and school coun-selors need to be aware of the signifi-cant social and emotional issues giftedchildren face (Colangelo, 2003).Gifted children experience the samedevelopmental issues that all young-sters experience; however, there areseveral challenges that high ability stu-dents must learn to cope with as aresult of their exceptionality. Becauseof the extra developmental tasks giftedchildren must address, it is vital foreducators to have an understanding ofthose issues, as well as appropriateapproaches for giving students the

tools for addressing them. These extraprocesses include issues associated withasynchronous development, emotionalsensitivity, camouflaging one’s intelli-gence, perfectionism, multipotential-ity, and underachievement.

Asynchronous development is oneimportant issue that emerges in thelives of many gifted children(Silverman, 2002). When a child’sintellectual abilities are so far advancedand out of sync with their physical andpersonal development, the child canstruggle with being understood by oth-ers and feel totally frustrated. Altman(1983) maintains that gifted childrenmay reach stages of emotional andphysical development in alternativepatterns from their age peers and atvarying times chronologically. Suchchildren may progress through thestages more quickly, with brief intervalsof relative stability within stages andbetween periods of change. Accordingto Altman, unusually rapid develop-ment becomes a source of emotionalstress for gifted youngsters receiving lit-tle emotional support from their peerswhose physical and emotional develop-ment is consistent with each other. Inaddition, asynchrony is exacerbated bysignificant discrepancies between achild’s strengths and weaknesses andwith increased asynchrony comesgreater social and emotional adjust-ment problems (Silverman).

Giftedness encompasses an emo-tional, as well as cognitive compo-nent. Greater emotional depth oftencomes with high cognitive complex-ity. Hence, gifted children not onlythink differently from their peers,they also feel differently (Silverman,1992). With heightened sensitivity, ahigher level of empathy for others,and a deep compassion for people lessfortunate, some gifted children andadolescents are known to worry aboutserious societal problems and may

Using Movies to Guide: Teachers and Counselors Collaborating to Support Gifted Students

Rather than waiting for a few giftedstudents to develop serious problems . . .

school counselors can extend counseling programs to all gifted

students through appropriate classroom guidance sessions . . .

Rather than waiting for a few giftedstudents to develop serious problems . . .

school counselors can extend counseling programs to all gifted

students through appropriate classroom guidance sessions . . .


become overwhelmed with complexissues that they feel compelled toaddress. Others including their fami-lies may not always understand suchchildren who feel so deeply aboutissues. Silverman noted “one of thegreatest gifts a counselor can givegifted young people is an appreciationof their sensitivities, intensities, andpassions” (p. 17) since their experi-ence of feeling everything moredeeply than others may be disconcert-ing. An empathic adult can dispelchildren’s fears and help them findways of coping with their strong emo-tions.

Because gifted children are, bydefinition, far from the norm, theymay struggle with finding appropriatefriends and suffer socialization issuesrelated to being different from themajority. As an extra developmentaltask, gifted students must learn andchoose a combination of strategies inorder to enjoy a successful social life.One option some gifted youngsterschoose in order to find friends is tocamouflage their intelligence in orderto gain acceptance from a peer groupthat may not appreciate them as intel-lectually oriented students. Becausethey may struggle to fit in sociallywith other children their age, theymay feel compelled to manage theirimage by hiding just how smart theyreally are (Coleman & Sanders,1993). In this way, gifted studentsoften struggle to find a balancebetween identity and isolation.

In a similar vein, gifted childrenoften search for peers based on com-mon interests rather than age, findingseveral “soul mates” of multiple agesrather than many friends of the sameage, and finding people with whomthey can share their experiences of lifewith greater intensity (Cross, 2004).Finding true peers or “soul mates”may be a difficult challenge for some.


Studies on friendship have foundthat being smart made makingfriends more difficult (Gross, 2002).In addition, this challenge becomesmore complex if gifted youngstersare not appreciated for their emo-tionality, sensitivity, or passions.Loneliness may become a way of lifefor some of them and helping themfind supportive relationships may bea challenge for their families.Helping students understand thisaspect of their development may bean important role for both the giftededucation teacher and school coun-selor.

Another important concern inthe social and emotional developmentof gifted children often highlighted by their parents is perfectionism.Perfectionism is the combination ofthoughts and behaviors associatedwith high standards or expectationsfor one’s own performance (Schuler,2002). Such high personal standardscharacterize many gifted students andmake them feel vulnerable to perfec-tionism (Adderholdt-Elliott, 1991).They may set personal standards sohigh that they are unattainable andthis tends to result in self-defeat anddiscouragement. Such thinking canresult in compulsive behavior that,unless dealt with appropriately duringchildhood, can continue to plague agifted individual for a lifetime(Clark, 1988). Never feeling satisfiedwith their best, they suffer feelings ofinadequacy and never enjoy theprocess of improving their last per-formance and living each and everyday to the fullest.

Other gifted children experiencestress because of their multipotential-ity (Kerr, 1991). Coping with multi-ple talents and interests can become aproblem for some gifted students.With never-ending enthusiasm foreverything and a vast supply of

energy, being good at everything theyundertake may lead to many adultsin their lives making multipledemands on their time, talents, andenergies. Expectations for them willremain high, as well as constant, anddecisions about which talents onwhich to focus may be difficult. Ifstudents are not guided throughowning their multipotentiality, theymay flounder when it comes time forcareer focus and college selection.

While some gifted children maystruggle with juggling multiple tal-ents and abilities, others may under-achieve (Reis & McCoach, 2002).Underachievement in gifted studentsis considered the most serious coun-seling issue within the gifted educa-tion community (Colangelo, 2003).Underachievement is seen as a discrep-ancy between assessed potential of stu-dents and their actual performance.Highly able youngsters have beenknown to shut down academically formultiple reasons including inappropri-ate curriculum and lack of challenge inschool, a mismatch between theirlearning style and a teacher’s teachingstyle, high-risk home and school envi-ronments, or family issues that may bereeking havoc in a child’s life (Baum,Renzulli & Hébert, 1995). Colangelocautioned educators to not viewunderachievement as a psychometricissue but rather a relationship betweenthe gifted student, teachers, parents,and even peers. He noted, “For somegifted students, underachievement is away to express either a need for atten-tion or a need to control a situation”(p. 383). If the problem is notaddressed early on, gifted youngstersmay vacillate academically, lose inter-est in learning, and never fulfill theirtrue potential.

Like all youngsters, gifted chil-dren will struggle with their identitydevelopment (Cross, 2004). In order

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to help children deal with feelings of being different from their peersand promote healthy development,Coleman and Sanders (1993) main-tain that educators must help giftedchildren define themselves in waysthat lead to emotional health.Promoting the development of astrong identity is an important way tosupport gifted young people. Giftedchildren know they are different andneed to acknowledge this feeling andincorporate it within their identity.Some youngsters become so involvedin camouflaging their differentnessthat it interferes with their develop-ment. Educators must recognize thisself-rejection as a serious problemthat requires attention. To succeed insocial interactions, these childrenmust develop an identity as individu-als who are gifted and talented andlearn to appreciate their gifts and tal-ents.

In addition to all of the issues dis-cussed above, these concerns becomeeven more complex for gifted chil-dren living in poverty. Within thisspecial population of gifted childrenthere exists a need to developresilience to cope with the adversitiesthat may be more of a challenge thanmost gifted children face. Resilientindividuals are those who, despite dif-ficult hardships and the presence ofat-risk factors, develop characteristicsand coping skills that enable them tosucceed in life (McMillan & Reed,1994). They appear to develop stable,healthy personalities and are able torecover from or adapt to life’s adversi-ties (Werner, 1984). To support giftedchildren from at-risk backgrounds,educators need to help them findways to develop a positive attitudetoward their environment or situa-tion, build a strong sense of purpose,and develop a strong internal locus ofcontrol, which enables them to see

life’s obstacles as challenges that canbe overcome (Hébert, 1996).

Addressing Social and Emotional

Development ThroughGuided Viewing of Film

The focus of this article is to offergifted education teachers and schoolcounselors a collaborative classroomintervention to support the personaland social development of gifted stu-dents in schools. A strategy educatorsmay consider with this population isguided viewing of film, a way to assistgifted children to understand thesocial and emotional issues in theirlives and learn new approaches toaddress their concerns. Hébert andSpeirs Neumeister (2001) proposedguided viewing of film as a strategythrough which teachers and coun-selors may help gifted studentsdevelop insights to deal with theproblems they face. Parallels drawnfrom the theoretical literature on bib-liotherapy provide support for guidedviewing of film. Bibliotherapy hasbeen defined as the use of reading lit-erature to bring about affectivechange and support personal growthand development (Halsted, 2002;Lenkowsky, 1987). Having childrenread and react to books about personsand situations similar to themselves is a long recognized helping strategy used by school counselors(Christenbury, Beale, & Patch, 1996;Gladding & Gladding, 1991). Thisapproach of using literature and biog-raphy in addressing personal andsocial development of gifted studentshas also been advocated by the giftededucation community (Halsted;Hébert & Kent, 2000). Teachers ingifted education programs have rec-ognized the therapeutic value of the

approach and often incorporate it as acomponent of their curriculum.

The process involves several pro-gressive stages, initially defined byShrodes (1949). The first stage, iden-tification, takes place when readersrecognize similarities between them-selves and book characters. In thenext stage, readers experience cathar-sis, an empathic expression of emo-tions similar to what they think thebook’s characters may have been feel-ing. In the third stage, insight, readersprogress through their identificationwith the story’s characters and theirsituations. Insight may evolve whilereading the book or in guided dia-logue with peers. In the final stage,application, the readers apply theinsights gained from reflection anddiscussion to similar challenges intheir own lives.

Movies may also serve as thera-peutic experiences for gifted students.The storyline and characters in booksoffer great therapeutic potential forgifted children, and this potential canalso be delivered through a movie’splot and characters. Berg-Cross,Jennings, and Baruch (1990) main-tained that movies provided pro-found metaphors that wereenlightening to young people andenabled them to understand personalproblematic issues. A film may helpgifted students examine their issuesthrough another perspective, allowingthem to better appreciate humorousconditions within a situation and tosee alternative solutions for address-ing their problem. In addition, agood film can create a supportiveunderstanding among the teacher,school counselor, and students whoenjoy the movie together (Hébert &Speirs Neumeister, 2002).

Movies have been found to influ-ence emotional lives of large numbersof individuals (Adams & McGuire,



1987). Researchers and educatorsfrom the gifted education communityhave recognized this and have pro-posed the use of film with gifted chil-dren and adolescents (Hébert &Speirs Neumeister, 2001, 2002;Milne & Reis, 2000; Newton, 1995).Newton (1995) maintained thatusing films with gifted studentsappeal to visual learners more thanbooks since movies appealed to mul-tiple senses. Proponents of thisapproach also have indicated thatguided viewing of film is an appropri-ate match for gifted students sincemovies are an integral part of contem-porary culture of both children andadolescents. Young people also con-sider watching movies as an enjoyableactivity carried out in a relaxed envi-ronment. As a result, they may bemore receptive to discussing issues intheir lives through the safety of agood movie.

With the ever-increasing demandfor accountability, both school coun-selors and teachers of gifted studentsmust be more efficient with students’time than ever before. In both class-room guidance programs and giftededucation, it is critical that activitiesaddressing affective concerns are notseen as “fluff ” in the academic day,but aligned with the curriculum stan-dards of both the gifted educationand counseling programs (Bowers & Hatch, 2002; Martin, 2002;Tomlinson, 1999). High qualitymovies shared with children reinforceappropriate societal messages embed-ded within school curriculum; there-fore, the use of film provides astimulating approach for addressing anumber of curricular objectives.

For school counselors who wantto maintain a strong reputationwithin the school, positive classroomguidance experiences are essential.Guided viewing of film in a gifted

education classroom is no different;therefore, care should be taken in theselection of a film, group discussion,and follow-up activities, so that classtime is not wasted and students bene-fit from appropriate service fromtheir gifted education class, as well astheir counselor’s time.

Before conducting a guided view-ing session in an elementary class-room, teachers and counselors shouldunderstand copyright issues related toviewing movies with students. In aschool setting with educational objec-tives determined by teacher andcounselor, guided viewing of film fallswithin the copyright laws protectingthe use of movies with groups. TheCopyright Act of 1976 (amended in1992) permits adults to make fair useof copyrighted material for educa-tional purposes without obtainingpermission of the copyright owner.Therefore, as long as movies are usedto teach, educators are not violatingcopyright laws (Elias, 1999).

An Example of GuidedViewing

The following discussion pres-ents an example of how a gifted edu-cation teacher and school counselormight facilitate guided viewing ses-sions with gifted elementary studentsusing the Hallmark movie entitledEllen Foster (1997). The movie isbased on the best-selling novel byKaye Gibbons and features the storyof a gifted, resilient young girl who isleft alone following the death of hermother. She draws inner strengthfrom loving memories of her motheras she is forced to move from relativeto relative in search of a family toreplace her deceased mother and abu-sive father. Her wealthy and bittergrandmother eventually takes her in;however, Ellen’s life in her grand-

mother’s household becomes moreemotionally desolate than ever before.

Despite the obstacles she faces,Ellen becomes determined to find anew mother. She experiences warm,nurturing families all around her andyearns to be part of one. This intelli-gent young girl takes her situation intoher own hands and designs a plan thatwill provide her happiness. In the end,Ellen’s strong inner strength and deter-mination enables her to free herself ofher dysfunctional relatives and theemotionally traumatic events of herchildhood. In the process, she discov-ers that the meaning of family is morethan simply being related. To Ellen, itis being loved.

Teachers and school counselorswill find that Ellen Foster is an appropri-ate movie to use with gifted students.This film features an emotionally sensi-tive and intelligent young girl withwhom many gifted children can iden-tify. Ellen’s giftedness is applied tosolve her problem and overcometremendous personal adversity in herlife. The harsh environment in whichEllen lives may be similar to the homesituations of many gifted studentsfrom low socioeconomic backgrounds.Children from all cultural back-grounds will appreciate Ellen’s story


The storyline and charactersin books offer great therapeutic potential for gifted children, and thispotential can also be delivered through a movie’splot and characters.

20 fall 2005 • vol 28, no 4

and will take away lessons from Ellenthat can be applied to their own lives.The film highlights a number of devel-opmental issues facing gifted childrenand provides educators with materialappropriate for classroom discussionsthat are bound to be rich, as well asenlightening for all those involved.

A gifted education teacher andschool counselor working togetherwould want to consider the focus oftheir discussions accompanying theviewing of this movie and determineseveral important issues they wouldwant to highlight in discussions. Keyissues that emerge in Ellen Foster arethe development of resilience, findingemotional support from people inone’s life, applying one’s intelligenceto solve life’s challenges, and having astrong belief in self. Each of theseissues might serve as a theme for dis-cussion throughout the entire movie.

Educators using such an approachhave found it helpful to break up themovie and incorporate discussionsalong the way. Depending on themovie, a natural break can be foundapproximately every 30 minutes.Appropriate questions can be infusedaccording to the content of each sec-tion. Spacing the film into segmentsallows children to reflect on elementsthat may be lost by the time the movieends. Segmenting the film anddebriefing segments is also helpful inthat students with shorter attentionspans can remain focused, and such anapproach allows the facilitation of thediscussion to be broken up into a mul-tiple-day plan, rather than requiring a2- to 3-hour block of time.

With the key issues for discus-sion determined and the naturalbreaks in the movie having beenidentified, the school counselor andteacher should prepare a menu ofdiscussion questions to pose in facil-itating the conversation with chil-

dren. Care should be taken whenwriting the questions, making sureto include introductory questionsthat appear nonthreatening to chil-dren, followed by more sensitivequestions that focus on the problem-atic situations faced by both themovie characters and the childreninvolved in the discussion. A sensi-tively crafted menu of questions isneeded for a cathartic conversationwith gifted children. Several samplediscussion questions for use withEllen Foster are provided below:

• What are the challenges Ellenfaces in her life? What do youthink helps Ellen cope with thedifficulties she faces?

• Ellen enjoys her friendship withStarletta Douglas. How doStarletta and her parents sup-port Ellen? Why was theirfriendship important to Ellen?Who are your important friends?How do they support you?

• During difficult times, Ellenenjoyed cutting out pictures ofpeople from catalogues and cre-ating paper doll families. Whydo you think she did this? Howmight this have helped her?When you are having a difficulttime, how do you entertainyourself? How does this helpyou?

• Although Ellen’s grandmotherdoes not treat her nicely, Ellencontinues to treat her grand-mother with respect and kind-ness. What does this say aboutEllen? Why do you think shetreated her grandmother thisway? How might that havehelped Ellen?

• Ellen was a very smart young girl.How do we know this? How didEllen use her intelligence to solveher problems? How do you use

your talents to address the chal-lenges in your life?

• Ellen was a very strong girl. Somepeople would refer to herstrength as “resilience.” What didyou see in the movie that indi-cated that Ellen was resilient?What lessons about resiliencehave you learned from Ellen?How might you apply this toyour life?Another technique that coun-

selors and teachers should consider isto use direct quotes from the moviethat will serve as meaningful promptsfor discussion. Several examples ofquotes from Ellen Foster accompaniedby discussion questions are providedbelow.

In an early scene in the movie,Ellen’s mother, knowing that she willnot live much longer, wraps her armsaround Ellen and shares her feelingswith her daughter, as she is attempt-ing to prepare Ellen for life after she isgone. She reminds her daughter ofher special qualities that will enableher to survive life’s harshness as shesays:

You are my favorite person in thewhole world. You’re smart andyou’re strong and you can getalong, no matter what happens. I absolutely know that. You’llremember I told you that, won’tyou?

Discussion questions that cofacil-itators might want to pose would be:

• Why do you think Ellen’s motherdelivered this message to her?How was she trying to helpEllen?

• Do you think her mother’s mes-sage helped Ellen? How?

• Has there been a time in your lifewhen someone you love gave you



similar advice? Why? How didyou respond? How did that makeyou feel?

In a poignant scene in whichEllen visits her mother’s grave on theanniversary of her death, she talkswith her mother about her supportiveart teacher who has taken her into herhome. She also spends some timechatting about how she is coping withbeing forced to live with her bittergrandmother. She attempts to assureher mother that she will survive. Shesays:

I think the two of you would havegotten along real good. Maybeyou’re looking down on me andfeeling thoroughly okay about mebeing her friend, but she ain’tnothing like you. She can neverbe a momma like you, but she’dbe my first or second choice, if youknow what I mean. But don’t youworry about me being with yourmomma. I’m gonna manage itone way or another. Like youused to say, “Nothing is forever,though it don’t seem like it some-times.” I’m doing okay in school.Don’t worry, okay.

Discussion questions that couldfollow this prompt might be:

• Why do you think Ellen thoughther mother would have enjoyedknowing her art teacher? Do youagree?

• What does Ellen think hermother might be worrying aboutfor her? How does she try to reas-sure her mother? Why do youthink she does this?

• Have you ever had an importantrelationship with another adultoutside your family? How didthis person help you? How did

your family feel about this per-son? How did that make you feel?

• Ellen reminds her mother of hav-ing said, “Nothing is forever,though it don’t seem like it some-times.” Why does she reflect backon her mother saying this? Howdo you think this helps Ellen? Doyou think this message fromEllen’s mother is one you couldapply to your life? How?

Later in the movie, Ellen has dis-covered a woman in her communitywho operates a foster home. Shebegins to plan a way to become partof the foster family, and thinking thatthe woman’s name is Foster, shebegins signing her school papers withher new name “Ellen Foster.” Whenthe school psychologist questions herabout this she explains:

It may not be the name God ormy momma gave me, but that’smy name now. My old familykinda’ wore out the other one,and I figured I can start practic-ing my new name, of my newfamily, for when they are my fam-ily. Foster, it’s a clean, fresh name.

In facilitating the discussion, acounselor or teacher might ask:

• Why do you think Ellen changedher name? How do you think shewas feeling?

• Has there ever been a time inyour life when you also wanted a“clean, fresh” change? What didyou do? Why? How did thatmake you feel?

The movie concludes with thefollowing poignant quote:

Every day I try to feel a little bitbetter about all that went onwhen I was little. It’ll eventuallyget straightened out in my head. Icame a long way to get here. Thatwill always amaze me.

Appropriate questions for con-cluding the discussion might be simi-lar to the following:

• What does Ellen mean when shesays, “I came a long way to gethere. That will always amazeme?” Do you think Ellen wasamazing? Why?

• Where do you think Ellen foundher strength to cope with the dif-ficulties she faced?

• What lessons have you learnedfrom Ellen that you might applyto your life?

Teachers and school counselorsfacilitating guided viewing sessionswith poignant movies such as EllenFoster should realize that the discus-sion of sensitive issues revolvingaround a film may elicit emotionalresponses within the participants.Therefore, it is important that thefacilitators of guided viewing sessionsdesign follow-up activities that allowthe children the opportunity toprocess through their feelings. Theseactivities should be enjoyable for stu-dents and may include artistic expres-sions, writing activities, role-playing,and music. Students may also appre-ciate the chance to select their ownfollow-up activity to pursue individu-ally. Hébert and Speirs Neumeister(2002) highlighted two reasons theseactivities are critical to the success ofa guided viewing lesson. First, suchactivities are designed to affordimportant time for introspection forgifted children. Secondly, these activ-ities provide children the opportunity


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to continue discussion of the issuesexplored in the film and offer eachother emotional support and empa-thy that may be appreciated by allparticipants involved in the session.The following is a suggested menu offollow-up activities to be used withEllen Foster:

• Pretend that you are Ellen Foster.Write a poem about overcomingdifficult obstacles in life.

• The movie Ellen Foster hasbecome a Broadway musical.Write the lyrics to a song to beperformed in this new theatricalproduction.

• Pretend that Ellen Foster is beinginterviewed on a talk show. Designand role play the interview.

• Write a short sequel to EllenFoster. How will the next chapterof her life read?

• Design and illustrate a road mapof Ellen Foster’s journey.

• Create a collage of photographsthat represent the important les-sons learned through Ellen Foster.

• Select a scene from Ellen Fosterand adapt it to become a chil-dren’s picture book.

• Ellen Foster writes a letter toDear Abby asking for advice.How does her letter read? Whatadvice does Abby provide Ellen?Write both letters.

• Reflect on the following promptin your journal: What lessonstood out to you in the movieEllen Foster? How does this applyto your own life?

• Ellen Foster has become an inspi-rational speaker to young peoplethroughout the country. Write aspeech that Ellen will present toyour elementary school.

When two professionals con-cerned about gifted children combine

their personal creativity in curriculumplanning with the generation ofappropriate group discussion ques-tions, along with their enjoyment ofgood movies, a rewarding partnershipwill evolve as they work together toprovide an effective educational pro-gram for gifted children. To assistteachers and counselors interested inpursuing such a plan, a collection ofsuggested films to be used in guidedviewing sessions is provided at theend of this article.

The Benefits of aCollaborative Approach

in Guided Viewing

The collaborative approach ofthe gifted education teacher andschool counselor may change overtime. While guided viewing of filmmay be helpful for gifted students,many teachers may be hesitant toindependently address the individualsocial and emotional issues that affectgifted children. However, since giftededucation teachers often teach thesame students for several consecutiveyears, they are in a position to knowall of their students better than theschool counselor. Through a collabo-rative effort, more children can bereached. Working as cofacilitators inguided viewing sessions with studentshelps provide for more effective class-room guidance. Over time, itbecomes possible for the counselorsto step back from the process and intothe role of consultant as the giftededucation teacher becomes morecomfortable with the process,enabling the school counselor toexpand the counseling program inother directions.

As teachers become more aware ofthe needs of their gifted students, andmore competent in meeting thoseneeds, they are more likely to work

within the realm of competenceappropriately to help students facedevelopmental issues. Moreover, asteachers’ levels of competence increase,they are more likely to recognizebehaviors indicative of a greater need.This awareness, combined with greatercomfort with the counselor, shouldincrease the likelihood that a teacherwill consult with the school counselor,as well as refer students appropriately.Through such collaboration, teachersshould become more aware of theirlimitations and levels of competence,and collaboration with another profes-sional will help teachers recognize theirboundaries and work more effectivelywithin them.

Incorporating GuidedViewing of Film inParental Outreach

As school counselors considertheir expanding roles in schools, aswell as the various ways their counsel-ing will affect a child, one area manycounselors may want to examine isparental outreach. Guided viewing offilm is an ideal way to invite parentsinto the school for a comfortablemeeting and explore issues with themand their children. With the selectionof the right movie, discussion ques-tions, and follow-up activities, a movienight with parents and students couldbe a positive experience in severalways. Among them, such an eveningcould help parents who are uncom-fortable in the school come in for apositive experience. In a relaxedatmosphere, parents could interactwith school counselors, teachers, eachother, and their children in a way thathelps them understand their children’scognitive, social, and emotional devel-opmental needs.

Once parents are in the schooland more relaxed, they may be more



receptive of information regardingtheir children’s needs. Time scheduledbefore the movie to address program-matic, development, and academicexpectations could serve as both anintroduction to the night and anopportunity for parental education.Just as with other populations of stu-dents, educating parents of gifted stu-dents about their children’s specificneeds can have long-reaching impli-cations for the success of their chil-dren. Knowledge of the schoolpopulation and parental needs withina given community is essential. Theneeds to be addressed should be eval-uated when choosing which movie toview, and what topics to discuss.Whatever the topics of choice, anopen discourse between children, par-ents, teachers, and the counselorshould have multiple long-rangeimplications for the success of thestudents, school, and community.

Summary

Gifted elementary students canprofit from their teachers collaborat-ing with school counselors throughguided viewing of film. Sensitivelydesigned discussion sessions led bytwo supportive adults will result inhealthy therapeutic responses for chil-dren. Since movies are a significantcomponent of today’s culture for chil-dren, gifted elementary students willrespond favorably to this counselingapproach; therefore, gifted educationteachers and school counselors maywish to incorporate guided viewing offilm in their professional repertoires.By doing so, many gifted childrenwill benefit.

References

Adams, E., & McGuire, F. (1987). Islaughter the best medicine? A

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Adderholdt-Elliott, M. (1991).Perfectionism and the gifted ado-lescent. In M. Bireley, and J.Genshaft (Eds.), Understandingthe gifted adolescent: Educational,developmental, and multiculturalissues (pp. 65–75). New York:Teachers College Press.

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Suggested Films forGuided Viewing

Counselors and teachers shouldunderstand the community settingand values of which the school is apart, and show sensitivity whenselecting movies to be used within theschool. Since the intended audienceof this intervention is elementaryschool students, the following moviesare rated G [General Audience] orPG [Parental Guidance]. The authorsalso encourage educators to view theentire movie as part of their selectionand preparation process.

I’ll Remember April (1999)

I’ll Remember April follows thelives of four 10-year-old boys growingup on the coast of California duringthe second World War. One of theboys is a Japanese-American whosefamily is being set to an internmentcamp. After hearing of Japanese sub-marines off the Pacific coast, the boysfantasize about being Marines insearch of the enemy. While patrollingthe beach, they discover a Japanese



sailor who is stranded and wounded.Determined to become heroes, theytake him prisoner and keep himsecret from their parents. When thesailor rescues one of the boys fromdrowning, the boys befriend theirprisoner and struggle with a pact thatcould betray their country. I’llRemember April offers discussionmaterial centering on issues such assensitivity and moral dilemmaswithin boys, prejudice, the impor-tance of loyalty to one’s friends, andbeing true to self.

Matilda (1996)

Matilda is a larger-than-life com-edy about a gifted young girl whoseintelligence is not appreciated by heranti-intellectual family. WhenMatilda begins school, she isdelighted to socialize with other chil-dren and to be involved in learning;however, she is frightened by thetyrannical school principal, Ms.Trunchbull. Fortunately, her class-room teacher, Miss Honey, appreci-ates Matilda’s giftedness and nurturesher intellect. Matilda continues toexperience frustration with parentsand a principal who stifle her creativ-ity. Eventually Matilda discovers thatshe has telekinetic powers and appliesthem to help rescue Miss Honey andher students from the tyranny of theprincipal. Through outrageous con-tent, the movie delivers clear messagesabout the importance of appreciatingand nurturing the abilities of youngchildren and the need for gifted stu-dents to find friends who appreciatetheir intellect.

My Girl (1991)

My Girl provides rich material fordiscussions focused on appreciatingintelligence in young girls, using one’s

imagination and creativity, findingsoul mates in friends, and dealingwith the loss of loved ones. The filmpresents the story of one summer’sexperiences in the life of VadaSultenfuss, an 11-year-old girl grow-ing up in the 1970s. Vada lives withher widowed father and elderlygrandmother in their home, which isattached to her father’s funeral home.Vada, a creative writer, is thrilledwhen she learns her heartthrob, afourth-grade teacher, is offering asummer poetry class. She enrolls inthe adult class and spends her sum-mer struggling with a schoolgirl crushon her teacher. She enjoys her sum-mer days with her best friend,Thomas J. Sennett, but her daysbecome more complex when herfather announces his engagement.Vada struggles with accepting areplacement for her mother.Moreover, Vada faces the tragic loss ofThomas J. when he dies from anallergic response to being stung by ahive of bees. With emotional supportfrom family and friends, Vada endsher summer by writing a memorialpoem in honor of her beloved friend,enabling her to apply her creativity indealing with her grief.

The Red Sneakers (2002)

Through The Red Sneakers, coun-selors, teachers, and students canaddress issues of anti-intellectualism,peer group pressure, gifted males lis-tening to societal messages concern-ing athletics, and talent developmentin urban youth. In this movie, ReggieReynolds is the dedicated manager ofhis urban high school basketballteam. His problem is that he wants tobe a basketball superstar, but hisdreams of becoming a college playerseem impossible, because Reggie isintellectually gifted, but not athleti-

cally talented. When the neighbor-hood junkman sells him a magicalpair of red sneakers, he becomes anovernight sensation who leads histeam to the New York City highschool finals. As Reggie enjoys hisinstant success, he struggles with thejealousy of his teammates, hismother’s changing views of his intel-lectual abilities, the high scholarlyexpectations of his math teacher, anda new set of adoring female admirers.In addition, sports scouts descendupon Reggie to offer him the goldenfuture he has dreamed of. In the end,Reggie acknowledges his true giftsand remains true to himself and thosehe loves.

Wide Awake (1997)

Wide Awake is the story of ahighly sensitive, intelligent fifthgrader named Joshua Beals. Joshuaattends an all-boys Catholic school,has a reputation for asking countlessquestions, and delights his teachers.The movie begins following the deathof Joshua’s grandfather who was hisbest friend and role model. With hisgrandfather’s passing, Joshua feels lostdespite the fact that his family andfriends offer emotional support. Thispoignant coming-of-age film exam-ines the young boy’s struggle tounderstand mortality, and his preoc-cupation with knowing whether ornot his grandfather is in heaven.Throughout the movie, Joshua facestypical adolescent issues such as cop-ing with a schoolyard bully, discover-ing girls, and developing empathy forboys who are not appreciated by theirpeer group. Through these experi-ences, Joshua confronts his issues,reaches self-understanding, and real-izes that he is “wide awake” with anew awareness of life. GGGG CCCC TTTT


by thomas p. hébert and daniel sergent - eric of feeling everything more deeply than others may be...

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