It is of no surprise that the 2004 Hollywood movie, Mean Girls, went on to become a major hit. It clearly struck a raw nerve with teens and adults alike. Ask any female adult whether mean girls haunted their school corridors and infiltrated their classrooms and cafeterias, the answer will invariably be, “Unfortunately, yes.”
The problem with the movie, in real terms, is that it offered stereotypical characters and no solutions. For a film that so many could relate to, it was disappointing that it had precious little of substance. Good for a laugh and perceptive at times, but not much an impressionable child could take from it. It is of no coincidence that a student in my school followed the lead of the villain rather than the heroine and compiled a “Burn Book” (a notebook filled with rumors, secrets, and gossip about the other girls and some teachers), just like the one featured in the film.
Enter Mike Feurstein!
For those of you who don’t know, I have been a huge advocate of Mike’s from his first groundbreaking anti-bullying film, How to UnMake a Bully, onwards. He has since made 5 other anti-bullying movies, making him one of, if not the most, prominent figure in this genre. His films are able to expertly get to the heart of everyday social and emotional challenges met by a great many children, and quite brilliantly assist in providing advise and sound methodology without coming across preachy or tacky.
I have since been able to work with him personally, and have seen how he bases his narrative on the experiences of his cast and involves them in all aspects of the film making process such as lighting and sound.
In this, the 6th entry into the UnMake series, he gets to the heart of the Mean Girls experience and offers a great platform for its young viewers to reflect on their attitudes and behaviours as well as motivating them to consider a positive approach to dealing with this issue. It’s comparisons of the erosion of friendships to that of the earth is a masterstroke!
I recommend this film strongly to teachers and parents:
Click on the link to read Anti-Bullying Song Goes Viral
Click on the link to read Some Schools Just Don’t Get it When it Comes to Bullying
Click on the link to read The Bystander Experiment (Video)
Click on the link to read Tips for Managing Workplace Bullying
Click on the link to read 12,000 Students a Year Change Schools Due to Bullying
Click on the link to read Sickening Video of Girl Being Bullied for Having Ginger Hair
Tags: Bullying, Clicks at school, Education, Film, How to UnMake a Bully, Mean Girls, mean girls group, Mike Feurstein, Movies, Parenting
Topical Teaching 
July 9, 2014 at 11:07 am |
Oooh! I’m going to check this out!