1. Daniel Ocean: Leader
2. Rusty: Second in Command
3. Ruben: First person to be consulted by Daniel and Rusty about robbing casinos.
4. The Malloy Brothers: Real brothers who race a real pickup and a remote control one.
5. Livingstone: Former FBI agent who is the dispatcher during the robbery.
6. Bashion: Electronic genius who seems to be from the UK.
7. Yen: Chinese man who is the most flexible and who works from inside the vault.
8. Saul: “Grandfather” whom Rusty meets at the dog race to ask him to be a part of the team to rob the casino.
9. Linus: first seen by Daniel Ocean to pickpocket someone on the subway train.
10. Terry Benedict: Owner of the three casinos who is also living with Tess, Daniel’s former wife.
11. Tess: Daniel’s ex-wife who eventually returns to Daniel after she sees that Daniel loves her more than Terry does.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
The Santa Clause Final Exam Study Sheet
1. Who is Scott Calvin?
Scott Calvin is a businessman who neglects his family until he is obligated to be Santa Clause as a result of not reading the card carefully that he found in the previous Santa Clause’ pocket.
2. Who is Laura?
Laura is Scott Calvin’s ex-wife.
3. Who is Neal?
Neal is Laura’s husband.
4. What is Laura and Scott’s son (Neal’s step-son) name?
Charlie is the name of Laura and Scott’s son and Neal’s step-son.
5. What is the difference between “seeing and believing” and “believing is seeing”?
If somebody sees before they believe then they have to have proof that something exists. But if somebody believes before they see then they know something exists because the idea is already in their heads.
5. How would you summarize this movie?
At first glance, this is just a classic Christmas story about a businessman who neglects his family for selfish reasons and then becoming Santa Clause changes everything. This is true, in light of the fact that Laura finally believes that Santa Claus is really Scott Calvin, or that Scott Calvin is really Santa Claus because the character playing both roles is no longer selfish but is interested in the best interests of all parties.
There is a deeper question which this movie confronts, that of whether or not to believe in Santa Claus. This comes out most clearly when Scott Calvin tells one of the elves that he sees the North Pole but he can’t believe it, to which the elf tells him, “Seeing is believing” and goes on to say that children knows it exists without even seeing the North Pole.
This movie uses the classic modern American fantasy of Santa Claus to perhaps speak to the busy fathers who have no time for their children, who may have lost their own wives because of their own selfishness or busyness. On a deeper level, this movie carries on the later tradition of Santa Claus being a good person who rewards children for their good behavior. Before buying into this type of fantasy hook, line and sinker, one would do well to consider the older traditions of Santa Claus which paint him in a much more negative light. Nonetheless, the story of Santa Claus as told through “The Santa Clause” does motivate the viewers to think twice about their own behavior and beliefs.
Scott Calvin is a businessman who neglects his family until he is obligated to be Santa Clause as a result of not reading the card carefully that he found in the previous Santa Clause’ pocket.
2. Who is Laura?
Laura is Scott Calvin’s ex-wife.
3. Who is Neal?
Neal is Laura’s husband.
4. What is Laura and Scott’s son (Neal’s step-son) name?
Charlie is the name of Laura and Scott’s son and Neal’s step-son.
5. What is the difference between “seeing and believing” and “believing is seeing”?
If somebody sees before they believe then they have to have proof that something exists. But if somebody believes before they see then they know something exists because the idea is already in their heads.
5. How would you summarize this movie?
At first glance, this is just a classic Christmas story about a businessman who neglects his family for selfish reasons and then becoming Santa Clause changes everything. This is true, in light of the fact that Laura finally believes that Santa Claus is really Scott Calvin, or that Scott Calvin is really Santa Claus because the character playing both roles is no longer selfish but is interested in the best interests of all parties.
There is a deeper question which this movie confronts, that of whether or not to believe in Santa Claus. This comes out most clearly when Scott Calvin tells one of the elves that he sees the North Pole but he can’t believe it, to which the elf tells him, “Seeing is believing” and goes on to say that children knows it exists without even seeing the North Pole.
This movie uses the classic modern American fantasy of Santa Claus to perhaps speak to the busy fathers who have no time for their children, who may have lost their own wives because of their own selfishness or busyness. On a deeper level, this movie carries on the later tradition of Santa Claus being a good person who rewards children for their good behavior. Before buying into this type of fantasy hook, line and sinker, one would do well to consider the older traditions of Santa Claus which paint him in a much more negative light. Nonetheless, the story of Santa Claus as told through “The Santa Clause” does motivate the viewers to think twice about their own behavior and beliefs.
Anastasia Final Exam Study Sheet
1. Who is Anastasia?
Anastasia is the princess who is separated from her family because of the man who sold his soul to destroy the family?
2. Who is Demetrius?
Demetrius is the boy who saved Anastasia’s life and who eventually falls in love with Anastasia.
3. Why doesn’t Demetrius take the money?
Even though Demetrius was after the money in the beginning he eventually falls in love with Anastasia and it is enough to him to know that she has found her family.
4. Why does Anastasia choose Demetrius over her royalty?
She realizes that being royalty won’t bring as much happiness as being with the man she loves.
5. Although this movie is simpler than others we have seen in class, what is one deeper characteristic of this movie not so clearly evidenced in other movies viewed in this class?
This movie features the classic dualistic motif of good and evil.
6. How would you summarize this movie?
At first glance, this movie is a simple childhood movie about a princess finding her prince, which is based on a true story. One could watch this movie at that point and think this is a very simple movie. Perhaps one could even understand the context of this movie as a learner of English, including what people are saying to each other. However, there is a deeper message about dualism and the soul and perhaps even between the dualism between the spirit (aka soul) and matter. When Anastasia breaks the glass and he loses his soul his body disintegrates into sand. Nonetheless, the moral of this movie is that good always prevails and that even when one’s motives leave something to be desired one can change one’s thinking and follow suit by changing one’s actions.
Anastasia is the princess who is separated from her family because of the man who sold his soul to destroy the family?
2. Who is Demetrius?
Demetrius is the boy who saved Anastasia’s life and who eventually falls in love with Anastasia.
3. Why doesn’t Demetrius take the money?
Even though Demetrius was after the money in the beginning he eventually falls in love with Anastasia and it is enough to him to know that she has found her family.
4. Why does Anastasia choose Demetrius over her royalty?
She realizes that being royalty won’t bring as much happiness as being with the man she loves.
5. Although this movie is simpler than others we have seen in class, what is one deeper characteristic of this movie not so clearly evidenced in other movies viewed in this class?
This movie features the classic dualistic motif of good and evil.
6. How would you summarize this movie?
At first glance, this movie is a simple childhood movie about a princess finding her prince, which is based on a true story. One could watch this movie at that point and think this is a very simple movie. Perhaps one could even understand the context of this movie as a learner of English, including what people are saying to each other. However, there is a deeper message about dualism and the soul and perhaps even between the dualism between the spirit (aka soul) and matter. When Anastasia breaks the glass and he loses his soul his body disintegrates into sand. Nonetheless, the moral of this movie is that good always prevails and that even when one’s motives leave something to be desired one can change one’s thinking and follow suit by changing one’s actions.
The Simpson's Movie Final Exam Study Sheet
1. What does Homer say outside of the church as he is walking with his family to the front door?
Why do I have to go to church? Why can’t I pray at home?
2. What does Marge tell Homer in response?
Quiet. They can hear you from inside.
3. Why doesn’t Homer think the people inside the church are listening to what he is saying?
Homer thinks that the people inside are too busy paying attention to a God who doesn’t really exist to be listening to what he is saying.
4. Does Homer negate the existence of God or just the peoples’ ideas of God?
We don’t know for sure what Homer thinks about God. It seems conceivable that Homer believes in God to some extent since he expresses a willingness to pray at home. It would seem most plausible that Homer merely thinks the God the people in church believe in isn’t the God who truly exists.
5. What does Homer say to the people in the church when he walks in the door?
Homer says, “How are you? Peace be with you. Praise Jebus.”
Without understanding the idioms throughout this movie, this would seem to be a pretty simple movie to understand. It was interesting to watch this movie and see what students laughed at and what they didn’t laugh at. For example, when Homer is caught between a rock and a hard place, if the viewer knows what this idiom means, it’s a comical scene. However, there were other scenes that students laughed at, which seemed to indicate universal truths.
This movie seems to be much more family-oriented than most of the TV show series, at least as experienced by the teacher during his years of growing up with this sitcom. The most valuable parts of this film seem to be the emphasis on dealing with the environmental issues, Homer’s change in behavior and the triumph of the city over the US Federal Government. The movie concludes with Homer being reconciled with his family, apparently as a direct consequence to Homer risking his life and limb (body) for the sake of rescuing a “people I hate for reasons I don’t know”.
Why do I have to go to church? Why can’t I pray at home?
2. What does Marge tell Homer in response?
Quiet. They can hear you from inside.
3. Why doesn’t Homer think the people inside the church are listening to what he is saying?
Homer thinks that the people inside are too busy paying attention to a God who doesn’t really exist to be listening to what he is saying.
4. Does Homer negate the existence of God or just the peoples’ ideas of God?
We don’t know for sure what Homer thinks about God. It seems conceivable that Homer believes in God to some extent since he expresses a willingness to pray at home. It would seem most plausible that Homer merely thinks the God the people in church believe in isn’t the God who truly exists.
5. What does Homer say to the people in the church when he walks in the door?
Homer says, “How are you? Peace be with you. Praise Jebus.”
Without understanding the idioms throughout this movie, this would seem to be a pretty simple movie to understand. It was interesting to watch this movie and see what students laughed at and what they didn’t laugh at. For example, when Homer is caught between a rock and a hard place, if the viewer knows what this idiom means, it’s a comical scene. However, there were other scenes that students laughed at, which seemed to indicate universal truths.
This movie seems to be much more family-oriented than most of the TV show series, at least as experienced by the teacher during his years of growing up with this sitcom. The most valuable parts of this film seem to be the emphasis on dealing with the environmental issues, Homer’s change in behavior and the triumph of the city over the US Federal Government. The movie concludes with Homer being reconciled with his family, apparently as a direct consequence to Homer risking his life and limb (body) for the sake of rescuing a “people I hate for reasons I don’t know”.
Ocean's Eleven Final Exam Study Sheet
Even after spending much time in class to watch Ocean’s Eleven and try to discuss the film, many students continued to show their confusion about the content of this movie. Herein is a brief explanation of this movie as understood by the teacher of this class without much consultation of secondary sources.
At first glance, it would seem that this movie is simply about stealing money from a casino. This would seem to be the most common theme of the movie as evidenced by students’ understandings of the movie prior to finishing it in class. However, sometimes the main things are not in fact the main things. In that case, we have to look at the implicit meaning of the movie.
There are three scenes prior to the end of the movie that seem to foreshadow the underlying story of this movie. The first is when Daniel finds Tess at the casino he is preparing the team to rob. The second is when Rusty confronts Daniel on his real intentions of robbing the casino, which have very little, if anything, to do with money. The third is when Daniel says goodbye to Tess. The scene where Terry chooses money over Tess shows that Daniel’s intention all along was to get Tess back and that he was willing to risk his own criminal record as well as those of his cohorts to prove this love to Tess. In the end Tess learned that Benedict loved money more than her and that Daniel loved Tess more than his own reputation.
At first glance, it would seem that this movie is simply about stealing money from a casino. This would seem to be the most common theme of the movie as evidenced by students’ understandings of the movie prior to finishing it in class. However, sometimes the main things are not in fact the main things. In that case, we have to look at the implicit meaning of the movie.
There are three scenes prior to the end of the movie that seem to foreshadow the underlying story of this movie. The first is when Daniel finds Tess at the casino he is preparing the team to rob. The second is when Rusty confronts Daniel on his real intentions of robbing the casino, which have very little, if anything, to do with money. The third is when Daniel says goodbye to Tess. The scene where Terry chooses money over Tess shows that Daniel’s intention all along was to get Tess back and that he was willing to risk his own criminal record as well as those of his cohorts to prove this love to Tess. In the end Tess learned that Benedict loved money more than her and that Daniel loved Tess more than his own reputation.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Entertaining or Teaching English
Today, I had the crazy idea that I should try to get students to speak in English. First, it was difficult to get students to understand what I was trying to say. And then it was difficult for me to get students to stop talking once they started. The trouble was that students didn't seem to be talking about the subject in English or Korean.
The trouble with finding ways to teach English in the classroom as that the ideas don't always work out so well in practice as they seem when I read about them in the book. I spent quite a bit of money on books that I purchased in America, thinking they would work well in Korea. Sometimes the ideas work well and sometimes they don't.
Even after I had students write their answers on paper for a "quiz" that I thought might work well as a disciplining device seemed to be as frustrating as getting the students to speak.
I tried showing the bulk of the movie with English subtitles and students either weren't able to see the English subtitles or if they did, they couldn't read the sentences fast enough. Or, if those things weren't the problem, it was difficult for students to understand the meaning of the sentences.
Part of my frustration was in students not understanding what I was trying to say in English or Korean. I think there must be a tendency among to students to give up on trying to understand me in either language when they don't understand what I mean to say.
Now, the dilemma seems to be that if I show most of the movie during class, it becomes "Entertainment English" rather than "Screen English". But if I try to teach students something about the movie, the method winds up not being a very meaningful way of learning English.
In some cases, I seem to be in a Catch 22, where no matter what I do, it isn't enough because students are only taking the class because they have to, or if they have the desire to improve their English, they don't have the time.
I'm also starting to reconsider my efforts of free-talking this semester. I'm not convinced that the methods I'm using are satisfactory free-talking methods in terms of improving students' English-speaking abilities.
Hopefully the next post will have some more constructive comments in this regard and that I will be able to find a via media approach that is somewhere between "entertaining" and "productive".
The trouble with finding ways to teach English in the classroom as that the ideas don't always work out so well in practice as they seem when I read about them in the book. I spent quite a bit of money on books that I purchased in America, thinking they would work well in Korea. Sometimes the ideas work well and sometimes they don't.
Even after I had students write their answers on paper for a "quiz" that I thought might work well as a disciplining device seemed to be as frustrating as getting the students to speak.
I tried showing the bulk of the movie with English subtitles and students either weren't able to see the English subtitles or if they did, they couldn't read the sentences fast enough. Or, if those things weren't the problem, it was difficult for students to understand the meaning of the sentences.
Part of my frustration was in students not understanding what I was trying to say in English or Korean. I think there must be a tendency among to students to give up on trying to understand me in either language when they don't understand what I mean to say.
Now, the dilemma seems to be that if I show most of the movie during class, it becomes "Entertainment English" rather than "Screen English". But if I try to teach students something about the movie, the method winds up not being a very meaningful way of learning English.
In some cases, I seem to be in a Catch 22, where no matter what I do, it isn't enough because students are only taking the class because they have to, or if they have the desire to improve their English, they don't have the time.
I'm also starting to reconsider my efforts of free-talking this semester. I'm not convinced that the methods I'm using are satisfactory free-talking methods in terms of improving students' English-speaking abilities.
Hopefully the next post will have some more constructive comments in this regard and that I will be able to find a via media approach that is somewhere between "entertaining" and "productive".
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Between A Rock And A Hard Place: Teaching a required English Course
As indicated by my last entry, things have not seemed to go well in my classes since the Mid-term. I learned yesterday that students, at least in my conversation classes, come to English Conversation thinking they will be able to relax and learn English in fun ways rather than have to learn grammar or have to sit through a difficult conversation.
I find myself feeling as if I am between a rock and a hard place. I hear the administration wanting students to speak English well and requiring English conversation and the students struggling to endure through an English Conversation class. This leaves me feeling almost sick to my stomach as I also try to sympathize with my students who seem to have almost unrealistic expectations. First, students tell me they want to talk. Then, when I give them opportunities to talk, they complain because the conversation is too difficult or because the activities are too boring. Then they expect the class to be fun in a way that relieves them of the pressure they feel in their other classes.
I feel like I have a better handle on all of this after talking with students yesterday that were in one or both of my conversation classes who said that they are stressed out from all the work they have to do to prepare for their tests in their other classes which are mainly to prepare them for THE teaching test they have to pass in order to become teachers of students with special needs.
I think that one of the students made a valid point about the environment of the classroom not being conducive to creating natural conversation. I think I may start with a simple conversation and see how far I can get with students and try to find some kind of a game to support what they are learning.
I find myself feeling as if I am between a rock and a hard place. I hear the administration wanting students to speak English well and requiring English conversation and the students struggling to endure through an English Conversation class. This leaves me feeling almost sick to my stomach as I also try to sympathize with my students who seem to have almost unrealistic expectations. First, students tell me they want to talk. Then, when I give them opportunities to talk, they complain because the conversation is too difficult or because the activities are too boring. Then they expect the class to be fun in a way that relieves them of the pressure they feel in their other classes.
I feel like I have a better handle on all of this after talking with students yesterday that were in one or both of my conversation classes who said that they are stressed out from all the work they have to do to prepare for their tests in their other classes which are mainly to prepare them for THE teaching test they have to pass in order to become teachers of students with special needs.
I think that one of the students made a valid point about the environment of the classroom not being conducive to creating natural conversation. I think I may start with a simple conversation and see how far I can get with students and try to find some kind of a game to support what they are learning.
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