Need an agent? Get Smart.

This week's media encounter was with the movie Get Smart. I've been pretty excited to view this film and it finally made it's way to the dollar theater (wahoo). This was definitely not a disappointment. I think Steve Carell his hilarious and Anne Hathaway is gorgeous. This film was about a secret agent, Max, that wants desperately to go out and work in the field. He is CONTROL's best analyst and The Chief doesn't want to let him go. This film covers Max's journey from office analyst to field agent. This was definitley a entertainment viewing.

As I have had time to think and analize the film, I realize that there was substance there. The film was all about CONTROL vs. KAOS. Now, if that isn't explicit I don't know what is. I think what made the film so funny was the common sense. Everyone thinks of secret agents as super-smart people with a huge vocabulary and and equally sizable brains (most of the time this is propbably true) but this movie shows the "normal" side of agents. As Max goes about completing his mission he speaks what he thinks and isn't afraid to look stupid. He isn't afraid to ask questions and he utilizes every resoruce available to him.

I think these ideas can teach a lot to children. I think a certain age group would be able to view this film and then engage in a class discussion on what they got from it. It definitely teaches about asking questions and gaining information. I think it is extremely important that children understand that if they don't understand something they need to ask for clarification. Most of the time the majority of the class has the same question but everyone is too timid to speak up.

This film can be used as a teaching example by showing it to teachers/educators and then sending them off create an activity that can help children ask more questions and show them that they can be as smart as an agent. Agents are problem solvers and helping a student understand how to recognize problems and solve them can be extremely benificial.

Some game ideas could include an agent game. Present the students with a problem facing the world, their school, or their community. Have them get in groups and brainstorm ways to solve it. Have them write or design a "secret plan" to get "citizens" involved to help solve the problem. I think people, in general, learn better when they have to work for or find the information.