“Animal School” Feedback!
by Ellen C. Braun
Filed under Raising Small Souls Movies
RaisingSmallSouls’ popular movie, “Animal School” has generated a flury of comments. Educators and parents have raved about the moral of the story, and it has inspired many to take a deeper and more individual look at their students and children.
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Click here to read the Animal School Movie Text.
The music is Yellow Flutterby Dreams- http://gbhprod.com/songs
Recently, I’ve been thinking about which type of animal is catered to in a traditional school setting, and I believe it is the sheep. Passive followers do very well in school. ‘Sheep’ do as they are told, never question rules, and consistently follow the directions they are given. That’s not to say that other animals cannot do well in school… they can! Yet, most schools are geared towards the needs and charateristics of the sheep!
A father told me about his two sons, who are as different as night and day. The eleven-year-old is a straight-A model student. On the other hand, the eight-year-old is restless, creative, and entrepreneurial. Since the younger son is “weight-challenged” (is that the current politically-correct way of saying “a little overweight”?) his mother sends him to school with fruits and vegetables as snacks. The family struggles financially, and the child does not bring any money with which to buy snacks. However, at the beginning of recess, the third-grade child asks his teacher for a handfull of plastic cups. He borrows a dollar and finds a child with a 32oz. Snapple, and purchases the drink. Then he pours a bit of the iced-tea into each of his dozen cups, and sells them to his fellow students. He uses his profits to repay the loan and buy the commercialized sugar-and-salt-coated snacks that he craves. At the end of the day, he has had his fill of junk-food and several dollars in profit!
Which child has more “street smarts”? Which child is more likely to succeed in the “real world”? If you own a business, which child would you hire to work as your salesman?
RaisingSmallSouls.com values your feedback, share your thoughts below!
Sincerely,
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I’m a little bothered by the email about the over-weight child borrowing money to buy a drink to sell for more money so he can eat junk food, followed by the question who would I hire as a sales person. I would hire a person who displays self-respect, a person who shows they take care of their whole person, mentally and physically. Life isn’t all about who can earn more money to buy things they don’t need that are not even good for them. That is a lesson we can all teach our children.
QHAmom, you have a fair point.
What if the story had been about an ecenomically-challenged child who found a creative way to earn money for extra nutritious snacks, as him mom could not afford to fill his lunch box?
In my humble opinion, the nutrition and lack of thereoff was simply a detail, not the main point of the story at all.
At the end of the day, cut the kid some slack- he’s only eight!! How many of us adults truly take care of our health and nutritional needs the way we should?! An eight-year-old cannot be expected to have the ability to possess the long-term-vision of good health and override the short-term-desire for sweets!! Do you agree?
Sara and Donna, I truly appreciate your kind words:)
Denise, I defintely agree- done correctly, home-schooling can overcome some of the standard hurdles.
However, schooling aside, let’s think about how we treat our children as parents, not only educators! Do we sometimes expect an excitable child to sit calmly through a long trip? Have we ever demanded that our child do something because most other kids that age did so, without considering whether it was for his particular benefit? I know that I’ve been guilty, especially of comparing my younger children to what their older sibling’s ability had been at that age…. (This site is my repentance, LOL!)
I really love the idea of Animal School, so inspiring and encouraging. As a teacher and a mom, I still find something that I can learn from it. I highly recommend it to my friends. : )
This is so true. Zack is in pre-school and the teacher he had at the beginning of the year wanted the kids to act like robots. There are 10 boys in the pre-k class and 2 girls. She and I went round and round over the way she was treating Zack. She put him in time-out for growling like a dinosuar. Needless to say she is no longer at the school and the new teacher has 6 boys of her own and the class no longer has any displine issues. The boys are allowed to be boys.
Christine- I really appreciate your kind words:-)
Lisa- what a story! I’m so glad that it has a happy ending:-) (Hey, sometimes I want to growl like a dinosuar, lol!)
I have two young children who could not be more different. My older daughter does very well in school and it comes pretty easily, while my younger son struggles with reading and math concepts needing much more instructions and practice. I found this to be the perfect way to remind the teachers and school that they must not expect all the kids to achieve in the same way, at the same pace, but in their own time and in their own way.
Hi Ellen,
Loved the video… gave a good smack in back of head… my kid’s unique… should be treated as such… as a parent you know it, but still want your kids to conform with what’s the norm… your video definitely shed light on the fact the norm does not always help kids grow to their full potential… I know now how to proceed.
Thanks!
Kunle
Thanks for the inspiration! That was really meaningful.
Thanks for sweet comment, Erica:) And, I look forward to going for lunch again soon!
Revealing! and it was a pleasent presentation. I am a cross between the fish and the eagle.
I am the parent of a zebra and a eagle. I was extremely touched by this wonderful film. So many children don’t fit into the traditional box designed by our public schools.
Seems like the box is the problem, not the student.
Hi Mary Beth,
You expressed the movie’s message very eloquently- the box is the issue, not the child! Thanks for posting:)
As inspiring as the video clip is, the story line is not original (see below). At the very least, author(s)should have been credited.
http://www.janebluestein.com/handouts/animal.html
http://www.uua.org/programs/idbm/accessibilities/worship_story_greenstein.html
Hi Susan,
Thank you for providing us with those links! In my extensive search for copyright issues regarding “Animal School” I actually came across many different “sources” for the original story. In the end I received permission from Artscroll publications to use the variation of the story published within one of their books (as noted in the first slide of the movie).
On a side note, public domain material need not be credited- you can use it, tweak it, and call it your own- if you so desire!!
About the fish!
Ok, I’ve received several comments and personal emails regarding the fish in the movie! There were some comments here, although I’d appreciate if all the comments stay on this page, so we can follow along with each others’ different ways of thinking!
Firstly, I did not write the story, obviously.
Secondly, perhaps the author’s intention was not to have the fish represent a mildly challenged child; rather a child who was completely unable to function within a normal atmosphere, due to very, very severe physical, emotional, and/or intellectual challenges.
Thirdly, although many teachers and educators have expressed their appreciation for the movie, and the movie does take place in a school setting, please note the title of this website: Timeless Parenting Advice!!! This is not a place for educational/schooling advice. The movie is used to eloquently demonstrate the innate differences in children, not to push any sort of educational agenda!
A fourth point: Perhaps the fish can be taken out of the regular classroom for a temporary period of time, and then, will not be quite so “fishy” and at that point, can benefit from being in the regular class!
Fifth: It’s just a fable!!!! It’s a fairy-tale with a message, take it or leave it! Enjoy the scenery, the music, and whatever aspect of the message speaks to your heart! Then give your child a big hug:)
A sixth point: Please note that my qualifications for building this website are that of a parent only! (I do have a B.A. in humanities as well.) With the exception of several subsituting stints when I was in college, I have never been a formal teacher! I do think of myself as an informal teacher of my children. Parenting is my life’s passion, and I built this site to share what I have discovered to be pratical and meaningful concepts with other parents, to give and share support and advice.
It is my hope that many parents benefit from this site:)
If you have a formal educational issue, please take it up with someone who is qualified to help you in that area!
Thanks for visiting RaisingSmallSouls!!
Ellen,
I am very sad that you feel that this is a school/educational issue. This animal movie has a wonderful motive behind it, however school is not just education. It is our childrens social society. They learn making friends, social classes, empathy, compassion, love, biases, gender roles and many other things there that we are resposible to teach or discourage in our children. It is not some simple, cute fairytale as you suggested. This is being shown to children in schools. I know that the message of the fish is not the main issue, but it is said that he does not belong in a class room with his peers. I for one as a parent would never want my child to believe that someone belongs away from their peers because that person is different, and any messages that are similar to this I would not want my child to hear. Many of these little suggestions overtime build up to make beliefs. So if a child hears over and over again that people don’t belong because they are different may lead to opinions later that it is ok to exclude groups of people from our societies. I would suggest that if the fish doesn’t feel like he belongs then you don’t remove the child you change the environment. I know that you are passionate about parenting and it is evident on this site, but I would challenge you to look into how seperating children can affect them worse being in a situation that they feel uncomfortable.
AS a parent of a son with a significant disability, I was shocked to see the fish portrayed as someone who needs to be segregated in a special education classroom. Maybe you need to be a parent of a child with a significant disability before you can understand how hurtful it is to send a message like this. I thought the rest was fine but I wish you would change the part about the fish and point out that all kids have their talents and excluding anyone is not acceptable.
Many years ago when my son was 6 years old I took him out of school. He was very bright but apparently not ready to learn to read and the school environment was beginning to make him feel stupid. When he was 10 he learned to read and went back to school to the fifth grade. He is now in his mid thirties, knows how to read and write in four different languages, was well-recieved when he presented a thesis at a national conference and now owns his own international company.
I know what you are trying to say in this story about the animals and now that I have become a teacher myself I see the need for the message all around me – for educators and for parents.
At the same time I hope you and your other correspondents are willing to “listen” to some of the criticisms and examine the assumptions we as a society accept in all aspects of our lives about people who are different.
It worries me that in your response you suggest that the fish cold be taken out of the classroom for short periods of time until it is not so fishy yet you would never suggest that the eagle not be so eaglely or the kangaroo so kangaroo-like.
I find that no matter how we talk about those children who are taken out of the classroom, the real message we send to the rest of the children is that their differences are not the kind that the rest of us can associate with. In fact, most severely challenged children are never seen by those who are not since they are not even allowed in the same school. How are parents to teach their children tolerance of people they never see or talk with?
Lauri, Welcome, I believe I addressed your comments to the best of my ability in my post above yours!
Hi Tanya,
You make a great point. Kuddos regarding your son, and your dedication as his mother! Like I said above, I have absolutely no experience in classrooms, teaching, etc- the intent of the movie is for parents to view their child with a refreshing breath of clarity; to understand that their child is unique and to raise him/her according to his/her special attributes.
I am reminded of a summer camp I attended as a child, where there was a special bunk of special-needs children. We did a few activities with them each week, shared a campus with them, and ate our meals together. It was a beautiful experience, where both groups of children gained from interacting with each other.
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*****Again, this is a PARENTING site, please keep your comments on-topic; this is not the place to gripe about educational methods!*****
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Ellen, chastising us that this is a parenting site not an education site is ridiculous since you raised the issue of education on this parenting site when you posted ‘Animal School.’
One of the most important things we do as parents is to prepare our children — all our children — to take their place in the community. Our schools are the FIRST community of childhood, where we all learn to work, play and to live together. Sending a message of segregation–that some belong and some do NOT–is dangerous.
I don’t want my kid with your kids on an occasional basis when your kids get to be the helpers because my kid has such a (perceived-to-be) awful life. I want my kid WITH YOUR KIDS every day so they learn that despite his severe disabilities he is, first and foremost, a person–a person who belongs and has a place in the community right alongside of them.
I had your experience as a kid–being a nice helper kid to a child with a disability. I don’t remember it as ‘beautiful’– I remember wondering where she was the rest of the time, why I was being praised for playing with her, and what made her so different that she had to go to a special school. I remember a vague feeling of guilt that I didn’t understand at the time. Don’t be so sure that the helping experience is so positive.
ALL PEOPLE BELONG IN THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
Hi Corolyn,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
You know what? I don’t know what is best for a child who is challenged!!! Perhaps in certain circumstances it would be best for the child to be mainstreamed, and in other situations it wwould be to the child’s benefit not to be in a regular class.
I have no problem stating here that I do not know what is the “right” way to handle a special needs child… and no “right way” can be absolutely “right” for every child!!
Can you onsider the fish to be so physically, mentally, and intellectually child that he absolutely cannot function in a regular class, (without special improvisions) due to his medical needs?
My sister-in-law’s sister has 2 severely challenged children, who participate in all of our family get-togethers, and play well with our children.
I’m leaving for a short weekend now, so I’ll respond further when I get back home.
A parting thought- picture the fish in swimming class. No problems there:) Now picture the fish in running class. In flying class. In climbing class. Obviously, the point is that some special accomidations must be made- and not every special-needs child is, in fact, a fish! Leaving a fish in the standard atmosphere on land would be toxic!!
I truly appreciate all of your passionate comments, you are all really dedicated parents, I and am open to changing my mind, and perhaps even some of the wording of the movie. How would you suggest we re-word the fish slide?
Segregation is a civil rights issue … and when you are the parent of a minority child (in this case a fish) than having their civil rights violated IS a parenting issue. Parenting (just like teaching reading and writing and educating everyone all together all the time) is a political issue.
Excusing this story because it is a fairy tale is very dangerous. Little Black Sambo was only a fairy tale too!
I would like to share the following (which, in my opinion is a parenting issue, too)
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
– Frank Outlaw
I am very thankful that you are asking for suggestions on how to reword the fish slide … I too am getting ready for a long weekend, so I will think about it and check back in later.
Paz, Sasha
Parent, Special Ed teacher, and Peace Educator)
Perhaps you are legally correct when you stated in your reply to me, “On a side note, public domain material need not be credited- you can use it, tweak it, and call it your own- if you so desire!!” Whatever your legal obligation, you certainly have an ethical obligation to credit your source(s).
On your site’s “values and ethics” page, you question ” Living in a society in which our highest government officials and largest corporations are routinely found to be dishonest, how can we teach our children to be truthful?” My response to you: we start by MODELING – doing what is right.
It is wrong of you to take this material and “call it your own- if you so desire.” I have to wonder: WHY do you so desire? BTW, the partial credit you do include is timed to go past so quickly it can’t be read without several replays. Why?
One thing I want MY children to know is that truthfulness goes beyond legality. Perhaps you will understand the problem with appropriateing others’ works without credit only after someone takes yours…
My son has multiple significant disabilities… he’d be considered a “fish” by many.
The fish doesn’t get acknowledged for being an outstanding swimmer and is supposedly bored because the rest of the curriculum is presumed to be meaningless. The problem isn’t the fish, it’s the teachers who don’t recognize his strengths and can’t think beyond the traditional teaching to see that you don’t have to fly to learn about and appreciate flying, or running, or climbing…
Or maybe he’s a “bee”… Presumed incompetent based on standardized tests and closed minds. Having to prove himself against all odds. (He’s got a lot of non-conformist “eagle” in him as well…)
The fable seemed to be making the point that all kids have strengths and should be appreciated, and that one size doesn’t fit all. So I was surprised that the answer for the fish was just presumed to be special ed. It’s exactly the kind of sweeping presumption we’ve had to work so hard against all of my son’s life.
Hopefully, the dialogue it’s generated is helping other people to re-think those presumptions.
Ellen,
Thank you SO much for being open to listen to our concerns as parents of children with disabilities, and understand our passion for inclusion.
Inclusion is not only great for the student with disability, but it creates a real life situation for ALL students and educators. Inclusion teaches everybody patience, tolerance, problem solving, and accepting differences. Removing the child from the classroom is the easy way out rather than providing his teachers with the needed training and tools to accommodate and support him in an inclusive learning. The fish will not be bored if educators would concentrate on his abilities, and make school and community more positive and exciting.
I also wanted to share with you a letter that my 11-year-old daughter Rasha wrote last year to a cartoonist who made fun of including students with different abilities in a regular classroom. I hope that Rasha’s letter will help explain the feelings of people with disabilities when the school/community try to segregate them. I will send her letter in a separate email.
Laila Kawar
“For nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)
Parts of a letter by 11 year old Rasha to cartoonist Ted Rall:
My name is Rasha Kawar and I’m 10 years old. I feel mad and sad because what you said is not fair and it hurt a lot. I use a wheelchair and I’m in a regular classroom and my teacher is great and she treats me like everybody else and I have lots of friends and we play together and learn together.
I don’t want to go to a special classroom because I won’t have lots of friends and its OK if we are different because this is how God created us. And you may be old and slow and have special needs yourself one day so do you want others to say you can’t come to the same movie theatre or store or restaurant?
You need to visit me and my school in Coppell and see that it’s really really really cool for all friends to be in the same classroom. I’m sad and mad and I hope you will never never never write that again and instead tell people that you are sorry for hurting our feelings.
Rasha kawar
Coppell, Texas
http://www.ucp.org/rasha
I am a special educator in one of the best school systems in the country. I could so relate to this slide show. I was reminded of the kids I work with every day. Some are with me because they are different and do not fit the one size fits all approach that is espoused in general education. I spend my days advocating for these children as they struggle to fit in outside of my classroom. It is most often the other teachers that need to be reminded different can still be of value and so special
This is a great, wonderful movie! I have forwarded it to all my friends.
Thank you!
First, I echo the comments of all of those who are disappointed in how the fish is represented. How said that the wonderful talents of the fish are ignored in order to slide in a cheap commentary on exclusion. I think what so many fail to realize is, as Laila so eloquently explained, that children who are differently abled aren’t the only ones who benefit from being in a regular classroom. The lives of those who are fortunate enough to work with these wonderful young men and women are also enhanced. To espouse that they simply “do not belong” is short sighted, discriminatory, and in my opinion questions the validity of the entire video.
Finally, regarding your comments on education v. parenting issues. When I take my son to the mall, or McDonald’s, or the movies and children stare, laugh or make inappropriate comments – that IS a parenting issue. You see, these kids have not been educated either at home or in the school setting as to the value of differences in all children. These children grow up to be ignorant and in some cases prejudiced towards those who are different. If that doesn’t fall within the realm of parental responsibilities then I don’t know what does.
The movie really touched me. I think it should be a staple in training for educators at all levels.
I understand that your intentions are good and your failure to edit out the ridiculous, demeaning and wrong fish slide as a parent is surely due to your ignorance on disability issues. In some ways, you really can’t be faulted for that, like many, you just don’t know better. I am pleased though that you appear open to learning from your mistakes. I recommend that you rewrite the fish slide and maybe the fish should just be removed b/c it’s not a fair or accurate or correct message to send about differently-abled people -that they’re so different they don’t even breathe oxygen and live on land like the other animals mentioned. I think many of our special needs kids are more like other animals for which the messages are fine- sort of a bear, sort of a bee, sort of lots of things, but more LIKE other kids than UNLIKE other kids. That’s the whole point. And while it may be true that placing some kids in a special ed pull out classroom is the best thing for them, they still are part of the whole society and need to learn to be part of it and typical kids and adults need to learn to allow them and all of their strengths and weaknesses to be part of society as well. In other words, special needs kids are still breathing the same air as the “other animals.” They laugh, they cry, they love, they hunger, they feel pain, they like movies, they like to dance, play basketball, listen to a good story, to be hugged and appreciated for WHO THEY ARE.
I wonder why you say don’t let your child be a kangaroo. From watching this film, I’d be so much more concerned if my child was a fish. The fish in this story don’t stand a chance — oooh, lets hide them away in a place where no one can see them – no one has “seen” one before so we obviously have to deny they even exist. I thought fish could swim???
Ah, the kangaroo – the one who instead of persevering gives up and becomes that discouraged child whose future disappears because he was not appreciated. Hmmm… sounds like chldren with disabilities, whose potential is never understood – fits into this “mold” as well.
Yes, they really are all molds and tend to validate our society’s tendency towards categorizing and putting into slots our children. I know this film is supposed to give the opposite message but I’m not seeing it.
See what one fish made with her life:
http://www.learn.to/handwrite
I for one had no trouble reading the credit that was given for this story. And since there are a variety of sources for this story (I’ve heard several different variations before) I think it is great that you sought and give credit for the version you used.
As for the fish – the story does skip over the fishes swimming ability – and that part should probably be altered. However there are children that are simply to dangerous for whatever reasons to be in mainstream public educational settings.
As a child I went to school with one of those kids. In 5th grade he would go into rages and overturn tables and chairs, by 9th grade his level of violence escalated to the point that he once choked me into unconciousness before a teacher pulled him off of me. He wasn’t even suspended from school because he was considered “special needs.” Now as an adult he is doing time for homicide.